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“Arthur?” Max’s voice cut through the front yard. He came down the steps, followed by Travis, Lace, and Jewels. Half of his white shirt was soaked with blood, the other half smeared with it. Lace and Travis didn’t look much better, their faces scraped and filthy. “What’s going on?”
Malakai said, “I just saved this old bastard, and he’s giving me shit for my taste in vehicles.” Max looked like he was in a daze, so Malakai explained, “Jewels called me after she and Travis were attacked—she had a hunch that Arthur was a target, too. Sure enough, Witchlight lit up like it was the Kalendae festival.” His gaze flicked again to Max’s bloody shirt. “You get shot or something?”
Max said, “Nobody thought to call me?” He poked his own chest.
“We were getting around to it,” Travis said. “We didn’t even know you were back—Jewels took a risk in calling Malakai.”
Malakai noticed the house, then—the busted door, the mess in the foyer. “What the hell happened here?”
Max had never looked so mad. “The imperator—or Gaven’s men, we don’t fucking know who... They broke in. Stole Grim to do it—”
“Stole Grim?” This question came from several mouths, Malakai’s included.
Max ran a bloodstained hand through his hair, causing it to stand on end. “I don’t know how they did it, but… Dallas and I were in a car accident—we were attacked. Someone put a glowing collar on Grim and took him. They were able to use him to get through the spells. They took our Hob.” His jaw flexed, eyes wild with revenge.
“Burning Ignis,” Malakai growled, squeezing his hands into fists. His eyes snapped to Jewels. He scanned her from head to toe, searching for damage—the kind that didn’t come from the Tricking. “You okay?”
“I’m fine. Thanks to Travis.” She reached for Travis, as if to grab his hand, but stopped at the last second, lacing her fingers before her instead. Not a mark was on her—which was exactly the reason why Malakai, for the first time in his life, found himself feeling grateful for Travis.
Fuck, he hated feeling things. Feelings were gross.
“Have you talked to Sylvan and Valen?” Malakai asked her, his mind going to Aspen, who he’d dropped off at the House of Souls.
Shit, he shouldn’t have left her. If anything happened to her, and he wasn’t there to help—
But Jewels said, “I just talked to them. They’re all fine.” She tucked her hair behind a pierced ear. “Whoever did this, I think they wanted you. And the Devils, obviously.” Her eyes flicked to Travis’s face, lingering on the drops of dried blood, the purple and yellow bruises.
Max interrupted. “We’re going to Yveswich,” he declared. With a bloodstained, shaking hand, Max gestured to Malakai. “And you’re coming.”
Malakai’s brows flicked up. “Oh I am, am I?”
Max ignored him and pointed at Arthur. “You too,” Max said.
The old man was frowning. “I suppose I don’t have much of a choice, do I?”
“If you want to live?” Max asked. “Sorry, Art, but I don’t think so.”
“Well, I’ve got one thing to say about that,” Arthur clipped. “I am not riding on this blasted motorcycle again!” He waved a disapproving finger at the bike.
“Where are Dom and Blue?” Lace asked. “Has anyone talked to them?”
Max got out his phone. “They’re at Death’s Landing. I’ll call them now.”
A truck pulled up to the gates, followed closely by an SUV. Logan and Sabrine jumped out of the truck, and when Emilie, Chrysantha, and a blond male vampire got out of the SUV, Travis stepped forth. “We’ve got some interesting news,” he said, crossing his arms.
Max growled, phone frozen in his hands, “From Jaden Croft?”
Travis nodded. “Trust me—I was just as surprised as you.”
Jaden claimed that he was on their side.
Max was reluctant to believe him, for good reason. But he had to admit the vampire and heir apparent to the House of the Blood Rose had a very convincing story.
He also had a key—one of the keys they’d seen in the photograph of the Phoenix Head Society. The keys worn on necklaces by six members.
“This,” Jaden said, holding up the thin silver rectangle that was attached to a fine chain, “is the Key of Ignis.”
They stood in the ruins of Hell’s Gate, most of them covered in blood and looking like they hadn’t slept in days. Jaden, too. Which was part of the reason why Max was beginning to wonder if Jaden might actually be telling the truth.
