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"We don't even know where we're going next," the enormous and grimacing figure of Mr. Tanner said. He'd transformed from the shocked Dr. Underwood, roaring at my announcement and sweeping the sobbing Esther up into his embrace.
"I think we ought to wait for Hunter and—" Nireas started, speaking softly, as if he already knew the words would create more turmoil.
"Wait for them?!" Hazel cried up at him. "We don't even know if they'realive!"
"Don't say that, please," Esther said, shaking her head and wiping her damp cheeks with a handkerchief Laszlo had passed her. "Please, I can't—Oh, not again!"
Hazel paled and pressed her lips together, covering her mouth with one hand and turning into the shelter of Nireas and Constantine's offered embrace.
I stood by the open doors of the balcony, watching the chaos as if it were only a scene of a play, as if I wasn't partly responsible for the arguing and the tears.
"Everyone, please, pause for a moment," Conall called, voice raised in stern command. Perhaps it was his nature, but even Hywel looked up from the map he'd been studying with Jude. "We need to make a decision on what action we are taking."
A half-dozen voices raised together at once in a nonsensical flurry of orders, and it was Hywel who cut through the frenzy.
"Enough!"
A collective breath was taken, and Conall offered Hywel a brief nod of thanks before charging forward.
"I can track their scents to retrace their movements. See if I can figure out where they went and who they spoke to, so we can be certain of what happened," Conall said. My breath hitched, hands clenching together, and the bite on my throat throbbing in refusal. Conall looked over his shoulder at me, and a sudden brush of calm reached into my chest. My eyes widened, and he offered me a half smile.
"I don't think we should wait that long," Jude said from the desk.
Conall turned back to the room and nodded. "Nor do I, honestly, but I wanted to offer a cautious option. Another choice is that we've made sure to have teams of allies within close reach of every known temple and house in Birsha's network. Personally, I think it's time we used them. We have more allies to contact in London and Paris and Rome, enough that if we decide we're ready, we can send word across the world and move against him and his houses all at once."
There was a heavy silence in the room, but my ears rang in warning. What if we weren't ready? What if Birsha knew our plans, our allies, and his own army outnumbered ours? What if we were already too late?
"This is what you'd advise?" Hywel asked.
Conall nodded once. "It is. If we give Birsha time to create another temple—"
"No!" Esther shouted, but Conall carried on.
"—we'll never regain the upper hand. Asterion and Amon have led the charge against Birsha from the first. We can't afford to abandon them."
Hazel rushed out a breath. "So glad you came to that decision, because I am leaving to find Hunter and Ronan regardless."
Esther's tears hiccuped with a snort and she nodded firmly. "I am sick to death of Birsha and his schemes and his cruelty. I wantwar."
"Esther," Mr. Tanner growled.
She growled back at him, and his lips twitched. "I know I am only human, and I know I'm not even very good at fighting, but you are not leaving me behind to worry, and wait, and—" Her voiced choked, and Mr. Tanner gathered her close into his chest, muffling her cries.
Conall stuffed his hands in his pockets, striding to where Hywel and Jude had been scouring over a map. "We don't know yet where Birsha is. Miss Reed, you and yours should go to Star Manor. Magdalena will scry and Khepri will rally the patrons. Miss Nix, to London. Tell Mr. Reddy to shut his doors and bring everyone who can be spared. We'll go to Grace House and spread the word as far and fast as we can."
"Is there time?" Hazel asked, frowning. "London is days away."
Conall stared back at her and shook his head. "I don't know, honestly. But if we don't do this right, we'll end up dead and what good was trying?"
I bit off the shout that clawed through my chest, swirling out of the open door and marching, stumbling, all but running to the banister of the balcony that overlooked the dreaming sea. Was it my imagination, or was it shallower than it'd been weeks ago?
Talons clicked against stone tile and I swayed back, waiting for Laszlo's arms to catch me, tug me into his chest, and surround us with the soft comfort of his wings.
"Stay here with me, dear one," Laszlo murmured in my ear. "Stay here, and I will keep you safe. Hywel will eat Birsha as if he were a canapé. He and Conall won't rest until that despicable man is gone and dead."
I turned my back to the sea, rested my cheek on Laszlo's shoulder, and listened to the wind whistle through the grains of his feathers.
I want us to run as far away from here as we can and never look back.
