turn, he reached out a tendril of thought to the presence. “What do you want, Jeremy?”
“Magic requires sacrifice,” Jeremy said.
“That’s what the angel told Rory when they bargained for the Grace,” Nick answered silently. “Did you see his memories I carry when you saw my life in the Faith Ward?”
“No. The Light only showed me you. But I did see you say the words to each other many times. I know what it means.”
“Every bargain has a price.”
“What’s my price, Nick? I damaged their family relationships when I forced them to come forward and expose what they were to save you. They have every right to hate me, and I understand that. But you’re different. You said we owe each other nothing. I gambled with your life, and you still brought me here. What do you want from me?”
Nick felt the tangle of Scott’s regret seeping through the link. “Why did you tell my family what I said to the Court of Shadows all those years ago?”
Jeremy’s inner voice was unapologetic. “Because you were afraid to let them see what you were, and Scott wasn’t willing to force you to be honest. I didn’t want you to end up like him, hiding your face out of fear. So I gave you a push in the right direction, to do what you knew you had to do.”
“Scott thought you were just being presumptuous. You made him hate you even more.”
“I know.” Jeremy shrugged mentally. “I don’t care about his opinion of me.”
“Then what do you care about? Why do you keep doing these things for my sake?”
Jeremy’s telepathic voice was silent for a moment. “My parents died when I was seven. I lived in foster homes until I was eighteen, never staying more than a year with any family. I have no real friends. Medusa recruited me because she thought I was an easy mark — bitter and vulnerable, looking for a parental figure. She played on my insecurities to give me a false ideal to believe in. She became my whole world. You don’t know how deeply it tore me up inside to see what she really thought of me.”
“Am I your parental figure now?” Nick’s inner voice was neutral, without judgment.
“No. You’re the only person who has ever looked at me and actually seen someone worth saving.”
“And you’re the only person in a long time who’s had the guts to cut through all of my bullshit and force me to confront the truths I needed to see.” Nick turned around finally to meet the Sentinel’s eyes, letting his own irises glow red. “Keep doing that, Jeremy. That’s my price.”
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed. “You want me to be your conscience?”
“You’re a new voice in an old chorus. I want your insight, and I think I can trust you never to hold back the truth for my sake. Are you up for it?”
Jeremy’s gray eyes stared into Nick’s red ones. “Yes. If that’s what you want.”
“Then welcome to the team, Sentinel.” Nick turned back around to face the others, letting his eyes fade back to blue.
“What was that all about?” Scott asked over the link, turning part of his mind away from comforting his wife as he picked up his son.
Nick gave Scott and Ana the complete memory of the conversation without comment, letting them digest the information.
When Ana raised her inner voice again, it was distinctly amused. “First Lorcan, and now Jeremy. You really do like to collect strays, don’t you, Nick?”
“Fuck you, Ana,” Nick said silently, without any particular emphasis.
“Seriously,” thought Scott, “he’s still in shock, betrayed by Medusa. He’s traumatized, though he doesn’t fully realize it. Are you going to stick with him while he works through that? Because if not, it would be kinder to cut him loose. He doesn’t need another betrayal.”
“Jeremy will be fine,” answered Nick brusquely. “I’ll be here for him if he wants a friend, but I need an outside perspective to measure myself against, and he’s it. I can’t afford to slide into despair again, especially
“Magic requires sacrifice,” Jeremy said.
“That’s what the angel told Rory when they bargained for the Grace,” Nick answered silently. “Did you see his memories I carry when you saw my life in the Faith Ward?”
“No. The Light only showed me you. But I did see you say the words to each other many times. I know what it means.”
“Every bargain has a price.”
“What’s my price, Nick? I damaged their family relationships when I forced them to come forward and expose what they were to save you. They have every right to hate me, and I understand that. But you’re different. You said we owe each other nothing. I gambled with your life, and you still brought me here. What do you want from me?”
Nick felt the tangle of Scott’s regret seeping through the link. “Why did you tell my family what I said to the Court of Shadows all those years ago?”
Jeremy’s inner voice was unapologetic. “Because you were afraid to let them see what you were, and Scott wasn’t willing to force you to be honest. I didn’t want you to end up like him, hiding your face out of fear. So I gave you a push in the right direction, to do what you knew you had to do.”
“Scott thought you were just being presumptuous. You made him hate you even more.”
“I know.” Jeremy shrugged mentally. “I don’t care about his opinion of me.”
“Then what do you care about? Why do you keep doing these things for my sake?”
Jeremy’s telepathic voice was silent for a moment. “My parents died when I was seven. I lived in foster homes until I was eighteen, never staying more than a year with any family. I have no real friends. Medusa recruited me because she thought I was an easy mark — bitter and vulnerable, looking for a parental figure. She played on my insecurities to give me a false ideal to believe in. She became my whole world. You don’t know how deeply it tore me up inside to see what she really thought of me.”
“Am I your parental figure now?” Nick’s inner voice was neutral, without judgment.
“No. You’re the only person who has ever looked at me and actually seen someone worth saving.”
“And you’re the only person in a long time who’s had the guts to cut through all of my bullshit and force me to confront the truths I needed to see.” Nick turned around finally to meet the Sentinel’s eyes, letting his own irises glow red. “Keep doing that, Jeremy. That’s my price.”
Jeremy’s eyes narrowed. “You want me to be your conscience?”
“You’re a new voice in an old chorus. I want your insight, and I think I can trust you never to hold back the truth for my sake. Are you up for it?”
Jeremy’s gray eyes stared into Nick’s red ones. “Yes. If that’s what you want.”
“Then welcome to the team, Sentinel.” Nick turned back around to face the others, letting his eyes fade back to blue.
“What was that all about?” Scott asked over the link, turning part of his mind away from comforting his wife as he picked up his son.
Nick gave Scott and Ana the complete memory of the conversation without comment, letting them digest the information.
When Ana raised her inner voice again, it was distinctly amused. “First Lorcan, and now Jeremy. You really do like to collect strays, don’t you, Nick?”
“Fuck you, Ana,” Nick said silently, without any particular emphasis.
“Seriously,” thought Scott, “he’s still in shock, betrayed by Medusa. He’s traumatized, though he doesn’t fully realize it. Are you going to stick with him while he works through that? Because if not, it would be kinder to cut him loose. He doesn’t need another betrayal.”
“Jeremy will be fine,” answered Nick brusquely. “I’ll be here for him if he wants a friend, but I need an outside perspective to measure myself against, and he’s it. I can’t afford to slide into despair again, especially
Similar Books
