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“Alana was secret order. The only job she was ever given was to watch Carter. That’s why she lived on Earth full time.”
My head was reeling. It felt like the world had been turned upside down and everything I thought I knew was wrong. Alana couldn’t have been in the secret order. I would have known. But even as I thought that, I knew it wasn’t true. Ten years ago, I had no idea the secret order existed. If Alana were part of it, she wouldn’t have told me. But why didn’t Micah tell me when I joined years later? Why hadn’t Samuel or Joriel? How many other things were there that I didn’t know about my baby sister?
“About ten years ago, Carter left Manchester suddenly.” Samuel continued as if he hadn’t just yanked the ground out from under my feet. “Alana helped him disappear and didn’t tell anyone where he went. Not long after, she was killed by Dantalion. Micah suspected Carter was the real target, but since Alana was the only one who knew where he went, he’s been unable to get in contact with the half-demon. The seventh order has been looking for him for years.”
In the back of my mind, pieces were falling into place like a puzzle coming together. What Sierra had heard about stealing a key made sense if this Carter was the son of Astaroth, the Prince of Theft. And I was willing to bet almost anything that Carter Mandala, whom the seventh order had been looking for for ten years, was the one the bracelet Sierra had shown me was made for. Whatever vision it contained was a message for him. But I couldn’t bring myself to care about the puzzle right now or to wonder what the key Dantalion wanted Carter to steal went to. I was still stuck on Alana and all the secrets that had been kept from me.
“And how long did you know all this?” I asked Samuel in a low voice.
He acted as if I hadn’t spoken. “Now Dantalion has set himself up in an industrial park in Georgia.”
I frowned. “Why would he do that?”
“I can only assume it has to do with Carter since Georgia is nowhere near you and your girl. But I’m sure he’s not giving up on his revenge plans for you two. At some point he’s going to stop sending grunts to keep you busy and make a real move against you.”
“And I’m assuming you have a plan.”
“Joriel and I will go to Georgia and deal with Dantalion before he has a chance to act on his plans, either for you or Carter.”
“No.” I couldn’t let them cut me out of this fight.
“Drop the heroics, Nathaniel,” Samuel drawled. “We are perfectly capable of taking on one duke.”
“He won’t make a move against you. He wants this fight to be with me. It’s personal to him, to both of us.”
“Which is why you should stay out of it,” Joriel said from his spot leaning against the wall, speaking for the first time since our fight in the parking lot.
“Are you doubting our abilities?” Samuel asked, a hint of genuine humor lighting his dark eyes. “I think I’m capable of provoking a duke who’s just lost… two sons, is it?”
“This isn’t your fight,” I argued through gritted teeth. “I’m not staying behind and letting you two fix my problems.”
Samuel laughed without a trace of humor. “Trust me, your problems go way beyond anything we can fix.”
I frowned. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“I haven’t gotten to the news of the century yet.”
My body tensed as if preparing for a physical blow.
“Sierra’s pregnant. I saw your baby’s soul inside her.”
Everything stopped. My heart went still in my chest, the air stalled in my lungs, and I swear even the Earth stopped turning. Sierra was pregnant. I was going to be a father. A rush of joy, pride, and all-consuming protectiveness rose up inside me, taking over every fiber of my being.
I spun back to the door, but Samuel held it closed, stopping me from leaving. “Calm the fuck down.”
“Get out of my way,” I snarled. Nothing was going to keep me from Sierra right now. I would obliterate anyone that tried.
“Use your brain, Nathaniel. You really want to burst in on her like this? Because she didn’t look too happy with you the last time I saw her.”
I focused on Samuel with difficulty. Telling Sierra about the baby now, when she’d just learned about the Nephilim law, was a questionable decision, but I wasn’t going to lie to her again. “I need to tell her. She deserves to know.” And I needed to be where she was, where I could see and feel that she was safe.
When Samuel didn’t move his hand, I bared my teeth at him. It probably wasn’t helping my case, but I didn’t have it in me to talk about anything like a civilized person at the moment. I could feel the fire sparking to life under my skin, and my wings were seconds from bursting out of my back again. My emotions were running high, and it was making it hard to get a grip on my control. I really was going to attack if he didn’t move.
“Fine. Go talk to your girl. Meanwhile, Joriel and I are going to Georgia to take care of Dantalion.”
I clenched my jaw. I still didn’t like this plan, but I couldn’t leave Sierra while I went with them, and I couldn’t let her anywhere near Dantalion. It wouldn’t be long before he’d be able to sense the baby.
I nodded, and Samuel moved out of my way.
