Okay, Gabriel replied.
Then he scanned his phone for any notes from Vera. Nothing. His lips threatened to twitch, something they rarely did. She should have called by now.
He hadn’t mentioned his suspicions yet to the others, but they grew with each passing minute. They were just too coincidental.
Vera could manipulate memories, which made her qualified to create a mental loop of Caro’s memories. Further, Vera had access to Stas and Gabriel to influence their interpretations of those visions through dreams. She could essentially insert the images into their minds while they slept without either of them sensing the disturbance.
However, she wouldn’t have been able to access Sethios’s mind. The fact that he hadn’t dreamt of Caro for years suggested that either the circular enchantment didn’t work on him, or the Seraphim initiating the visions hadn’t been able to infiltrate his dream state.
The remembrance from earlier of Maine could have been sent to him from nearby, and Gabriel wouldn’t have sensed any intrusion because Vera was a welcome member on his property. His wards wouldn’t alert him to her presence.
That she wasn’t answering his texts or showing up to present her innocence only further confirmed Gabriel’s concerns.
He would mention them after he finished this test with the imprisoned Ichorian. He wanted Leela there for the discussion. It would exonerate her and also confirm the council’s awareness of her involvement—because Vera had likely told them.
Loyalty among the Seraphim varied. He wouldn’t necessarily fault her if she’d betrayed them. She would have seen it as a practical course.
Just as he would see killing her as a practical response. Or perhaps that was emotional. She’d eventually regenerate, so it wasn’t like his punishment would be final or anything.
He slid his phone back into his pocket and followed the others along a short corridor. The Hydraians only had a handful of holding cells, all protected by solid doors. Prisoners were clearly rare on this island.
Two females stood in the hallway, one with ash-blonde hair, the other with a mane of silky dark strands. Both Hydraians. However, the darker-haired female was newer. He recognized her as a recent fledgling, but her name escaped him.
“Luc,” the older Hydraian said, giving him a nod. A seductive gleam entered her azure-colored eyes as she looked at Balthazar. “B.”
The mind-reading Hydraian merely dipped his chin, his expression uncharacteristically void of emotion. He typically oozed sensuality yet seemed a bit withdrawn today. Perhaps he was dreading the task at hand. That left Gabriel wondering just what they were walking into.
“What are you doing down here, Eliza?” Lucian demanded, his focus on the brunette.
She visible cringed at his hostile tone. “I… I was just…”
“You were just what?” The dark quality of his voice had the hairs along her exposed arms standing on end, yet her expression morphed from contrite to annoyed in an instant.
“Ash was teaching me about Guardian responsibilities,” she snapped. “I’m a Hydraian now, so I need a job. I thought that might be a useful area for me.”
Lucian snorted. “Like you have what it takes to be a Guardian.”
Gabriel evaluated the female, curious. She had on a pair of jean shorts and a pale tank top, revealing her toned arms and athletic legs. That probably made her light on her feet. Perhaps even fast.
“Are her powers not of a defensive or offensive nature?” he wondered out loud. Because her overall physique suggested strength, confirming her warrior potential.
“Her power isn’t the problem,” Lucian said between his teeth. “It’s her discipline.”
“What he means is, I won’t put up with his shit, so he thinks I’m disobedient,” she translated.
“I see.” Gabriel wasn’t sure what else to say. Lucian’s assessment was valid—an insubordinate soldier was an unfit soldier. “Which room is Clara in?”
He wanted to get this next part over with as soon as possible. To counteract his defensive rune, he needed to imbibe the Ichorian’s blood. It was a magical marker he’d altered on his lower back for a slightly different purpose, but it would benefit him now.
If he imbibed from the Ichorian, she would be able to use her gift on him. And in return, he also temporarily inherited her ability. That had been the primary purpose of his rune—to be able to steal powers as required when in the field. It just came with the negative consequence of lowering his defenses momentarily as well.
Power lurked in the blood. Everything was give-and-take. And fortunately for the Hydraians and Ichorians, this rune wasn’t one many could replicate. It was Gabriel’s bloodline on his father’s side, in addition to the marking, that facilitated the exchange.
Sethios possessed a similar ability as the son of an original Seraphim. Unfortunately, that gift diluted with each generation, which meant Stas likely didn’t possess that ability. Gabriel would have to teach her more about the enchanted drawings later to test the theory.
“This way,” Balthazar said, taking over. Lucian didn’t follow, his darkening gaze on Eliza. She didn’t back down, confirming the warrior spirit inside her. The female would likely prove useful once she understood the purpose of hierarchy.
Gabriel turned away from her to follow Balthazar. Sethios joined him, his gait casual as they approached the final door at the end of the hallway.
