AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He nodded. “There’s been a few sightings of him in the shadow markets.”
“He’s in the city?”
“Apparently.”
I drank the rest of the tea, disliking the taste as much as when Azia first gave it to me. “I need to talk to him.”
“I’ll put word out, although Malum Dominor has been threatening our members. The ones they know about, anyway.”
“Fucking assholes.” A low growl sounded in my chest as I thought about Salvor, the so-called head of their family. “It’s not them as much as it is Salvor, self-entitled prick.”
Adrian laughed. “You know, I always thought you two were similar.”
I shot him a glare. “Don’t fuck with me.”
He shrugged, an amused smile on his lips. “I’m just saying, there are similarities. But,” he added, lifting his finger, “Salvor has a much better fashion sense.”
I couldn’t help but smile, Adrian being one of the few who didn’t evoke anger in me—most of the time, anyway. “You’re just saying that because you love suits. It doesn’t mean youlookbetter.”
He tugged at the collar of his shirt that probably cost more than most people’s yearly stagma. “I disagree.”
“Still, we should do something about him.”
“Like what?” He arched a brow. “He has no weaknesses and a lot of dangerous people protecting him. The only person who we could have used long fell out of love with him.”
I blew out a long exhale. “Erianna.”
“It’s been centuries. I doubt he still gives a fuck about her. We can work around Malum anyway,” he said for short. “Most of our members are anonymous and the clubs are well hidden. I assured it.” He pressed his lips tight, suppressing a smirk. “We both know you’ve been too consumed by princely duties to glance at the reports.”
I headed for the living room and Adrian followed me. Lowering myself in the armchair, I thought about everything I’d let slip recently. Elizabeth had, admittedly, become an unexpected distraction. “Bring them to me tomorrow. I want to see them.”
He nodded, relief in his features. “I’ll find out more about Sebastian.”
“Send Edward, the new recruit. He’s been doing well, right?”
“Yes.”
“Him and a couple others you trust. I want them to investigate Seraphina’s death.”
“Alright.” He pressed his palms against his knees, leaning forward. “In the meantime, what do we do about Salenia? I don’t like the way things are being run here either. It’s messing with business.”
An idea unfurled in my mind, one that had crept in every so often over the last few days. One I didn’t want to entertain until now. “Velda lost her daughter to Salenia, who admitted she’s holding Gwen’s soul in the underworld. If anyone’s willing to come to our side, who has actual power, it’s her.”
“I thought you didn’t like her.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t matter how I feel about her. She loved Kalon, in her own twisted way, and Salenia forced her to kill him, some kind of compulsion,” I added. “She’s playing the part well, pretending to be on Salenia’s side. But if anyone does revenge well, it’s Velda.”
“You think we can trust her?”
“I think she wants Salenia gone as much as we do. My enemy’s enemy is my friend, as the saying goes.”
“Want me to talk to her?”
“Yes. Set up a meeting here, but probe her first. Check I’m right, get a feel for her alliance with Salenia.”
He nodded. “What will you do about your mortal girl?”
I glanced at the windows, the choices conflicting in my mind as I tried to find a third option. “If I can find some way to get her out of here, even if it’s unwillingly.”
