Prophecy: Tome of Embers

18. For the Love of a Good Woman

Since his awakening, Austin had spent hardly any time alone with Lorelei. With everyone else sure, but not with her, and that was what struck him as odd to see her standing at the door. By now she knew clearly the days that Toby worked, and that he wouldn't be home, but she made no secret of the fact that she was there for Austin. It wasn't like he distrusted her at all, just that he knew he could do very little for her, leaving him to wonder what her business might possibly be. Regardless, she entered into the apartment without invite and made herself at home.

"Let's talk, Austin, just you and me. I'd like that, wouldn't you?" She grinned wide and patted the cushion next to her, commanding that he join her.

"What's this about?" He did as he was told and sat beside her, studying her face for any clues.

"We haven't had a lot of time to catch up, and that's mostly my fault, but I figure we can make up for that now. I was there the day you came through the portal, back to our world. It wasn't just Toby, you know that, right? When Cliff took you, I didn't stop looking even for a second until you were found."

"I know, what's your point? I'm not being mean, I just don't understand what you're trying to say."

"I'm trying to tell you that we're friends, that I've got your back. Friends push friends, even when they might not want to be pushed, you know? I need you to tell me everything Monica did to you."

"I told you already, she just did tests on me."

"Sure, but you must've heard them talking, maybe you saw something they didn't want you to see. What were the tests for, why were they doing them?" Lorelei could see that he didn't want to talk about it, and she didn't like to push him. Yet what she said was true, it was her duty to push him because while everyone else was so focused on the Anchoress, they hadn't been paying attention to the coming storm. She knew better though, she had been the one who'd worked for Monica, and it didn't matter what she'd told Myrna before about just focusing on their demon problem. That was then but this was now, and now that more of the picture had become clear to her she knew it couldn't be left alone.

"They talked about a project," Austin confessed after some time, "something they'd been working on for a while before they took me. I don't know anything else about it, just that they needed me. And the tests, well, half the time they did them just to be cruel."

"What do you think they needed you for? I know, you don't know, I'm asking you what you think." Her words gave him a strange feeling because, even though he was uncomfortable talking about it, no one had treated him as equally as she was right now. She thought he had answers, good judgment even. She talked to him like he had seen her talk to Toby and that made him want to push himself.

"It can't just be coincidence, right? I mean, Monica sent you after me that day, she knew I was coming, she was waiting for me. Those tests they did, they were all about testing my power, and whatever power I have comes from my blood. It's important to them, and to the Anchoress. Monica wants it for some reason, but I'm not sure why." With a shrug he sank further into the couch, thinking about it.

"She let you go too easy when we came for you." She added. "It was never about you, it was about what's inside of you."

"And now they have it." He finished, looking at her.

"Damn, I've got to get back in there, figure out what they're up to before it's too late. I don't think they'll fall for the Larry act again, but maybe I can coax Dill into doing some spy work." Lorelei was already formulating her plan as she prepared to leave, stopping when she realized that she had come under the guise of friendship and failed to offer any. "You were very brave, by the way."