Infinity Bell: A House Immortal Novel by Devon Monk Page A

ambitions were much higher than that. He would own Reeves. He would own all of them—and the world. Sooner, much sooner than Reeves suspected. He had the journal Quinten Case was searching for. And in it was the solution he needed: how to control time. But he needed Quinten found and brought to him. Alive.
    “Yes,” Slater agreed. “I want to rule House Orange.”
    Reeves narrowed his eyes. Slater held a blank expression, wondering if the head of House Silver could read that partial lie. He did want to rule House Orange, but that was just the beginning of his desires. Desires that began with killing all the galvanized but himself and torturing Quinten Case until he gave him the control over time.
    “Good,” Reeves said, settling back. “Then we are in agreement. We’ll be in touch. I expect you to open your database to me. I want full access to your House and history, partner.”
    “Of course,” Slater said.
    Again the pause while Reeves considered him.
    Slater waited. Was he giving in too easily? Was he making Reeves suspicious?
    “Why Abraham?” Reeves asked.
    “What?”
    “Why did you set up Abraham Seventh as your murderer?”
    So far, Slater had been very careful with this conversation. He had not acknowledged that he was, in fact, Slater and not Robert. He had not agreed to anything that could be used against him if this conversation was being recorded—as he assumed it must be.
    He was not going to slip now.
    “His fingerprints are on the gun,” Slater said. “Perhaps you should ask him why he killed Slater Orange.”
    The corner of Reeves’ mouth curved up. “Maybe I will.” he said. “I am looking for him, you know. Abraham and Matilda Case and that brother of hers she seemed so desperate to set free from your House.”
    “Why?”
    “Would you like to guess?” Reeves’ eyes burned hard, every muscle in his body tense.
    Did he know about the Wings of Mercury experiment? Did he know Quinten was searching through the House histories to find a way to manipulate time?
    “John Black is in charge of finding criminals,” Slater said smoothly. “Perhaps you should leave their capture to him.”
    “Of course. But if I happen to find them before him . . . well.” Reeves tipped his glass to his mouth again. “I will be sure to keep Abraham alive, and maybe that new one—Matilda. But Quinten isn’t worth my time. Unless you know of some reason why he should stay breathing?”
    Slater remained silent. He was furious but refused to give in to his anger. The answer to that was his secret.
    Slater possessed the journal Quinten had been so set on finding. And in it he had discovered an odd and detailed description of the Wings of Mercury experiment.
    The experiment appeared to have broken time and also created the galvanized. If Slater’s calculations were correct, that break in time would mend in just a few short days. That, he believed, was what Quinten Case had been desperately looking for.
    Slater assumed time being mended would affect the world, perhaps even catastrophically. But what he feared most was what the mending of time would do to the galvanized—to him.
    Quinten had the answers he needed.
    Reeves Silver tipped his glass in a toast again. “I see we have nothing more to say on the matter. Well, then. My men will escort you out.”
    The door opened and four of Reeves’ men, heavily armed, stepped into the room. “See that he is returned to his offices. Comfortably.”
    Slater stood. Reeves might find Abraham and Matilda, but by then they would most certainly be dead at an assassin’s hands.
    Already one of the deadliest men in the world was on their trail. But Slater would never allow Reeves to get his hands on Quinten Case. Not yet.
    “Oh, and,
Robert
,” Reeves said, emphasizing the name. “Until I look over House Orange standing contracts, I want you to excuse yourself from any and all decision making. All House Orange business, money, and resources will be funneled through