The Nightmare Charade (35 page)

“With their ability to steal shapes,” Corvus continued, “the man could be anyone at Arkwell. No matter how long that person has been here. The shape-changer could be Dr. Hendershaw and no one would ever have known it.”

“But … but how?” My mind began to reel. “There's more to being a person than what they look like. Wouldn't somebody have caught him in a goof by now?”

Corvus shook his head. “It all depends on how the shape-changer stole the shape in the first place.”

“Don't they just need their teeth?”

Corvus looked surprised by my knowledge, but he only nodded. “Teeth is one way for a shape-changer to shift. But a single touch is all they need to borrow your shape for a limited period of time. In both cases, they only steal the body as you said. But if a shape-changer wants to completely assume another person's life, they can do so by first killing the person and then consuming their heart.”

I inhaled and felt my gag reflex kick in. “Do you mean eating them? Like cannibals?”

“Yes, it's both a physical and magical act for them,” Corvus said, seemingly oblivious to the way my face was turning green. “It allows them to assume the victim's shape permanently, and it gives the shape-changer access to every memory, mannerism, and emotion that the person possessed. They can quite literally become that person.”

I ran my hand over my mouth, willing my stomach to settle. The idea that someone at Arkwell, one of my teachers perhaps, or maybe even someone like Mr. Culpepper was actually a shape-changer in disguise, one dining on hearts like some magickind version of Hannibal Lecter, made my skin crawl.

With an effort, I managed to keep my cool long enough to ask, “Aren't there any distinguishing signs of a shape-changer? Like the way our eyes glow in the dark?”

“There is a sign, but it's very hard to detect.” Corvus shifted his weight in the chair, crossing one leg over the other. “They have a strange ridge on the roof of their mouth.”

“Oh,” I said. “Well that's helpful.”

“Indeed. Short of physically assaulting every faculty and staff member at Arkwell long enough for me to probe their mouths, I never stood a chance of simply recognizing the shape-changer. Any time I get close, all he has to do is steal another form.”

Frustration began to build inside me. I wasn't sure when I'd decided to believe his story, but I definitely did now. Too much of it made sense, and I'd been alone with him for quite a while; he'd had ample time to do me harm.

“This is impossible,” I said. “You've been searching for this guy for months with no luck. How am I ever going to find him in time to rescue my mother and Eli?”

To my surprise Corvus's face brightened. “It just so happens that these recent developments might have given us a way to succeed. And it's why I'm so glad you sought me out today.”

I leaned forward, still skeptical but willing to hope. “How do you mean?”

“I don't know why the shape-changer has stolen the Death's Heart,” Corvus said. “Marrow does not need it to come to life. At least he has never needed such a thing before.”

“Wait.” I raised my hand. “How do you know so much about Marrow?”

“I'm surprised you haven't guessed already.” Corvus tapped a finger against his breastbone “Once you found out about my Borromean brand, that is.”

I stared at him, my mind trying to solve the puzzle. “Those men with the brands … they were there when Nimue…”

“Trapped Marrow in the dream, yes,” Corvus said as I faltered. “There were twelve of them. There are always twelve of us—the Borromean Brotherhood, as we call ourselves. Four darkkind, four naturekind, four witchkind.”

“We?” I blinked. “So that means that you—”

“Have dedicated my life to keeping Marrow sealed in his tomb.”

I took a moment to process this information, but there were too many questions. Too much I didn't understand. I cleared my throat. “There are twelve of you?”

Color darkened Corvus's cheeks. “There were twelve of us.”

“Were?”

Corvus rubbed a thumb over his ring finger, and his voice darkened as he said, “Only the blood of the twelve can undo the circle.”

I flinched at the familiar quote.

“The shape-changer killed them,” Corvus said a moment later. He drew a breath, and I sensed his struggle to control his emotions. His anger seemed to come off him like waves of heat off a bonfire—anger and hatred. “He murdered us one by one. All but me.” Corvus motioned to his missing eye. “I am the only one who survived the attack.”

