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"Nothing bad is going to happen," he swore. "I'll make sure of it."
"No offence," Isak drawled, "but you can't make that sort of promise."
"It's his thing," Ark mumbled. "Making impossible promises."
Azrail shot his general a look. Ark shot him one right back.
"So how do we find it?" Maia asked before any of them could speak. "You took people to the island, so you obviously know where it is," she added to Isak. "So whereis it?"
Isak stared at her like she'd lost her mind. "You want to go to that place? After everything I've told you?"
"You've told me there's a saints' circle that a dark saint came through, and a ready-made army of monsters who are secretly tortured captives. Noshit,I want to go. We need to make sure the circle isn't giving the saint any more power. If we don't, everything you've told us is going to be used against me and my family—the power, the saint, the blood, the monsters,allof it."
Azrail nodded. He wanted to shoot down the idea and lock her in a room at the Wyvern’s Rest where she'd be safe, but his mate could hold her own. She'd proven that when she broke the spell on him in the Forest of Skies, bringing him back to himself and taming the chasm's wolves.
Isak just laughed, shaking his dark head at them all. "You're all going to die."
"Well, you're being hunted by those creatures, so you are, too," Maia pointed out. "Ever think that us dealing with them might be good for you?"
"I'm not telling you where it is," Isak growled, his amusement fading to iron-hard seriousness. "How about I tell you about a box thing my superiors were desperate to find? You can all run off and huntthatdown instead; it seems important. Either it's extra-powerful or it’s dangerous to the saint who's apparently running the whole damn Vassalian army."
"How about you tell us where to find the island, andthenwe'll find the magic box," Maia countered, her teeth gritted.
"No." Isak leaned back his chair and propped his feet on the messy desk. "Final answer."
Maia shot a pleading look at Ark, then Azrail.
"No, you can't snare him," Ark sighed with a little smile.
Azrail contemplated it, but Jaro would never forgive them, so he shook his head at Maia.
She groaned.
"Snare," Bryon echoed, clearly asking what it meant. No one offered an answer.
"I'm never going back there," Isak said, shaking his head in exasperation, "and I'm never sending anyone else back there. It's a bad fucking place; trust me, holiday somewhere else."
Maia bared her teeth on a hiss.
"The saint," Jaro said quietly, making them all silent as he turned to his brother. "We've already faced them. My mate has," he added tentatively. "The saint knows about us, and is working with our enemy. They have our friend, Vawn. Youneverhave to go back, Isak, I promise, but we have to see what's out there."
"I've already told you what's out there," Isak muttered, his eyes on the desk. "I won't send anyone there. It's not just the monsters and the soldiers, it's ... there's a feeling that gets under your skin. Like fingernails raking across the most vulnerable parts of you, pressing on your head until it feels like it's going to explode, and buzzing so loud it's all you can hear. It feels like all the stories of the chasm, and you're not bloody going."
Isak brought his feet down from the desk and stood, grabbing his wooden stick. "Now get out, all of you. I've had enough for one day. I need a damn nap."
"You and me both," Bryon muttered, sulking in the corner.
"What's your price?" Kheir asked, watching him. "Everyone has one; so tell me yours. We need this location, so what will it take for you to show us where it is?"
"More than you could possibly afford," Isak replied with a droll smile. "Sorry, buddy, but I'm not cheap."
Maia snorted. "Just easy, then?"
"There's nothing that will convince you?" Azrail pressed, irritated when Isak began ushering them towards the door. Ark tried to hold his ground but got the end of a walking stick slamming down on his shoe.
"Nothing," Isak confirmed with a grin.
Azrail gave Maia a significant look.Tell him you're his mate. It's the only card we have left to play.
She narrowed her gold eyes.Not a damn chance, Knight.
"What's going on?" Ark asked warily, stepping closer to Maia but keeping his eyes on Azrail.
"Nothing," Maia replied too casually. "Should we go, then?"
"Please do," Isak encouraged, twirling his stick towards the door.
Azrail sighed heavily, but he had no choice but to usher his family out of the door.
