Knights of Light (The Conjurors Series Book 2) by Kristen Pham Read Free Book Online Page B

don’t mind.”
    “Of course not. Is
everything okay?”
    “With Cyrus, yes. He
told us what happened, and he’s working on finding out who came after you. But
something else has happened.”
    “Valerie, is this guy
bothering you?” Thai asked, stepping out the back door of the hotel.
    “This is Gideon, my
mentor on the Globe and second in command at the Guild of the Knights of Light.
He’s the one who’s training me to perfect my fighting skills—with and without
magic.” She swam to the edge of the pool and rested her arms on the ledge.
    “I’m sorry, sir. I’m
glad to meet you.”
    “Likewise. I’ve heard
good things about you.”
    “If you don’t mind my
asking, what kind of magic do you have?”
    “I have chosen not to
develop my magic. But I am skilled at fighting, like Valerie. Without her
gifts, of course.”
    “He’s much better than
I’ll ever be,” she said. “But, Gideon, you said something happened.”
    Gideon’s relaxed smile
disappeared, and she could see him draw himself up to his full height, which
was over six feet. “It’s Jet. He’s missing, and we are afraid that the Fractus
have taken him.”
    “Jet and Chrome are the
wolves who protected me after I’d been attacked by Sanguina,” she explained to
Thai. “They have the ability to follow magic trails.”
    “They’re brothers?” Thai
asked.
    “Mates for life,” Gideon
replied. “Their connection intensifies their powers, and until recently, they
have never failed to trace magic anywhere it has been used, even after several
days have passed.”
    “So can’t Chrome follow
the trail of magic to discover what happened to Jet?” she asked.
    “He can sense nothing.
It’s similar to how they couldn’t sense the transparent men who attacked you in
Messina. That’s why we think the Fractus are involved.”
    “How can I help?”
    “Chrome has specifically
asked if you will join the search party. He’s not sure who we’re going to have
to fight, and he wants you with us. He’s seen you in action and thinks you’re
the best. And right now, he wants the best on his team.”
    Valerie’s desire to stay
on Earth with Thai warred with what she knew was right. Everything was just
beginning between them, and the thought of leaving seemed wrong—like she was
torn in two. But there wasn’t really a choice.
    “Of course I’ll be on
the team,” she said. “Please tell Chrome how sorry I am that this has happened.”
    “I will. It will be good
to have you back, Valerie.” Gideon’s tall form vanished, leaving her alone with
Thai.
    “You want to help me out
of here?” Valerie asked, reaching up for Thai’s hand.
    “Sure,” he said, but
when he held out his hand, she pulled him into the deep end. He surfaced,
spluttering. “You’re going to pay for that!”
    He dunked her, and she
retaliated, splashing him back. He chased her down to the shallow end of the
pool, where she let him catch her.
    “I know I have to, but I
don’t want to go. I want to stay with you,” she confessed.
    “I couldn’t watch you
here, getting weaker every day. It would kill me. But I do wish I could go with
you. Half of me is going to be ripped away.”
    “You have no idea how
much I wanted to hear you say that.”
    She was back in his
arms, his lips against hers. The warmth from the first time tingled through
her, but hotter. But suddenly his kiss changed, became harder, and the light
inside her went out. She pulled away quickly.
    “Tan?”
    He threw back his head
and laughed. “How’d you know it was me?”
    “Why did you do that?”
she asked, her hands involuntarily balling into fists.
    “Wow, sorry. But surely
you can see the humor in this.”
    Rage built in her. She
wanted to smack the smirk of his face. What stopped her was knowing that Thai
would suffer from any damage she did to Tan. She got out of the pool and
squeezed the water out of her long hair. Her clothes were drenched. The night
was ruined, just like her