He snorted. “I was feeling charitable. You should’ve asked why I’ve collected all those souls. You should’ve asked why I haven’t killed you. You should’ve asked what the final role you play is. But I know I’ll see you again, Trinity, and when I do, it would be wise for you to come alone.”

Before I could do anything—speak, go for him or take another breath—he tipped backward, falling from the ledge into the night.

34

I shouted as Zayne flew forward and landed on the ledge, wings lifted high. I darted to the edge as my grace retracted.

A laugh rose from the darkness below as I leaped up next to Zayne. Unable to see Sulien, I was able to figure out he’d landed on a balcony a dozen or so feet below. He jumped again, hopscotching from balcony to balcony until he reached the ground. My gaze swept the darkness, spotting lights on the balconies. I prepared to jump.

Zayne’s arm snagged me around the waist. “Don’t.”

“But—”

“We can’t give chase,” Zayne argued. “Not right now. That’s what he wants, and we’re not giving him what he wants.”

“Chasing him is what I want,” I reasoned, grasping his arm.

Zayne turned me from the ledge and then let go. I spun toward him, instinct demanding I knock him aside and go. He must have sensed that, because his wings spread out, an effective obstacle. “Chasing him is what you did before,” he said. “And he led you to that tunnel. We do not let him lead us anywhere again.”

Frustrated because he was right and because knowing that didn’t damper the instinct to give chase, I balled my hands and swallowed a scream. “He’s playing with us.”

“You’re right,” he snarled. “And that’s why we don’t play along. That’s not how we’ll beat him.”

“And how will we beat him, All-Knowing One? We don’t know where he’s staying or have any way of tracking him if we can’t chase him.” I spun away and stalked across the roof. “This whole time we’ve just been waiting for him—”

“That was the plan we agreed to.”

“But we’re not behind the steering wheel here.” I stopped, taking deep breaths of the warm night air. The other Trueborn’s presence was completely gone. “If this is a story, we’re not driving the plot, buddy.”

“This isn’t a story, and even if it was, sometimes forcing things to happen is not only unrealistic but incredibly stupid. So, you know what, we’ll rewrite the story.”

Huh.

I turned around, seeing that he’d followed. “I’m completely lost now in this conversation.”

His wings swept back. “Remember when I said I had an idea? Before Sulien the Douchebag showed up?”

My lips twitched. “You said douchebag. Peanut would be so proud.”