I burst out laughing. Aksel stomps up the stairs and whisks Anna into his arms. “Don’t play into his games.”
Aksel tries to stomp out with Anna, making Griffyn and I pout but we have someone we need to interrogate.
“We brought back a mage that attacked us while we were watching Aksel make the drop. Let’s gather everyone,” I say.
Anna’s eyes widen. “Maybe we can get the answers we need!”
“I hope so. That drop made me uneasy,” Aksel admits.
“Where is she?” I ask.
“Gave her to Blaze, he’s locking her up right now.” Aksel leads the way back downstairs.
Eighteen
Anna
We descend the narrow staircase into the basement.
Blaze stands at the center of the room, his towering frame blocking our view of the mage until he steps aside, revealing her bound to a chair.
She has a sharp smile that makes me think she’s been in a similar position before. Her eyes lock on Aksel instantly.
“Ah, Councilman, you shouldn’t be here,” the female mage clicks her tongue, her voice dripping with mock concern.
Aksel’s glare is sharp enough to cut glass. “And yet, here I am.”
I watch her closely; she’s trying to appear nonchalant, but there’s a tightness around her eyes that betrays her fear.
“Blaze,” I begin, my voice steadier than I feel, “is everything secure?”
He nods once.
Aksel circles the mage, predatory and silent. The stubble on his jaw catches the light as he moves.
“Let’s get to the point,” Griffyn suggests, his voice smooth as velvet, though I sense the steel underneath. “Why did you attack us?”
The mage looks at each of us in turn, her gaze lingering slightly longer on me. I meet her stare head-on, refusing to show any weakness.
Griffyn’s stance is relaxed as he waits for a response but there’s an unmistakable edge to his expression.
“Better question,” she retorts, her tone mocking as if we’re mere children caught playing at a game far beyond our understanding, “why were you skulking about on top of my building?”
“Is that your standard greeting then?” Felix’s growl reverberates from the depths of his chest, a primal warning that raises the hairs on the back of my neck.
She nods, the movement exaggeratedly innocent. “Of course,” she says, her lips curving into a smile that doesn’t reach her cold eyes.
I can see right through her facade. Her shoulders are tensed, betraying a readiness to spring into action despite her facade of nonchalance.
Felix snorts, not buying her act for a second.
“Griffyn,” Aksel’s voice slices through the room, “use your pheromones.”
The girl pales at his command, her bravado faltering for a moment as she swallows hard. Her chest rises and falls rapidly, betraying her fear.
“Why do you even have an incubus here?” She attempts to sneer.
“Because,” Griffyn replies, his tone smooth as silk, “I can do this.” And he releases his pheromones into the room.
