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"Yep."
"Then how the hell are we going to rescue Nerida?"
"I don't think we really can."
Her fury swept over me, its heat blistering. "We had a deal."
"We had a deal to try." I waved a hand around the room. "Do you think either of us have a chance of getting her out with all the hardware and personnel in this place?"
"I can't not try."
There was a desperation in her voice that was more than just concern. More than just a favor owed.
Berna and Nerida, as I'd suspected earlier, were lovers as well as friends.
"We may not be able to get her out, but maybe we can give her the one thing she really wants."
"But in seeking that she may very well die." In the depths of her eyes, a war between fury and fear briefly raged, but the emotions were gone as quickly as they'd appeared, sucked away behind a facade of calm acceptance.
There was no "very well" about it. Nerida was going to die, and we both knew it. And the pain I'd seen so briefly in Berna's eyes only confirmed that. "Look, this is her one chance to fight Merle, and possibly kill him. Do you honestly think she'd appreciate you taking that chance away from her?"
"Probably not. But I can't - "
"You can. You have to. They'll kill us both the minute we try to make any rescue attempt, and I'm sorry, but this operation is too darn important to risk that."
And if she tried, I'd have to stop her. She knew too much now. If they caught her, and she blabbed...
My gut churned at the thought of killing Berna, but I'd come too far now to let it all fall apart at the last hurdle.
Berna made a low sound in the back of her throat. Whether it was anguish or acceptance was anyone's guess.
"If she rights Merle, maybe she can put her ghosts to rest."
"I thought you said the ghosts wanted her death?"
"The ghosts here, yeah. I meant the ghosts holding her to such a destructive path."
Berna shook, her head. "There will be no pleasing them until both men are dead."
I looked at her. "And if I promise to finish what she starts?"
Berna's gaze raked me. "I think maybe they might be satisfied. I doubt she will be, though."
"Isn't one revenge better than nothing?"
"She's obsessed. Sensible thinking is not exactly her high point at the moment." She shifted, staring at me. "How do you plan to help her beat those creatures?"
"By giving her the key to their destruction."
She raised an eyebrow. "And how would you know that?"
"Because I've fought creatures very similar." Only mine had been a mix of griffon, cat, and human with arching gold and brown wings.
Berna didn't ask where, which was good, because I wasn't about to tell her.
The doors down the far end of the room opened, and with all the ceremony of a king entering his domain, Starr swept in and took his seat. But his gaze ran around the room, as if seeking something. When it stopped on me, I knew he'd found it. I was too far away to see if there was any surprise in his eyes, but the smile that touched his lips had a shiver running down my spine. I had no idea what that smile meant, but it sure as hell couldn't be good.
Waiters appeared, dropping platters of food on every table. I ate because I had to eat, because I'd need the strength, not because I actually wanted to.
