Read Online Shimmer: The Rephaim Book 3 by Paula Weston - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Paula Weston
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uncombed. I’m met with a waft of mint toothpaste. He takes in the state of my face. ‘You should stick your head outside for a few seconds.’
I go to the window and push it open. Cold air stings my cheeks and slaps all the breath from me. The clouds have lifted enough that I can see the steep, rugged face of the alps, dark clumps of pine trees, valleys of snow. Patches of pale blue sky far above.
‘That’ll do or you’ll end up with frostbite.’ Jude leans out and pulls the pane shut. I shiver in the warmth of the room. Brown eyes watch me through thick lashes. My brother, alive—not decapitated on the side of a deserted road. Not lost to me forever. Ready to face Gatekeepers and hell-beasts.
‘Shit, princess.’ Jude pulls me to him. I bury my face in his neck, breathe him in: pine forest and sea salt. We stay like that for a moment until I can form words again.
‘I’m sorry,’ I manage when I finally pull back. The neck of his shirt is wet. ‘I can’t get a grip on any of this. And I’m terrified something’s going to happen to you—’
‘You don’t think I’m scared of losing you again? It doesn’t matter how much we learn about that farmhouse or how many Rephaim are with us when we storm it, we’ll still be fighting demons.’
I nod, wipe my cheek on my shoulder. ‘Demons who want us. That’s all taking Rafa and Taya is about: getting to us so they can find out if we had contact with the Fallen last year.’
Jude walks to the window and stares down at the piazza, not really seeing it. When he turns back, he’s focused. ‘Let me see that scar again.’
I lift my hair and turn around. He touches the thick skin on the nape of my neck, the wound that destroyed the mark of a crescent moon he and the rest of the Rephaim have in the same spot.
‘Bel said he put a blade through my neck last year and you begged for my life.’
Jude says nothing for a good ten seconds. ‘If he did, he either pulled back before it severed your head or someone stopped him.’ His gaze drifts as he tries to force the pieces together. ‘Do you think I did a deal with that demon to save you?’
My skin chills to hear him say it out loud. There’s a knock on the door before I have to answer.
Ez is waiting in the hallway. She glances at my face and gives my shoulder a quick rub. ‘Let’s eat.’ Jude and Zak fall into step behind us. It’s eerie up here, silent except for the quiet hum of ducted heating and muffled steps on endless carpet.
‘Where is everybody?’ I ask.
‘Already downstairs. I’m not the only one who’s missed the cooking.’ Ez gives me a small smile. I had a taste of Sanctuary food when I was here last week—mushroom risotto—but I’d been half-drowned by Malachi and drugged by Daniel, so I wasn’t exactly primed to savour it.
Ez leads us downstairs and along a wide hallway lined with enormous works of classical art—the largest I’ve seen hanging outside a major gallery. Certainly more impressive than anything the Pan Beach Gallery has ever exhibited. And again, they’re all battles between angels and demons. More carnage.
It’s as if the Rephaim need constant reminders of what’s in store if the so-called prophesied war between angels and demons eventuates. Of what will happen if they (we) fail to find the Fallen and hand them over to the Angelic Garrison. My scalp tightens. God, I hope Jude and I didn’t have contact with the Fallen last year.
‘No word from the Five?’ Jude asks Ez as we pass a life-size image of an angel impaled on a spike, his helmet askew, wings broken and torn.
‘Not yet.’
We reach a set of carved timber doors. Jude steps in front of them, blocks the way. He tells Ez and Zak about our plan to get Daisy alone and ask for her help—without anyone else knowing.
‘You need to tread carefully there, Jude,’ Ez says. ‘Daisy’s loyalty is to Nathaniel, no matter how misty-eyed she was to see you.’
But she doesn’t tell us not to try.
We
I go to the window and push it open. Cold air stings my cheeks and slaps all the breath from me. The clouds have lifted enough that I can see the steep, rugged face of the alps, dark clumps of pine trees, valleys of snow. Patches of pale blue sky far above.
‘That’ll do or you’ll end up with frostbite.’ Jude leans out and pulls the pane shut. I shiver in the warmth of the room. Brown eyes watch me through thick lashes. My brother, alive—not decapitated on the side of a deserted road. Not lost to me forever. Ready to face Gatekeepers and hell-beasts.
‘Shit, princess.’ Jude pulls me to him. I bury my face in his neck, breathe him in: pine forest and sea salt. We stay like that for a moment until I can form words again.
‘I’m sorry,’ I manage when I finally pull back. The neck of his shirt is wet. ‘I can’t get a grip on any of this. And I’m terrified something’s going to happen to you—’
‘You don’t think I’m scared of losing you again? It doesn’t matter how much we learn about that farmhouse or how many Rephaim are with us when we storm it, we’ll still be fighting demons.’
I nod, wipe my cheek on my shoulder. ‘Demons who want us. That’s all taking Rafa and Taya is about: getting to us so they can find out if we had contact with the Fallen last year.’
Jude walks to the window and stares down at the piazza, not really seeing it. When he turns back, he’s focused. ‘Let me see that scar again.’
I lift my hair and turn around. He touches the thick skin on the nape of my neck, the wound that destroyed the mark of a crescent moon he and the rest of the Rephaim have in the same spot.
‘Bel said he put a blade through my neck last year and you begged for my life.’
Jude says nothing for a good ten seconds. ‘If he did, he either pulled back before it severed your head or someone stopped him.’ His gaze drifts as he tries to force the pieces together. ‘Do you think I did a deal with that demon to save you?’
My skin chills to hear him say it out loud. There’s a knock on the door before I have to answer.
Ez is waiting in the hallway. She glances at my face and gives my shoulder a quick rub. ‘Let’s eat.’ Jude and Zak fall into step behind us. It’s eerie up here, silent except for the quiet hum of ducted heating and muffled steps on endless carpet.
‘Where is everybody?’ I ask.
‘Already downstairs. I’m not the only one who’s missed the cooking.’ Ez gives me a small smile. I had a taste of Sanctuary food when I was here last week—mushroom risotto—but I’d been half-drowned by Malachi and drugged by Daniel, so I wasn’t exactly primed to savour it.
Ez leads us downstairs and along a wide hallway lined with enormous works of classical art—the largest I’ve seen hanging outside a major gallery. Certainly more impressive than anything the Pan Beach Gallery has ever exhibited. And again, they’re all battles between angels and demons. More carnage.
It’s as if the Rephaim need constant reminders of what’s in store if the so-called prophesied war between angels and demons eventuates. Of what will happen if they (we) fail to find the Fallen and hand them over to the Angelic Garrison. My scalp tightens. God, I hope Jude and I didn’t have contact with the Fallen last year.
‘No word from the Five?’ Jude asks Ez as we pass a life-size image of an angel impaled on a spike, his helmet askew, wings broken and torn.
‘Not yet.’
We reach a set of carved timber doors. Jude steps in front of them, blocks the way. He tells Ez and Zak about our plan to get Daisy alone and ask for her help—without anyone else knowing.
‘You need to tread carefully there, Jude,’ Ez says. ‘Daisy’s loyalty is to Nathaniel, no matter how misty-eyed she was to see you.’
But she doesn’t tell us not to try.
We
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