Page 11 of Daemon Master

His heart pounded in his chest. He needed to calm down and think about this rationally. The last thing he wanted was to jump to any hasty conclusions.

Heartrender let out an impatient huff and resumed pawing at the Arbiter’s window. Apparently, it disagreed. Something had it spooked. But, what?

Perhaps he should start with what he knew. A powerful daemon had attacked him several hours ago. Its odd behavior suggested a daemon master’s influence. That meant someone wanted him dead and used their daemon to attempt the deed, most likely because he’d discovered Crastley’s secret lab. He glanced from Heartrender to the worn journal still lying open on the floor. Or, to be more precise, because he’d found what Crastley had hidden inside.

Though the journal’s full contents remained a mystery, Crastley’s note claimed it offered proof of Serenity Corp’s wrongdoing. An old recluse wasn’t exactly the most reliable source of information. Yet, if there was even a kernel of truth in his words…

Adrian gulped.

While the loose collection of city-states that had survived the Daemon Wars technically maintained a separate government, everyone knew therealpolitical power in the League lay with Serenity Corp. Without their regulated supply of captured daemons and manufactured bondstones, society would have collapsed centuries ago.

Which was no doubt precisely the way Serenity Corp liked it. They’d probably doanythingto protect their reputation and position within the League. And here he stood in the middle of a Serenity Corp facility, locked in a room by one of their low-level executives.

An executive who’d been gone a suspiciously long time.

Panic constricted his chest as he mentally replayed his last conversation with the Arbiter. He hadn’t known about Crastley’s accusations yet, but he’d told her everything else. Was it his imagination, or had she reacted oddly to his description of Shadowlash? Almost as if she’d recognized the daemon…

Barely registering what he was doing, he began to pace. Heartrender yipped at him with obvious annoyance, but he ignored it.

Arbiter Janice’s potential involvement supported his theory that Shadowlash’s master acted on behalf of Serenity Corp. If Crastley had stolen Serenity Corp secrets, they must have been searching for him. Had they tracked him down and silenced him for good?

The Arbiter’s earlier words echoed unbidden through his mind.Of all the people for this to happen to, I’m so sorry it hadto be you.He’d assumed she’d simply been commiserating over his traumatic morning. Now, though, he wasn’t so sure.

Doubling over, he rested his hands on his knees. His breath came in ragged gasps. This couldnotbe happening. After everything he’d been through today, he had to be jumping at shadows.

Something tugged at the hem of his trousers, snapping him back to the present. He glanced down and found Heartrender sitting there. When his eyes met the daemon’s, it mewled softly.

Clenching his hands into fists, Adrian pictured his parents and forced his back straight. “You’re right,” he said, trying to suppress the quiver in his voice. “I don’t have time for a panic attack, not if I want to get out of here in one piece. I need to…”

He trailed off, unsure how to finish the sentiment. Heartrender clearly thought the answer was flight, but what had set the tiny daemon off in the first place? Part of him still desperately wanted to believe this was all his overactive imagination.

An image of writhing black tentacles flashed before his eyes, and he shivered. “It’s Shadowlash, isn’t it?” he whispered.

Heartrender let out a low growl at the name. Adrian took a deep breath to center himself and extended his aethersense. Nothing. That meant little, however, with how well Shadowlash had masked its aura before.

Sorry, buddy. I know your aether’s still thin, but I need your help.

Trailseeker greeted him with the same impassive stare as always. Flaring his aether, Adrian slipped into Trailseeker’s mind, letting the daemon’s heightened senses fill his awareness.

A moment later, he cursed and canceled the meld. Shadowlash’s unmistakable scent wafted from under the door. The daemon was close, perhaps already within the Serene Hall.That pretty much confirmed his suspicions. He had to get out of here.Now.

“Looks like you had the right idea,” he said as he joined Heartrender by the window.

Not seeing an obvious way to open it, he braced himself against the pane and slammed his right shoulder into the glass. Pain throbbed down his arm, and he yelped, rubbing at his bruised shoulder. It was that spirit-cursed bridge from the meadow all over again. He should’ve known his pathetic aether wouldn’t be enough—not with the aether used in the pane’s creation.

Heartrender yipped encouragingly by his feet, and he forced himself to consider the window critically. He might not be able to smash through on his own, but he didn’t need to. Not when he had two daemons here with him.

While Trailseeker obediently moved to the window and shifted itsBolster Bodyto enhance its raw strength, Adrian tugged the Arbiter’s chair from behind her desk and positioned it in front of Heartrender. The smaller daemon mewed gratefully and hopped up onto the wooden seat.

“Ready?” he asked, feeling foolish when he remembered he was talking to two daemons.

Trailseeker didn’t respond, but Heartrender growled in what might’ve been confirmation.

“Now!” He threw his shoulder—the left one this time—against the window just as Trailseeker and Heartrender leaped forward in unison.

Bolstered by aether or not, the glass shattered beneath their combined assault. Most of it sprayed across the lawn outside, but he ducked his head against a few errant shards. Momentum carried both Heartrender and Trailseeker through the opening. Adrian, however, hesitated.

This was his last chance to turn back. To put his faith in Serenity Corp and Arbiter Janice. Even if Shadowlashhadbeen operating with Serenity Corp’s blessing, that didn’t mean what had happened this morning wasn’t some giant misunderstanding. If he stayed here, maybe they could sort it out so he could put this nightmare behind him.