Read Online Half Lost by Sally Green - Free Book Online Page A

that and the conversation is more on me.
    Van continues. “You risk your life and the lives of others for a few Hunters. Your attacks do little but satisfy your lust for blood.”
    â€œNothing’ll satisfy that,” Nesbitt mutters from behind.
    â€œI took a risk and it paid off.”
    â€œWe’d rather you didn’t take the risk.”
    â€œWe all risk being killed at any time. We might all be dead by this time tomorrow. If I choose to attack some of them, that’s up to me.”
    Van shakes her head and looks to Gabriel. He says, “Nathan takes calculated risks and wouldn’t endanger anyone else.” And somehow it feels worse that he’s covering for me when I know he doesn’t approve of my attacks.
    â€œWell, calculated or not,” continues Van, “if they carry on, the likelihood is that you will get killed, Nathan. And we need you for a bigger purpose.”
    â€œYeah?” I say. So maybe this is the real point of her visit.
    â€œThe longer the war goes on, the stronger Soul gets. He is drawing more White Witch councils from Europe under his influence. We’re still trying to recruit from all sections of the witch community, but after our defeat at Bialowieza—well, it’s hard.” She glances at me and draws heavily on her cigarette before blowing out a stream of lilac smoke. “And there’s another factor holding people back. They don’t see the point in joining the fight when they believe you’ll kill Soul in any case. Rumors are circulating that some witches have had visions of you doing that. Personally, I’m not sureif they’re visions or desperate hopes. But everyone knows that you took your father’s Gifts.”
    â€œSo it’s all down to me? Is that what you believe too, Van?”
    â€œIf you do have your father’s Gifts and can control them, then you are stronger than Soul.”
    â€œSoul alone,” I say. “Not Soul and hundreds of Hunters.”
    â€œSoul knows you’re the last real threat to him,” says Nesbitt. “That’s why he’s sending messages out about the amnesty. Not that anyone believes he’d stick to his promises.”
    â€œWhat amnesty?” I ask.
    Nesbitt grins. “You haven’t heard? Anyone would think you’ve been living under a stone, mate.”
    Van says, “Two weeks ago, Soul announced an amnesty for everyone in the Alliance and that all Alliance prisoners will be released—if we hand you over to him.”
    â€œIt’s a tempting offer,” Nesbitt adds. “But I’ve told everyone that if they give you up I’ll never speak to them again. That seems to have deterred them so far.”
    There was a time, years ago, when Celia wouldn’t have thought twice about killing me or letting me die, but now I know she’d never do that. There was also a time when Nesbitt’s comment would have annoyed me. Now I blow smoke rings.
    One of the trainees mutters something about the conditions the prisoners are kept in. I realize then that all the trainees are standing round, listening in. I wonder howmany of them would like to hand me over in exchange for an amnesty.
    Nesbitt has heard the comment too and he looks over at the trainees and then says loud enough for all to hear, “Course you could give yourself up to Soul, Nathan. I know you’d love to help the prisoners, alleviate their suffering.”
    I grind my cigarette butt into the ground, saying, “It wouldn’t alleviate anything.” Maybe the prisoners would be released, but I doubt it, and the fact of Soul being in power would mean others would suffer. He’ll never stop persecuting Black Witches or anyone who objects to his hold on power.
    I can imagine the prisoners in the cells below the Council building, some in the same cell where I was held once, before I was tattooed. I was left in complete darkness, chained to the wall.