The Immortal Crown (Age of X #2)(111)
Author: Richelle Mead

The only thing that brought me joy and meaning is on her way to a war zone, Justin retorted. But rest easy, I’ll stand by my word and serve.

In fact, I think I’ll start celebrating my new vocation right now.

Eight hours later, he was still drinking.

It hadn’t been continuous, of course. That was largely because he’d passed out in the afternoon after overdoing it in the first part of the day. As evening rolled around, he found himself in a far better position to pace himself, simply keeping a steady supply of drinks coming that maintained his buzzed state but protected him from being sick or (hopefully) getting alcohol poisoning. He’d made his way to an upscale bar downtown, finding the atmosphere much more welcome than the one at home, after Cynthia had thrown him out for “turning to self-destructive behavior as a way to make yourself feel better about screwing up.”

She was wrong, though, because none of this self-destructive behavior was making him feel better about anything.

“Is this seat taken?”

The voice surprised him, largely because Justin had gone out of his way to avoid any female interactions so far this evening. It wasn’t that he couldn’t—after all, there were no commitments between Mae and him—but the thought of wooing female company for the night seemed like a lot of work for not very much reward. Besides, he knew enough to know when he was charming drunk and just drunk-drunk. He was definitely the latter, and while that still didn’t rule out his chances with women, it didn’t necessarily help them either.

When he saw the speaker, though, he silently cursed his inebriated state. Daphne Lang sat down beside him.

“I have nothing to say to you,” he said, wondering how quickly he could sober up. No time was ever a good time to be cornered by a reporter, but being trapped by one when you weren’t in full possession of your wits was probably the worst time. “And you should be ashamed of yourself for following me.”

“Relax,” she said, waving over the bartender. “This is a happy coincidence. I live around the corner and come here all the time. I admit, however, I was planning on speaking to you at some point.”

“The usual?” asked the bartender, earning a smile and a nod from her.

“It doesn’t matter,” said Justin when they were alone again. “Word has it Tessa’s done with you, and I’m not selling her out to give you some crap human interest story. Go scavenge somewhere else.”

“Do you really think I’d do that to her?” asked Daphne sweetly.

“I don’t believe it’s a coincidence that you just happened to be looking for an intern and then conveniently stumbled on my sweet provincial girl.” His hands itched to pick up his glass again, but he again remembered he needed restraint around her.

“It’s not a coincidence,” Daphne agreed. The bartender brought her drink, and she swiped her ego to pay. “I was already doing a lot of research when that intern posting so happily popped up. But she wasn’t the one I was looking into.”

Justin’s bourbon-addled brain made the connection a few beats later than he would have under normal circumstances. “Shit.”

Daphne looked momentarily surprised at his reaction. “Oh,” she said after a moment. “You think I’m talking about you?”

“Well, you’re talking to me,” he said, hoping he didn’t show how relieved he felt. Admittedly, he was puzzled as to who she meant.

“Figured maybe you were after a story about how a servitor expenses high bar bills.”

She smiled and paused to drink. Whatever expensive lipstick she used left no mark behind on her glass. “Maybe that can be my backup story. Don’t take it personally, but I’m afraid my real target was your friend and illustrious senator, Lucian Darling.”

Justin’s wariness immediately returned, but he laughed to cover it up. “You and every other reporter looking for dirt on him. Hang on . . . are you telling me you got involved with Tessa because of her very tenuous connection to him through me?”

Daphne shrugged. “I had to take what I could get. Someone like me doesn’t get in to see someone like him that easily.”

“So you used a poor provincial girl trying to better herself. And now that she’s not working out, you’re hoping I’ll get you that interview.” It was a comfort to know Lucian was the target, not Justin, but anyone who’d track down a one-off connection like Tessa and then try to use her still wasn’t to be trusted.

“Well, that would be nice, but no, I’ve actually come to you with a business arrangement . . . one that might further both of our careers.”

Daphne leaned closer, and Justin recognized the look of someone who thought she was going in for the kill. “What would you say if I told you that your friend and his political party were knee-deep in a secret religion—a religion that sees him as the divinely chosen leader for this country.”

Justin made sure his smile didn’t so much as twitch. “I’d say show me the proof.”

Daphne looked mildly chagrined. “I’m afraid that’s a little easier said than done . . . although I have it on very good authority from a source even you might believe. And one you might actually help me to convince to come forward with her story. Though we’d still need more to go on.”

“Considering you just used ‘might’ twice in the same breath, I’d say you still need more to go on. There’s no ‘we’ here.”

“But there could be.” She crossed her legs, making her skirt ride up. “Imagine what this could do for you. Your whole job is about uncovering dangerous religious undercurrents in our society… imagine finding them in the highest tiers of our government! You don’t think there’d be career rewards waiting for you if you revealed that our future consul thinks gods are returning to the world and that he’s a divinely chosen person called an elect?”

Justin’s heart nearly stopped. “A what?”

Daphne turned smug, thinking she’d one-upped him. “See there’s all kinds of things I know. That’s just one of them I’m kindly giving you the courtesy of learning about before I go public with this.”

She knows about the elect, Justin thought frantically. Or thinks she does. How could she know that?

Obviously from whatever sketchy sources she’s drawn from, said Horatio.

She doesn’t have proof, Justin told the ravens. Otherwise, she would’ve already exposed Lucian.