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"I also informed an operative who works for the Alpha. He was working in the Temple for some months. I gave him time to leave the city, in the hope he might infiltrate the attackers. I presume he was successful, he was one who held a sword while the others left with Viva."
Kerina stared at me. "You planned all of this?"
I shrugged with one shoulder. "We should have been able to stop them from taking her. I misjudged the power the witches hold." I had kicked myself a dozen times for making such a dumbass mistake. I thought I understood Viva's power, but I was wrong.
"And why not tell us when the witches left?" Kerina asked.
Dex gestured for me to answer the question.
"I hoped to hear from Knox. This goes beyond Viva. I hoped he would find out what they wanted. If this is a threat to the Alpha, or the Vault, he might learn what and report back."
Dex's lips twitched and I knew he was holding back another comment about me overstepping.
"And?" Dex prompted.
I drew a scrap of paper from my pocket and handed it to Dex while Kerina stared at me in disbelief.
"You were going to tell him anyway?" Her eyes flashed with anger and confusion. Perhaps a little hurt. She had hardly said two words to me in the last couple of weeks, and then only when she had to. I was surprised she hadn't left the residence, either to follow Viva's captors or just in disgust.
"I hoped to tell the Keeper sooner," I replied, "but there was nothing to act on, until now."
I nodded toward the paper. "After reading that, I believe the choice I made was the right one. The woman who took Viva is powerful and dangerous. Knox doesn't know what she wants, but he gave some idea of the direction they were headed." Knox had slipped the note to another traveller along with a gold coin. He risked both of their lives in doing that. Hades willing, the man hadn't been caught. If he was, chances are we'd never find him.
Dex's eyes shifted back and forth while he read. He nodded and tossed the note onto the desktop. "What do you propose?"
I tapped a hand on my thigh. "I don't think we should send an army after her."
"An army wouldn't be stealthy," Dex agreed. "And if this—Helene—is as dangerous as Knox suggests, we should learn what she's up to." He sighed. "I hate to admit it, but you're right. This is much bigger than Viva. So much so that…" He looked regretful.
"You'd let her die if necessary?" Kerina asked. Her expression was guarded, but clearly unhappy.
"If it comes to that," Dex said. "I cannot sacrifice the good of the Vault. That has to be my priority. However, we need to find out who these people are and why they took Viva. For that, we need—"
"Stealth?" I suggested.
"Yes, lots of that." Dex walked away a few steps, then turned back and rubbed his chin yet again. "I don't want to trust this to anyone else. The fewer people who know about this, the better."
I nodded. "Understood."
Kerina frowned. "Wait. You presume we can work together on this?"
"If anyone can keep Bain in hand, it's you," Dex said.
Kerina snorted.
My eyebrows rose. I would have to keep Kerina from running straight into trouble, but she was no idiot. Between us, we may not get each other killed. As long as she didn't aim for my back, that was.
"We have worked together for quite some time," I said evenly. "We can do it again." As long as she followed orders.
"I'm certain," Dex said, his expression distracted. "There's one more thing. If this Helene is a threat to the Vault, I expect you to take care of her. Andanyonein her company."
I did my best to hide my surprise. "I understand."
Shit.
Ever since she was taken, I'd thought of little else. Duty was one thing. Having to stand back and watch Viva be taken was another. I'd come to care about her more than I should. More than once I wished I could go back and make her stay in the city. Or hide her somewhere safe. Somewhere I could hold her close until the storm broke over us both and blew out to sea.
If I had to choose between duty and her again, I wasn't sure which I would pick. I sent a plea to Hades, to beg that it not come to that.
