Violet Eden Chapters 04 - Endless

said, but my mind was still a livewire trying to work out what I was going to do. Should I race back to the Academy, jump into bed and feign ignorance? Should I confront Lincoln and ask what he was doing? Should I apologise? Get mad? Cry now or later?
    Spence pointed to anall-night cafe. ‘Don’t beat yourself up. You can buy me cake to make–’
    ‘Stop!’ I said, grabbing his arm, trying to sift through the senses I was feeling.
    Zoe and Spence froze.
    All of my attention focused in on the café. ‘Exile,’ I said. Spence and Zoe had to concentrate for a little while to pick it up, too, but they both nodded.
    I was getting good at using the senses. They were so overwhelming here I’d had to work at them. Suddenly I had a new appreciation for Rainer’s relentless tuition.
    ‘I recognise this… Roses and… spearmint …’ My forehead crinkled. I’d definitely sensed the combination before, but I couldn’t place it.
    We moved back into the shadowed pavement opposite the cafe.
    ‘Any ideas?’ Spence asked. He already had his dagger out. And he was grinning. He’d formulated his plan quickly and it involved immediate confrontation.
    ‘Let’s wait here. He has to come out eventually and then we’ll see what we’re dealing with. If he’s one of Phoenix’s crew we may be able to follow him if we keep our guards up and stay back.’
    Zoe looked between the cafe and us. ‘You know we’re gonna get nailed for this?’
    ‘Yep,’ I said. But we were already busted and at least this way we could actually be of use.
    ‘I’m in,’ Spence said.
    Zoe nodded. ‘Me, too. Just making sure we’re all on the same page, people ,’ she said, imitating Griffin.

    Half an hour laterthe excitement had worn off and we were freezing cold, and still waiting for our exile to show himself.
    My phone vibrated in my pocket. I pulled it out and looked at the screen.
    ‘Lincoln again?’ Spence asked, blowing into his hands.
    I nodded. All three of us had been ignoring his several calls.
    Spence dropped his head in his hands. ‘We’re in so much shit. Hate to say it, Eden, but maybe you should answer.’
    I looked at the phone, my finger hovering over the accept button. Spence had a point but something told me to wait. Before I could make up my mind, the cafe door opened and out walked our exile.
    ‘Holy hell,’ Zoe whispered.
    Yep. Holy hell.
    I put my phone back in my pocket and prepared to follow. We’d just hit the jackpot.



CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
    ‘In His angels he found wickedness.’
    Job 4:18
    W e didn’tneed to tail Olivier – Phoenix’s second-in-charge – for long before we saw him stalk into another building, this one a residential block. Something twisted in my gut.
    We deliberated over whether to follow him in, but decided to stay outside for now.
    Minutes later, Olivier came back out, a child wearing blueand-white pyjamas in his arms, head resting on his shoulder as if he was sleeping. But we all saw the blood trickling down the side of the boy’s face.
    ‘Look,’ Zoe said, pointing up to the third floor of the building where smoke was billowing from a window.
    I panicked. People were still inside the building! I prayed that the boy’s mother or father – destined Grigori only had one or the other – was still alive.
    ‘I’ll go,’ Zoe said, not hesitating. ‘You two follow Olivier.’
    There was no time to delay. This shadowing mission had just turned into a rescue and none of us was about to turn our back on what needed to be done. This was what we were made for.
    Zoe flew acrossthe street and into the building while Spence and I followed Olivier.
    Olivier hailed a taxi and took off in the direction of Manhattan. We almost lost him while we waited for our own taxi, Spence all but hauling a woman, who was still paying, out of the first one we could find.
    ‘Follow that cab!’ Spence said to the driver, throwing all the money in his pocket at the taxi driver.
    We leaned back as we headed over the bridge and into lower Manhattan. Spence looked positively exhilarated.
    ‘You’ve always wanted to say that, huh?’
    ‘Every man’s dream!’ he said, not taking his eyes off the taxi ahead.
    While he kept watch I used the opportunity to text Lincoln the name of the street where we’d left Zoe and told him to send fire engines and a clean-up crew, just in case.
    He texted back.
    On the way. Where r u?
    I chewed on my lip.
    In taxi. Following Olivier. Don’t be mad.
    Now wasn’t the