Poison Tree by Amelia Atwater-Rhodes Read Free Book Online

a conspirator.
    Jason wasn’t entirely dismissing the possibility that Ben was involved, though, for one good reason: Jason had crossed Onyx in the past. If they had found him, he couldn’t predict what they would do. Depending on what Alysia and Sarik learned at Onyx, he would decide what the others needed to know about all that.
    A look in Ben’s file revealed nothing obviously strange. He had been in SingleEarth for years, working mostly with computers and usually frequenting the more urban-style Havens and wards. There was nothing to indicate he had enemies, but such things didn’t always make it into the record.
    Two birds, one stone
, Jason thought as he knocked on the door of the room where Ben was staying.
    Lynzi answered.
    “I thought you healed him,” he said, concerned.
    “I didn’t have time or energy to fully heal him earlier,” she answered. “I was able to stop the bleeding, but then I had to move on to others. There is still work to be done now to avoid long-term damage.”
    Lynzi stepped into the hall and gently shut the door behind her. “He’s sleeping now, though it was a hard battle for me to get him there. He is understandably anxious and wants to get back to Central as soon as he can. He feels safer there. He keeps muttering that this place reminds him of somewhere called Crystal Lake. Have you had any word from Sarik and Alysia?”
    “Sarik called when they were leaving Onyx to let me know they were safe. That was almost five hours ago, so they should be back any minute.”
    Lynzi nodded. “Diana called to check in, too. She’s swamped following up with that coffee shop event, but she gave me the authority to sign for any resources we need and assured me that if we need her here personally, she’ll be on the next plane.”
    “Do you think anyone from Alysia’s coffee shop could be involved in this?” Jason asked.
    “Diana thinks not,” Lynzi answered, sounding slightly hesitant. “She says the survivors are mostly coping well, thanks to Alysia’s swift intervention, but she has been fielding calls left and right from the media.”
    Jason’s phone rang; he moved farther down the hall, away from Ben’s door, to answer.
    “Hi, we’re back,” Sarik said. “Do you know where Lynzi is? Her phone went straight to voice mail.”
    “She’s been with Ben,” Jason answered.
    “Sarik?” Lynzi guessed. When Jason nodded, Lynzi suggested, “Tell them to meet us in the conference room.”
    Jason relayed the message, and soon after, they all gathered in their regular meeting room. The cherry-paneled walls and other rustic accents seemed a good deal less peaceful now that Jason had taken a bolt to the guts on the steps of this very building.
    “Alysia was looking pretty ragged by the time we got back, so I suggested she lie down,” Sarik said.
    Lynzi nodded. “Did you learn anything?”
    Sarik nodded and chewed on her lower lip, a habit she had when she was nervous. “We met someone at the Hall. His name is Christian. I gather he and Alysia have a history of some sort. He seemed happy to see her at first, but then he more or less told us to go to hell.”
    “Christian Denmark?” Jason asked.
    Sarik shrugged. “Alysia only used his first name. It seemed like the kind of group where asking last names might be a bad idea.”
    Lynzi nodded, and asked Jason, “You know him?”
    “I’ve heard of him,” Jason said. “Christian is kind of like a foster son to the leader of the Onyx guild. It would probably be for the best if he didn’t see any more of Sarik.”
    “Excuse me?” Sarik asked. “Not that I want to make friends with a mercenary, but why me specifically?”
    “The leader of Onyx is a tiger,” Jason explained. “An old-school heavy hitter with ties to the Mistari high queen, if rumors are to be believed.”
    Sarik went pale as a sheet.
    According to Mistari law, each tribe was a distinct unit under the absolute control of their current king or queen, who answered