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Again, alarm rose. “What?”
“Nothing,” she said, and this time she was lying. “I’ll head over there now.”
“Please be careful. I have a really bad feeling about this.”
“Just what I need,” she muttered. “You and your mother could scare half a lifetime out of a person with your bad feelings.”
I smiled, as she’d no doubt intended. “Well, according to Uncle Quinn, you’ve got plenty of lifetime left in you, so that’s not going to be a problem.”
She snorted softly. “He’s another one who seems intent on scaring me half to death. Did you know he’s taken up skydiving? What the hell is that all about?”
This time I laughed. “He wants to know what it’s like to fly.”
“He owns planes and spaceships and he’s half Aedh. He flies all the time.”
“It’s not the same.”
She grunted, and the amusement faded from her face. “Send Rhoan the information on the names you found ASAP, and let me know when you get to the Brindle. I’d hate to have to raid them for no reason.”
“I will. And thanks.”
She gave me a smile then hit the DISCONNECT button. I took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. The sick fear twisting my stomach hadn’t eased any. In fact, it had probably gotten worse. By asking Riley to go over to Mom’s, I’d put her in the path of whatever was about to hit Mom.
But she’d cope. She was the one person in this world—besides my mom—whom I had complete and utter faith in. She was a guardian, and a whole lot more. If there was anyone who had any hope of saving my mom—and herself—then it was Riley.
“Feeling better?” Tao said, his gaze meeting mine in the rearview mirror.
I grimaced. “I’ll feel a whole lot better when morning comes and everyone is fit, healthy, and in one piece.”
“Amen to that,” Ilianna said as she hung up the phone. “Mom said there’s no official approval for us taking sanctuary at the Brindle, but if we happen to turn up on the doorstep, the Brindle’s perimeter magic will at least give us some protection until we get a yea or a nay.”
And that was better than nothing. I pulled up Uncle Rhoan’s number, then glanced at Stane. “Could you send all the information you have about the consortium and Margaret Trilby to this number?”
Stane said, “You’re going to be sensible and let the Directorate handle it? Color me surprised.”
I elbowed him. “It’s the safest thing to do.”
“It is, which is why I’m surprised. I had the distinct feeling that you wanted a finger or two in that particular pie.”
“She does,” Tao said before I could. “Which is why you and I will be keeping a close eye on her until the Directorate has cleaned up the mess.”
Exasperation ran through me. “I’m not going—”
“I can taste how much you want to be a part of the resolution, Ris, and I’m more than a little acquainted with your determination.” His gaze met mine in the mirror again. “But even if the Aedh weren’t out there hunting you, you’re not trained for that sort of work.”
“Nor would you really want to witness it,” Ilianna murmured. “Death is never a pleasant sight, and execution even less so.”
I stared at her for a minute, then said, “You’ve seen someone executed?” God, we were closer than sisters, and yet this was something she’d never, ever even hinted at.
She shrugged, like it was nothing, but the flash of horror in her gaze gave the game away. “It’s the reason I walked away from the Brindle, but this isn’t really the time to get into it.”
Wow, I thought, surprised. Who’d have thought the Brindle would have such a bloody skeleton in its closet—especially given the witch creed and threefold rule?
“Okay,” Stane said, “Information sent—”
The rest of his words were lost under the sudden squeal of tires. The Jeep slewed sideways, skidding on the wet roads as Tao battled for control. We half spun, then came to a rest hard up against the side of the truck that had rocketed out of a side street.
“Fucking idiot!” Tao yelled, hanging out the window. “Watch where you’re going next time.”
