It was world-shaking truths.
It was gods and monsters and a conspiracy spanning thousands of years, but she had no way to threaten them with that.
She hated that it had happened this way, when she felt so bruised and unprepared. She had to pray the Wake didn’t realise she had anyone else. That they’d known about her thanks to her mother.
At least her family weren’t here. As long as they were safe back in Edinburgh awaiting the results of this meeting, she could find a way out of this.
If Kyan could get out of the Wake again and get the last few things they needed, then they could be free.
If they couldn’t, she’d be forced to do the unthinkable.
Kyan’s body flexed between them. His eyes, the hazel that had become so familiar with its flecks of forest green and Empyrean gold, landed on hers, asking her without a word,Are you sure about this?
If he fought them now, she didn’t know how they’d get out of it.
Perhaps while they were in the Wake, he could find some way to stop Alexander without the Gáe Bolg, reverse his transformation, or get enough of his blood that they could separate the goddessblood from it.
‘Phones,’ the other Empyreal said, interrupting her spiral.
It’ll keep the others safe, she thought.Kyanwould be safe.
The decision was made for her when the phone was snatched from her grip.
Her mother’s words echoed in her head: ‘If one of the Wake’s Empyreals discovers that you’re also an Empyreal … what do you do?’
Run.
But there was nowhere to run now.
So Nicole allowed herself to be ushered into the Wake’s SUV with six stoic, deadly Empyreals, and be driven straight to them.
CHAPTER SEVENTY-ONE
Dylan
DYLAN KNEW SOMETHING WAS WRONGBECAUSE NICOLEwasn’t answering her phone. It had stopped tracking right after she went to get answers on how to neutralise Alexander.
It couldn’t be coincidence. So, he and the family left earlier than planned to join the others and got the train from Edinburgh to St Andrews.
When they found the lecturer’s office, Dylan was near vibrating with dread.
The door was half hanging off its hinges. Hauling it open revealed smashed chairs, strewn papers, but no people.
‘No,’ Bells breathed. She hurried inside and scanned the messy desk for clues.
Their father nodded to the door opposite the ruined one. They needed answers and Dylan would be able to get them in seconds. He knocked on the door.
‘Yes?’ asked someone inside.
Dylan opened it and wasted no time. ‘What happened across the hall?’
The woman sitting there was in her forties and blinked a few times, her pupils swelling with his Influence.
‘Oh, I …’ She frowned. ‘I don’t know?’
‘Where’s the woman whose office this is?’
‘She went out. She said she had somewhere to be, but she seemedupset.’