I swallowed a mixture of pity and revulsion. I couldn't imagine what it must've been like for him to go through that. But it made me inclined to trust him. This wasn't just about justice for him. It was about vengeance, too, and that was a powerful motivation. I could only hope it would be enough to save my mom and Eli.

I took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “So you said you had a way to get the shape-changer now. What is it?”

“You,” Corvus said at once.

“Me?” A chill slid over my skin.

Corvus nodded, his expression growing even more intense than before. It seemed to glow with a newfound fervor. “Of the people the shape-changer has abducted recently, the only thing they have in common is you.”

Eli and my mother,
I thought, knowing he was right. “What about Bethany?”

Corvus waved the question off. “I'm not sure why he took her, although he had his reasons, no doubt. But they don't matter now. What does, is that he seems to be targeting the people close to you.”

“But why?” I wrung my hands, the reality of this truth hitting me like a blow to the gut. For a moment I wanted to curl into a ball, the fetal position the only way to cope with the guilt. My mom and Eli were both suffering right now—because of me. Assuming they weren't dead yet.

“Again, I don't know why,” Corvus said, and I could hear the regret in his voice. It made me feel like crying.

“But what I do know,” he continued, “is that you are the key to finding him. I've suspected as much since the moment I found out that you had bonded with The Will sword. Your mother has worried about you being dragged into this from the beginning, which is why she insisted so stridently that we keep you in the dark about the shape-changer for as long as possible. She worried that you might try and go after him yourself.”

“Yeah well, she was right.” I folded my arms across my chest and began to tap my foot against the concrete floor. “But knowing he's targeting me, what can I do to help find him?”

“The hardest thing of all,” Corvus said. “Be patient.”

“Huh?”

He bobbed his head, his single eye overly bright. “I need you to wait and let him come for you. He's going to, I know it. And when he does, I'm going to be there to catch him.”

I blinked, my mouth sliding open again. “You want to use me as bait?”

“In lieu of a less vulgar expression, yes.” Corvus bared his teeth in an almost feral smile. “It will take a significant amount of bravery on your part. But if you're anything like your mother, I know you can do it.”

Tears stung my eyes as he said it. I knew he might be manipulating my emotions on purpose, but it worked nevertheless. “I'll do it. But if he comes for me, how am I supposed to let you know?”

“It's simple, actually.” Corvus stood up and reached into his pocket, withdrawing a small object I'd never seen before. “And it's something he will never see coming.”

*   *   *

Half an hour later, Paul and I left Mr. Corvus's house. Corvus had taken off the spell that had incapacitated Paul only a few minutes before. He'd been livid at first, demanding an explanation of what happened. But I couldn't tell him. Corvus was right about that. Nobody could know the plan we'd just set in motion. In the end, I had to appeal to Paul's better nature.

I took his hand and squeezed his fingers, pleading. “You're going to have to trust me, Paul. All right? Just trust me.”

He watched my face for several seconds, not speaking, then he slowly nodded.

After that we'd climbed the steps out of the cellar and headed for the front door. Mr. Corvus watched us go, not speaking a word to either Paul or me. We got into the car and started to make our way back to Arkwell.

When we were less than five minutes from campus, Paul pulled into an alley.

“What are you doing?” I said as the car came to a stop.

“Time to put on our faces again,” he said, retrieving his shape-change necklace.

“Right.” I reached into my pocket and pulled out mine as well. I stared at the necklace with its smooth, yellowed teeth, an uneasy feeling in my stomach. After what I'd learned from Mr. Corvus about shape-changer magic, I couldn't believe that the magickind police force sanctioned the use of these necklaces. Then again, I supposed maybe it didn't surprise me that much, even now. The Magi Senate wasn't above using black magic to meet its own ends. Still, once we got back to campus I was going to follow through with my vow to destroy it.

“You coming?” Paul said, startling me out of my reverie. I looked up to see that he'd already slid on his necklace and changed back into the Menagerie worker.

