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“It would seem so,” Cord bit out.
“The trickster plays you well,” Leonid said with amusement, his smile widening when he caught Cord’s surly look. “Here.” He pointed to the symbol on Cord’s back, buried within the Mark.
“You knew this was here and didn’t think to tell either myself or Rorik?” Lucas grumbled.
“I did not realise this was what you were having trouble with.” Leonid resumed his seat.
“What does it mean?” Cord asked impatiently as he drew his shirt back on.
“Death,” Leonid said soberly. “True death to the Made at least.”
Lucas sat down and started rewriting the spell, muttering all the while. “I need time,” he told them.
“Why were the Heirs out on patrol?” Leonid asked Cord.
“Because my little tiger is impulsive, and Jasper is an idiot.”
Lucas looked up from his notes. “I need timeandsilence.”
Cord was so tempted to say something, but Leonid shook his head, and he left the room instead, the Vampyre at his side.
“You are worried for her?” Leonid asked casually as he watched the Castor search the cupboards for food.
“She is impulsive, reckless and entirely too self-sacrificing.”
“Self-sacrificing? How so?” Leonid asked as Cord opened a box of crackers and began to eat.
“She called for me,” Cord grunted. “Her pain was incredible. I blacked out from the intensity of it for a moment. She called not for herself, but to save the others.” Cord threw the box of crackers aside in temper. “She is named in the Prophecy, she and her brother, but does she call ontheirbehalf? No. She wants her patrol saved.”
“Others would consider that noble.”
“Otherswould be idiots.” Cord wrenched open the fridge and stared inside before closing it again, and started heating water for tea.
“And you are sure she will heal?” Leonid asked again.
“Yes.” Cord murmured a small spell to encourage the water to boil. “Marcus is with them. Salem returned to House Ivanov to aid Sloane. He advised me I was better here with you, helping.”
“And what a help you have been,” Leonid commented dryly as he watched the Castor make his jasmine tea.
Cord smirked as he diffused the leaves and mixture. “How long did you stare at my back while I was unconscious in your cave?”
Leonid met his mocking stare and dipped his head in acknowledgement. “I was curious.”
“I don’t know whether I feel violated or not,” Cord mused as he stirred his cup. “Taking the clothes off someone while they are unconscious isn’t nice. In fact, I think the humans call it assault.” Cord took a sip of his tea.
“Hmm, assault would be if I drank your body dry and tossed your limbs out to the Darkness that waited like a hungry lion for your bones,” Leonid replied calmly.
“Do you think it would save my back for last?” Cord asked, genuinely curious.
Leonid stared at him, realising he was completely serious. “I gave it no thought.”
“Hmm.” Cord continued to drink his tea. “True death means burned or beheaded?”
“Either.” He assessed the young male as Cord looked out the window. “Why?”
“To slit your throat as deep as they did and then throw you over the ledge, if the symbol means true death, then they almost countered the spell.”
“You think they meant to leave my head hanging?” Leonid asked, revulsion in his tone at the thought.
