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“Is thatBrendan?” I hissed, more out of shock than anything else.
He glanced at me, surprised, and the corner of his mouth drew back, despite an obvious effort to still it. He turned his upper body toward me as he watched me, leaving his face inches from mine while the step made us closer to the same height.
“Brianna,” he said, and I thought he was going to tell me his reasons, explain why it was necessary. I was fully prepared to tell him I understood and it didn’t matter, until he finished. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Is it now?”
My breath caught in my throat.Oh God, was he serious?His eyes never left mine, and all I could think was that he was thinking of kissing me, that he was asking because it had crossed his mind to do so right then. The image of that kiss from my visions came swiftly to me, and I fought hard to not focus on it.
Though I was sure he’d see the flush that colored my skin, Logan didn’t budge, only waited for my answer.
I swallowed hard. “No.”
His gaze stayed on me one full second more before he made a gesture that might have been a nod and turned to take the last few steps.
We’d been turning the corner three blocks from the property when we passed a line of dark, expensive looking cars. I’d glanced at Logan, but he’d not acknowledged the event, simply watching the road as he took the scenic route to Council. To Aern and Emily.
My sister gave me a sad, half-smile and I knew Aern had told her we’d seen the prophecy. She must have thought it would upset me, bring up the painful memories of our mother, but it hadn’t.
Aern released his grip on Logan’s forearm and moved to touch my shoulder. “How are you, Brianna?”
It was clear there was more to his question than a simple inquiry on my health, but I let it slip this time. “I’m good, Aern.” I let my gaze run over his face, but there didn’t appear to be much sign of the stress he’d been under to put things back in order. I wondered if that had something to do with his bond to Emily. “How are you?”
He smiled, unconsciously moving toward her as he dropped his arm. “I haven’t had a moment to think about it.” He glanced at his watch. “We let the kitchen staff go early today, they’re going to start the upgrades on those rooms this afternoon, but we’ve still got some time to whip up a little lunch.”
Emily raised her brows when his gaze met hers. “Don’t look at me, Brianna’s the cook.”
I felt Logan stiffen at her comment, and I bit my lip as I glanced over at him, knowing he was thinking of the meals he’d stumbled through as I watched. “Actually,” I said, “just a sandwich would be fine.”
Emily smiled. “I can do sandwiches.”
Logan seemed to gather himself. “Brianna didn’t get a chance to look through all the documents,” he explained, “so we’ll get started on that.” He handed the container that held the prophecy to Aern. “For the Seven.”
“For the Seven,” Aern repeated.
It was oddly formal in the midst of our conversation about lunch, and the slight flinch in Emily’s expression made it clear that she’d not quite acclimated to their role at the head of Council. But Aern’s hand found the small of her back, and it was as if, suddenly, none of that mattered to either of them.
I watched them go, leaving us to our business. To find the clue that would lead them away from the path in my visions. When I turned to get the documents from Logan, he narrowed one eye at me. “Brianna’s the cook, huh?”
I laughed, taking the proffered bag without giving him the unpleasant details of Emily’s culinary disasters and my subsequent education in the matter. I removed a leather bound journal from one of the containers, its binding tattered and peeling, and laid it carefully on the table before me. Logan pulled up a chair, and when Emily returned with food, they talked idly about security updates and what was left of the remodel work.
I faded in and out of their conversation while I read, searching the old documents and notes for any details that could help. It still surprised me how easily Aern had fit into Emily’s life, how central he’d become so quickly. She’d kept to herself more often than not, and it knew it wasn’t simply the prophecy or their bond that connected them. Emily had a way of making people trust her. What I didn’t know, was if she could be so comfortable with Logan because Aern had faith in him, or if he shared his life-long friend’s talent as well. Because Aern also had that ability to make people trust him.
I remembered the first day I’d met him, when he’d come for me the way my mother had said he would. He’d been fully prepared to have to convince me, to take me with him by any means necessary. But it didn’t come to that, because I knew. I didn’t let on to Aern or the Division, not everything at least, but I had known I’d no other choice. The visions had gotten stronger, warning me.
I’d had to leave Emily, give her every chance I could to keep her out of Morgan’s hands. Even Aern didn’t know about her then, because there was only one chain of events that wouldn’t end badly. I placed a hand absently at the scar on my stomach.Well, not too badly, I thought. But that hadn’t been his fault. That was Morgan. Aern had taken great care to keep me safe. And whether I’d had the visions or not, I would have trusted him. I was almost sure of it.
When I realized the room had fallen silent, I glanced over at Emily and Logan to find them watching me, both wearing some mixture of concern and curiosity. I dropped the hand I’d been holding to my midriff instantly. Aern walked into the room at the same moment and I cringed, hating that they were going to ask about my injury with him in earshot.
But the buzz of Logan’s cell phone saved me.
“That would be Brendan,” Aern said. “He’s already called me.” Aern shared a look with Logan before his eyes came to mine. “He seems to think you’re being reckless with our Brianna.”
Emily shifted, and I knew if Brendan were here, she’d give him a piece of her mind.
“He’d like to have her back at Southmont,” Aern continued. “Under his protection.”
Emily glanced at Logan. “Well, I guess you’re doing something right.”
“Brendan isn’t that hard to hide from,” he said after a pause. “It’s easy to deceive a man who thinks he’s above it.”
