Silver Smoke (#1 of Seven Halos Series) by Monica O'Brien Page A

person than in the pictures she'd seen of him. "I'm impressed," she said.
    "As an inventor, you should be," he said. "It's a useful device. Walk with me."
    No one stopped them for tickets when they walked through the front doors of the basilica. The inside bordered on gaudy; the style was a stone-cast version of rococo architecture. The support beams ran in unusual shapes across the ceiling, criss-crossing each other in creative arches. There were stained glass windows, but the patterns were not traditional images of saintly persons. Instead, the windows formed an abstract patchwork of glass and color reminiscent of Picasso's work.
    "Our current American president has ties to Oahu—I believe that's why we sent you there."
    "It is," Thessa replied.
    "I asked you here because we detected a disturbance of activity in the area."
    "Disturbance?"
    "Yes. We monitor power surges in comparison to the concentrations of Hallows and Nephilim in the area, and Honolulu is off the charts right now."
    Thessa's heart dropped. She knew the ability to monitor supernatural magic in an area was possible, but she had no idea the Hallow cities were actually doing it—before, it had been such an undertaking, such a waste of time. Thessa, Clara, and Cora were the only Hallows stationed in the Oahu, but Honolulu was a popular tourist spot for all sorts of people, Hallows included. Surely the addition of Brie and Sirena didn't account for a surge that would trigger a summoning to the capital?
    "What did you see?" she asked, keeping her voice as steady as she could.
    "We detected increased activity from the Hallows," Mateo said. "Of course, that could be accounted for by your own heightened powers. More confusing, however, was that we detected increased activity from the Nephilim as well." He seemed to be watching her closely. "I can only assume from the look on your face that you had no idea there were Nephilim in your area?"
    "No," Thessa said, trying not to look too confused. She wanted to come across like she had control of her area. "I've looked at the Nephilim's database, and there are no Nephilim on Oahu—they think monitoring the islands is a waste of resources."
    "Precisely," Mateo said. "Which is why I asked you here—I was hoping you could explain the discrepancy."
    "This is the first I've heard of it," Thessa admitted. "But I'll look into it as soon as I get back."
    Mateo seemed to accept her answer at face value, but there was a hint of distrust and manipulation in his features.
    "Is there anything else?" Thessa asked. It seemed strange that Mateo Vega would meet with her in person to ask about a power surge, when they could have easily discussed it over the phone.
    "One more thing," he said with a smile. "Everyone knows you are one of the wisest, most renowned Hallows in Europe. Your background is impressive—you were integral to taking down the monarchy from the inside, and you've escaped death in battle several times now. I'm looking for another advisor, and I'd like to have you on my board."
    Thessa smiled, but inside, her stomach churned. They had come to the real reason she was there—Mateo wanted her to work for him.
    "I'm honored to be asked, but my work in Honolulu is fulfilling," Thessa replied in the kindest tone she could muster.
    "Yes, my predecessor told me you would be difficult to convince, but I thought a visit to Barcelona might be the first step. You know, a simple reminder of the home you had for hundreds of years." He paced around the room.
    "My husband died in Spain," Thessa said, trying to control her shaky voice. "It's not a pleasant memory, nor one I want to relive every day."
    "It must have been very unpleasant if you're still using it as an excuse seventy years later."
    Thessa didn't think much of his sarcasm, but she knew she couldn't let him get a rise out of her.
    "It was."
    "I also thought it was strange that a woman of your talent and stature—someone who was so heavily involved in the politics of the