“Yeah, just a sec.” I put on the necklace and immediately felt the shift into the other woman. “Okay,” I said. “Let's go.”

Paul pulled the car out of the alley and back onto the main drag. I felt my phone buzz in my back pocket and pulled it out.

“Who's it from?” Paul said, glancing over.

“Selene, she—” I broke off as I read the message. Once. Twice. Three times. Fear closed in around me like collapsing walls.

Lance is awake,
Selene had written.
He saw his attacker. It was Paul.

 

26

The Shape-Changer

Don't panic, Dusty. Don't panic. Play it cool.

“She what?” Paul said, and I jumped at the sound of his stranger's voice.

“Oh, she, um, Lance is still unconscious but doing better.”

“That's good.”

I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything more, not if this really was the person who'd attacked Lance and kidnapped Eli sitting beside me.
Maybe Lance made a mistake
. He had taken a blow to the head. But if it was true—the thought was almost too frightening to be allowed. My stomach churned at the idea of Paul being involved in all this Marrow business again. How could he? How was he capable of such deception even now?

Unless this isn't Paul in front of you.

The thought flipped my panic button so hard that for a moment, I almost attacked him. Around my wrist, Bellanax burned, the sword sensing the danger. I held back at the last second. I needed to be careful, needed to be smart. But it was hard to think with the blood rushing in my ears.

“You all right?” Paul said, glancing over at me again.

“Yeah sure. Of course. Why wouldn't I be?” I avoided his gaze. My knuckles were white around my cell phone, and I forced my hand to relax.

“You sure? Because we're almost at the main gates.”

“Oh.” I peered out the front window and saw the gate just ahead.
Play it cool, Dusty.
For a second, I contemplated asking the guard for help, only to dismiss the idea. If Paul was behind the attack on Lance—if he was behind
everything
—then I needed to keep it secret long enough to find Eli and my mom. If I tipped him off now, he might run, and I would never find them.

Summoning as much courage as I could muster, I forced my body to relax to its pre-terror state. It was hard, but I managed it. Bellanax helped, its power coiled and waiting, ready to strike the moment I called for it.

Thinking clearly once more, I sent Selene a quick reply:

I'm with him now. Get Corvus to help. We're heading to campus.

I glanced over at Paul as I pressed send, praying I hadn't roused his suspicion, but his gaze remained fixed out the front window.

When we arrived at Arkwell, the same guard from earlier came out of the gatehouse. Paul pulled the car to a stop and handed over our IDs once more.

To my surprise, the guard didn't scan them at once but took his time looking them over.

“Something wrong?” Paul said after a few seconds.

The guard looked up. “We've had a security alert. We're on the lookout for a guy named Alan Early. Six feet tall, dark blond hair. Has a beard. Do you know him?”

I felt more than saw Paul stiffen. “Alan?” he said. “Sure I know him. We work together in the Menagerie. What's he supposed to have done?”

“Don't know, but the police are on their way here now to look for him. We're putting the campus under lockdown. You got back just in time.”

My heart stuttered at this news. I'd never heard of Alan Early, but it didn't take a genius to guess that was the name Paul was using when he wore his creepy bearded-man face.

“Oh, glad we got lucky then,” Paul said.

The guard nodded and handed over the IDs. “Say, you haven't seen Early today, have you?”

“No, but if I do, I'll call the authorities right away.” Paul's manner as he spoke was a convincing display of innocence and concern. Even I halfway believed him.

“Very good,” the guard said.

Realizing the jig was up, I leaned toward the driver's side window, ready to sound the alarm. Paul knew he'd been found out—he would run as soon as he could. But before I could say anything, he touched my wrist, and I felt a sharp prick like an insect bite. Pain lanced through my body, and I froze, unable to move or speak.

“Thanks so much,” Paul said to the guard, and then without releasing my wrist, he drove us through the gate and onto campus.

What did you do to me?
I tried to shout, but my mouth wasn't working. I had become a prisoner in a frozen body, completely at the mercy of the boy sitting next to me.