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Jovan kept one hand on Eilea’s back, alternating between keeping an eye on his mate and leering at the black sheep demons on the floor. Phoenix repressed a curse, for she knew Jovan believed they’d come to steal his mate.
Boris folded his hands in front of him, reminding Phoenix of a particular cranky nun from the orphanage right before lecturing the class. “My understanding of hell is that it has many levels, and Hecate’s kingdom is on the top level. Am I correct?”
“They are dimensions,” Horatiu drawled, “but if you want, you can call them levels.”
Boris arched a brow. “And that these wolves were knocked down to a lower level almost three thousand years ago.”
“Correct,” Horatiu said brusquely.
Boris drummed his fingers on the table again. Phoenix fought the urge to shift and jump on the table and bite off his fingers.
“Yet nobody has seen or spoken to them during that time,” Boris continued, his voice laced with condescension, “so you can’t be sure they haven’t been knocked down several more levels.”
Phoenix’s inner wolf howled, and it took every ounce of her willpower to restrain her claws. “Then I will search every bloody level if that’s what it takes.”
“How do you know they haven’t found a new mate or that they haven’t been swallowed by a beast?” Magnus asked her.
She stared eye daggers at her brother. “I don’t know.” She looked to Tor, catching his eye for just a moment, her heart twisting in a knot when he averted his gaze.
“How many levels are there?” Boris asked, directing his question at Horatiu.
“We don’t know much about the other levels,” he answered.
Boris’s laughter was a nail pounding into her skull. “Yet you’re just going to march into a strange level of hell and rescue demons that may or may not be there.” He nodded toward his mate behind him, who still hadn’t turned around. “And you expect Eilea to help you.”
Phoenix worked hard to unclench her jaw. “Not just demons,my mates.”
Magnus roared like a bear waking up from slumber too soon. “We don’t give a fuck who they are, Phoenix!”
Fire raced through her veins and magic burned her fingers. She’d never despised her brother more than at that moment. “You’ve never given a fuck, Magnus.”
Magnus opened his mouth to speak, then shut it when Boris stood, leaning over the table.
“There are hunters who’ve gone to the other dimensions. They have been advising Hecate.” It was more of a statement than a question. “And these hunters, they worked for your enemies, the Vindictus, correct?”
“They did,” Horatiu answered.
So obviously Tor had filled Boris in on that much. Phoenix wondered if Tor had told him everything, why the inquisition now? Was it all for show?
“And you think you can trust them?” Boris asked.
Horatiu shared a look with Daeva, then shrugged a shoulder. “We have no choice.”
Boris’s eyes narrowed. “There’s always a choice.”
“You’re not going to let Eilea help us, are you?” Phoenix said to him, magic boiling her blood.
He gave her a long look, one meant to make her feel small, but she refused to back down as she met his stare with narrowed eyes.
“My mate is her own wolf,” he finally answered in a disinterested slur.
“Eilea,” Phoenix rasped, her voice cracking like splintered ice.
Eilea refused to turn around as she answered curtly, “My place is here with my mates and children.”
Well, damn. Phoenix never thought she’d be so disgusted and disappointed in her own race.
“Can Hecate at least come visit Eilea?” Daeva pleaded.
