Darkness (Alisa Rose #2)

-Thirty Six-

Jace POV

I slipped into the small restaurant across from Colegio De San Vicente, keeping my steps quiet and my presence unnoticed. The place was nearly empty at this hour—just a few stray customers who paid no attention to anyone else around them. Mr. Guzman sat in the far corner, his gaze fixed out the window, as if the bustling street held all the answers to our problems.

When he saw me, he offered a brief nod, his face expressionless but his eyes sharp as always. I slid into the chair across from him, exchanging only a wordless greeting. With Mr. Guzman, there was no need for small talk.

"Dumalaknat," I said quietly, not bothering with an introduction. "We encountered one last night."

His expression didn't shift much, but his fingers stilled against the edge of his coffee cup. "And it survived?"

"Barely," I replied, recalling the night's skirmish. "We managed to hold it off, but it's not like any of the others we've fought. Agile. Strong. And immune to tactics that work against Tikbalanugo."

Mr. Guzman's eyes narrowed, his brow creasing. "Dumalaknat haven't surfaced in this area like this. And certainly never aligned with Tikbalanugo. Their paths never cross—not willingly, at least."

I nodded. "That's what's so strange. They don't normally ally with anyone, but we're seeing them moving alongside Tikbalanugo." I paused, letting that sink in before I continued, "There's a possibility, slim as it is, that a Tikbalanugo found a way to tame the Dumalaknat."

For a moment, Mr. Guzman simply watched me, processing the idea with a look of faint disbelief. "Impossible. The Dumalaknat are volatile and proud—they don't submit to Tikbalanugo. They would rather feed on them than serve beside them."

"Agreed," I replied. "But we're not seeing anything that adds up. Either something's changed in the Tikbalanugo ranks, or there's an anomaly. Either way, I have a couple of suspects."

I noticed his posture stiffen, the slightest shift of his hand at the mention of suspects. "Names?"

"Emmett and Rebecca." I let the names hang in the air, watching for his reaction. "Newborns, but ambitious, if Alisa's descriptions are accurate. Both have threatened her. They seem like the type who wouldn't mind pushing boundaries if it meant gaining more control or power."

Mr. Guzman looked away, lost in thought. Emmett and Rebecca were names that had surfaced before, and not just in Alisa's account of things. Mr. Guzman's gaze drifted as if he were assessing every possible scenario these newborns might've concocted.

"They could be driven by arrogance," he said slowly, "but to control a Dumalaknat requires more than ambition. It would require strength, cunning—and a lack of fear. Most Tikbalanugo know better than to seek such dangerous alliances. They wouldn't risk the inevitable betrayal."

"Which makes it more disturbing," I said, "if someone's managed to pull it off. We can't ignore the possibility." I took a breath, a familiar restlessness brewing beneath the surface. "Alisa needs to know exactly what we're up against."

Mr. Guzman's gaze softened briefly at her name, his stern demeanor slipping ever so slightly. "And her training?"

I met his eyes, pushing back any conflicted thoughts. Alisa's safety was my priority; whatever else I felt had no place here. "She's getting good," I replied evenly, even though the memory of our training sessions stirred something else within me. "She's quicker now, more agile. Her endurance has improved. She's capable of handling herself."

The pride in my voice slipped out before I could rein it in, and I saw Mr. Guzman's lips curve in the faintest of smiles. "It's as I expected," he said. "She has strength she hasn't fully realized yet. But make no mistake, Jace—she's still learning. That's why your role is more than just training her."