Darkness Becomes Her (25 page)

No one spoke, but a few incredulous gasps spread around the room.

“You ask too much,” Bran said.

Nell Cromley spoke up, and I couldn’t help but wonder if the dark-haired, blue-eyed witch was directly related to the Alice Cromley whose bone I’d ingested into my lungs. “Our knowledge is kept hidden for good reason. Only the nine of us and the translators are permitted within those walls. Our own families do not have access. I am sorry, child, but you are simply too young and inexperienced to grasp what you ask of us. The responsibility that comes with bearing such knowledge is too great.”

If only she knew the things I’d had to “bear” in my life already. I hated the implication that I was incapable or irresponsible.
Hated. It.
Frustration ate away at my calm. “Can any of you kill a god?” I glanced around the table. “I mean, really?
Just kill one by standing there and being yourself ?” My gaze came back to Nell. “I’ll have that power one day. I might have that power now. I don’t need your library’s knowledge for that. You saw what I did in the cemetery. She’s afraid of me.”

Michel’s lips curled into a small smile, and his gray eyes took on a decisive glint. “I doubt Ari intends on exposing our secrets and our history to the world. Allowing her access to our library and our knowledge only benefits us if the result is Athena’s defeat. My son can assist her—”

“Oh, bravo, Michel!” Josephine scoffed. “Bastian is powerful enough.”

“And what of our children?” Soren jumped in. “You expect us to agree on
your
son learning the knowledge and not ours?”

“He will be head of this family one day,” Michel said. “He will learn it eventually.”

“Oui,”
Soren shot back. “When he takes your place. Then and only then. Just as it is for the rest of us.”

Heads nodded around the table. Michel sat back and shrugged. I had to give him props for trying (and for sneaking his son into the library years earlier to show him the Mistborn tablet, something the Novem obviously didn’t know about). Now I knew where Sebastian got his tendency to defy authority.

“I would consider this,” Nikolai Deschanel said thoughtfully, “if she enters alone, and leaves with nothing. No artifacts, scrolls,
or books. No notes, nothing of any kind except what is committed to memory.”

“I’d agree to that,” I said immediately. I didn’t exactly have a photographic memory, but if I found information that helped me locate Athena and Violet, I doubted I’d forget it. And more than anything, I was anxious to get started. “So, what’s it going to be? Let me in the school, give me access to the library, and”— I smiled—“I’ll take care of your goddess problem.”

A few chuckles went around the room.

“But why?” Another Novem head, Simon Baptiste, spoke. “You are a smart young woman. You could hide, disappear from Athena’s radar. What could possibly motivate you to do all this, to put yourself in her path and help protect this city? What do you really want? Riches, control, power …”

My pulse skipped as my gaze fixed on the powerful vampire. A current of anticipation and conviction snaked through my veins. It was simple.

“I want
vengeance
.”

That one single word reverberated through the room as though it held power.

Slowly I leaned back in the chair as the goose bumps on my arms faded.

Vengeance.

I wouldn’t stop until I got it. Wouldn’t stop until Violet was
returned to New 2 safe and sound. Wouldn’t stop until my ancestors could rest in peace, and my father was freed. I’d never stop. Not until Athena was dead.

Somewhere in the din of my thoughts I heard them vote. Heard every member echo the word “Aye.”

And it was then that I knew, one way or another, no matter how long it took, I’d have my revenge.

Much gratitude goes to the amazing folks at Simon Pulse, and to my brilliant editor, Emilia Rhodes. What a fun and exciting journey this has been, and I’m so happy to be working with you!

To the fabulous Miriam Kriss for believing in this book, helping a dream come true, and taking care of business so I could focus on the writing. Thanks for making my writing life infinitely better. It’s a pleasure to be your client.

Thanks goes to good friend, fellow author, and CP, Jenna Black, for the read and for being creeped out by portions of this book, to which I responded:
Yes! I have done my job.

To Kameryn Long, who read the first half of this book in its earliest stage and texted
I hate you!
because I left her hanging. One of the best texts I’ve ever gotten. Thanks for being my constant champion, Kam.

Big hugs to the Destination Debut girls for all the cheers, commiseration, sharing, and support. Don’t know what I’d do without you.

And, as always, to Mom and Dad and my family and friends for the unwavering support, and to Audrey, James, and Jonathan for putting up with my “spacey” moments and allowing me time to dwell in make-believe lands. Thank you for bringing me back down to earth and keeping me grounded.