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“Of course,” she replied, a smile on her lips and her eyes sparkling. “I wouldn’t want you to miss out on the excitement.”
Quinn rolled his eyes and glanced at me. “What do we face?”
“Magic, electronic security, and more than likely Raziq.” I hesitated. “Tao and Carwyn—Ilianna’s potential mate—want in on the action.”
Quinn frowned. “Given we face an unknown number of combatants, I don’t think it wise to involve anyone who isn’t fight trained.”
“Maybe, but the magic is aimed at those who are energy or half-energy beings, so it’ll prevent you from getting in.” I switched my gaze to Riley. “I know you’re one of the best, but I don’t want you going in there alone. I couldn’t stand to see you hurt.” Or worse. I didn’t say it, but it hovered in the air, regardless.
“I won’t be alone. I have a twin, remember, and he loves a fight even more than I do.” She smiled, walked over to gather me in her arms, and hugged me fiercely. “It’ll be all right, Risa,” she added softly. “It always is.”
Tears stung my eyes, and I blinked them away rapidly. And wished, with all my heart, that I could believe her. But deep down I knew it wasn’t going to be all right, that it was never going to be all right. All right had long ago passed me by, and I was sliding faster and faster into the darkness that my mother had foreseen wrapped around me all those years ago.
“What we need,” Quinn said, “is eyes on the situation. Once we know what we face, we can plan our attack.”
“Stane can hook into all the security cams in the area—”
“So can the Directorate,” Riley said. “And it’ll be easier and faster. I’ll get Rhoan on it immediately.”
I frowned. “I’m not sure it’s a good idea—”
She waved my objection away as she picked up her phone. “Jack owes me more than one favor. Besides, if this goes sideways, it’s better that the Directorate be involved.”
Please, God, don’t let it go sideways. I licked my lips, then nodded. As Riley made the call, I glanced at Quinn. “I’m meeting Lucian at eleven thirty. I know that doesn’t leave much time to plan anything, but I can delay him for at least an hour.”
He said, “The longer you can delay, the better it will be. We’ll ring—”
“You can’t. My phone is dead and I left it home.”
“Then I will shoot you a telepathic message when we’ve freed her.”
“But I’m wearing nano microcells—”
“Which have not the capacity to stop me, no more than they could Riley.” Quinn glanced at her as she got off the phone. “All set?”
“Rhoan is gearing up surveillance as we speak, and Jack has approved full Directorate participation.” Her gaze met mine. “He said he owed you a favor. Care to explain that?”
I kept my expression—and thoughts—carefully neutral. “I was asked for advice on some demon-related killings Rhoan’s investigating. Couldn’t do a whole lot to help, though.”
“Hmm.” Her expression suggested she very much didn’t believe my reply, even though it was the truth as far as it went. “We’re not going to need your friends, so tell Tao and Carwyn to cool their jets. We’ll contact them the minute we can.”
If they are not going to help free Ilianna, perhaps we should bring them in on the key—
No, I said, before he could finish. Definitely not.
Risa, I do not trust the Aedh, and it might be wiser—
I won’t risk my friends again, Azriel. I’ve already done enough damage to them. Out loud, I said, “You’ll let me know the minute you have her? And you’ll both be careful?”
“We will, on both counts.” Quinn glanced at his watch. “If you were planning to scout the area before you met Lucian, you had better hurry. It’s almost eleven now.”
We left.
But not without a prayer to the fates and whatever gods were listening that everything went as planned and everyone got out alive.
And that included me and Azriel.
Because the shit, I suspected, was about to hit the fan big-time.
