Torment - Lauren Kate [127]
“Good evening.” A guy’s voice, stiff with formality.
When Arriane lowered the butcher’s block, there in the doorway stood a tall, lean boy in a brown trench coat. He was very pale, with a narrow face and a strong nose. He looked familiar. Cropped bleached-blond hair. Blank white eyes.
An Outcast.
But Luce had seen him somewhere else before.
“Phil?” Shelby cried. “What the hell are you doing here? And what happened to your eyes? They’re all—”
Daniel turned on Shelby. “You know this Outcast?”
“Outcast?” Shelby’s voice quaked. “He’s not a—He’s my sorry-ass ex—He’s—”
“He’s been using you,” Roland said, as if he knew something the rest of them didn’t. “I should have known. Should have recognized him for what he was.”
“But you didn’t,” the Outcast said, his voice eerily calm. He reached inside his trench coat and, from an inner pocket, pulled out a silver bow. From his other pocket came a silver arrow, which he swiftly nocked. He pointed it at Roland, then swept across the crowd, aiming at each of them in turn. “Please forgive my barging in. I’ve come to fetch Lucinda.”
Daniel stepped toward the Outcast. “You’ll fetch no one and nothing,” he said, “except a swift death unless you leave right now.”
“Sorry, no, can’t do that,” the boy responded, his muscled arms still holding the silver arrow taut. “We’ve had time to prepare for this night of blessed restitution. We will not leave empty-handed.”
“How could you, Phil?” Shelby whimpered, turning to Luce. “I didn’t know … Honestly, Luce, I didn’t. I just thought he was a creep.”
The boy’s lips curled up in a smile. His horrible, depthless white eyes were straight out of a nightmare. “Give her to me without a fight, or none of you will be spared.”
Then Cam burst out in a long, deep belly laugh. It shook the kitchen and made the boy in the doorway twitch uncomfortably.
“You and what army?” Cam said. “You know, I think you’re the first Outcast I’ve ever met with a sense of humor.” He glanced around the cramped kitchen. “Why don’t you and I take this outside? Get it over with, shall we?”
“Gladly,” the boy replied, a flat smile on his pale lips.
Cam rolled his shoulders back as if he were working out a knot—and there, right where his shoulder blades came together, an enormous pair of golden wings split through his gray cashmere sweater. They unfurled behind him, taking up most of the kitchen. Cam’s wings were so bright they were almost blinding as they pulsed.
“Holy Hell,” Callie whispered, blinking.
“More or less,” Arriane said as Cam arched his wings backward and plowed past the Outcast boy, through the door and into the backyard. “Luce will explain, I’m sure!”
Roland’s wings unfurled with a sound like a great flock of birds taking flight. The lamplight in the kitchen highlighted their dark gold and black marbling as he squeezed out the door after Cam. Molly and Arriane were right behind him, butting into each other, Arriane pressing her glowing iridescent wings ahead of Molly’s cloudy bronze ones, sending off what looked like little electric sparks as they hustled out the door. Next was Gabbe, whose fluffy white wings spread open as gracefully as a butterfly’s, but with such speed they sent a rush of floral-scented wind through the kitchen.
Daniel took Luce’s hands in his. He closed his eyes, inhaled, and let his massive white wings unfurl. Fully extended, they would have filled the entire kitchen, but Daniel reined them in, close to his body. They shimmered and glowed and looked altogether too beautiful. Luce reached out and touched them with both hands. Warm and satin smooth on the outside, but inside, full of power. She could feel it coursing through Daniel, into her. She felt so close to him, understood him completely. As if they’d become one.
Don’t worry. Everything’s going to be fine. I’ll always take care of you.
But what he said aloud was “Stay safe. Stay here.”
“No,” she pleaded. “Daniel.”
“I’ll be right back.” Then he arched his wings backward and flew