Dark Deceiver Read Free

Esri youth stilled. “I don’t believe you.” He continued to thrash until she was sure he was going to give her a headache. “You’ll set me aflame as you did Baleris. You… dark blood. You human! ”
    She stared at the angry hopelessness that twisted the kid’s mouth and felt a sharp stab of pity. She’d told him she wasn’t going to kill him, but he was right not to believe her. She might not kill him, but Jack and Larsen would. This was war and there was no taking an Esri prisoner. Jack had tried that once. He’d locked up Baleris in the police station overnight. By morning, the Esri had managed to enchant the entire D.C. police force, turning them into his own personal hit squad.
    They had to kill him. And yet… he was just a kid.
    Her mind aimed a swift kick at her heart. She couldn’t be soft on this. If she screwed up now, Jack and Larsen would never let her help again.
    â€œAutumn, hold him!” Larsen’s voice carried through the rain.
    The Esri struggled beneath her. “Release me!” But the anger in his voice was crumbling beneath his fear. “I beg of you, release me. I do not wish to die.” The tears ran freely from his eyes, now. “Please, my lady. Please. I mean you no harm.”
    Dear God, what was she supposed to do? He was Esri. Evil.
    He was just a kid.
    With a groan of despair, she knew she couldn’t be the reason he died.
    â€œIf I let you go, you have to go back through that gate. Right now. ”
    The boy stilled, his orange eyes widening with hope. “Aye. I shall go back. You’ll not regret it. I’ll make it up to you. I give you my vow.”
    â€œRight. Just make sure you go back through that gate. If you don’t, my friends will catch you. And then you will die.”
    She rolled off him into the muddy grass, knowing she was going to regret this. Jack and Larsen were going to be furious. The kid leaped to his feet and made a dash for the fountain as Larsen tried to intercept him with her flamethrower. But the kid was fast. Before Larsen could catch him, he dove into the fountain, his cloak billowing out behind him for one brief moment before he disappeared.
    Autumn rose from the soaked grass, her shoulders heavy with guilt.
    â€œDamn, damn, damn! ” Larsen’s epithets rose in volume as she ran toward Autumn. “Did he hurt you?”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œDo you know what just happened?”
    Autumn cringed. “If you’re asking if he enchanted me, I don’t think so. I’m still wearing my holly.” She held up her arm, displaying the rough band of wood she wore around her wrist. Holly was the only thing they’d found that protected true humans from the Esris’ mind control. “I know I had him. I know I let him go.”
    â€œWhy?”
    All her life Autumn had longed to be smaller. Now she felt about two inches tall. And it hurt. “Larsen, I’m sorry. He looked like a fifteen-year-old kid. And he was crying.” Even to her own ears, her reasons sounded lame.
    Larsen looked around with a deep sigh, her expression one of frustration, her movements agitated. “All right. Well, it’s done.” Larsen dug in her pocket and handed Autumn a set of keys. “Go get in the car and lock the doors. The others may come back and I don’t want you to get hurt.”
    Autumn pressed her lips together, wanting to argue that she could help. But she’d just proved she couldn’t be trusted.
    â€œLarsen, he said something that might be important. He said they came for the power stones.”
    Larsen’s gaze jerked to hers. “Stones? Are you sure the word was plural?”
    â€œPositive.” Autumn shoved the keys and her cold fists deep into her pockets. “He said they’d find them all.”
    â€œWe thought there was only one. We have only one.”
    â€œYeah. That’s why I thought it might be