Gabriel shook his head. “Caro said the protection runes thwart those who mean Lizzie harm.”
“He used her blood to create the markings,” Leela said, her eyebrows lifting. “He really did create the place for her.”
“So it would seem,” Gabriel replied.
She nodded. “We’ll meet you there.” She disappeared with Balthazar, leaving them all to discuss the next steps.
“I’ll stay here and wait for Jay to wake up,” Luc informed them. “As soon as he does, we’ll have Jacque teleport him in.”
“He’s back at Ezekiel’s house,” Gabriel replied.
“Technology will fix that.” Luc pulled his phone from his pocket, showed it to her brother, and returned it to rest against his upper thigh.
“Speaking of technology,” Issac murmured. “Tristan is with Mateo.”
What wasn’t said out loud was that Tristan had volunteered to supervise Mateo and report back on his movements. Luc would understand Issac’s context without him elaborating, something he proved by dipping his head once in understanding.
“If they stop by, I’ll bring them up to speed,” the Hydraian King said.
A lie, but one that would make the comments seem normal to everyone else in the room. It wasn’t that they didn’t trust Gabriel or Lara, but they weren’t sure who else might be listening. With Mateo’s penchant for technology, he could have placed bugs all over Balthazar’s house without anyone knowing.
That part freaked Stas out the most—she didn’t like that Mateo could be listening to everything she said. Which made her even more thankful for her bond to Issac and their ability to talk mentally.
I want to go to Lizzie, she told him now.
Yes, he said. I knew you would.
Am I being reckless for going? She knew he would tell her the truth, which was why she voiced the question.
You’re aware of the potential consequences. It’s quite possible Osiris will make an appearance. That said, I don’t think he intends to harm you. He needs you.
But he might put you in a cage and use you to force my hand, like he threatened before, she replied.
Would you prefer me to stay here, then? he asked, looking at her.
She considered it and shook her head. I want you there. It would be the first time she’d seen her mother in eighteen years. Something about that left her uneasy. Mainly because of her nightmares. She wasn’t sure how those would impact her when she finally saw her mom again.
We’ll face it all together, Issac promised, lacing his fingers through hers. “We’re going to the island.”
Luc stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Better to walk willingly into the trap and learn the results than to wait around for a surprise opportunity. We’ll arrive armed and prepared.”
“I don’t think it’ll be needed,” Gabriel said. “Sethios told Ezekiel that Osiris knew of his intentions to escape. He’d used the entire situation as a way to test Stas. Which I’m guessing he’s doing again now. He doesn’t want to hurt her; he wants to train her.”
Stas bristled at the insinuation. “I’m not his to train.”
“Something he’ll learn with time,” her brother replied. “I’ll meet you both there. I need to have a conversation with someone here first.”
She frowned at him. “Who?”
Rather than reply, his red feathers appeared, and he vanished into thin air.
“Now I get to hit him twice,” she muttered.
“I’ll enjoy watching,” Issac replied. “Shall we?”
She responded by misting since, apparently, that was how Seraphim did things. They acted rather than explained.
Issac’s chuckle hummed across her thoughts, his amusement at her version of a tantrum warming her a little inside. He always knew what to say and do to calm her. She wrapped her arms around him a little tighter, her opal wings fluttering in the ethereal state as she took them to the location Gabriel had mentioned.
