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Sienna worked on a hard swallow. She’d really thought Piper’s power was the solution, but obviously she wasn’t trying to kill Maya. She wasn’t trying to kill anyone. “Okay. Scratch that plan, then.” But if they couldn’t test the bloodline theory, how did they get any answers?
Fenn laid a hand on Sienna’s shoulder. “For now, I’d rather hear about the vision you had earlier.”
The change of topic threw Sienna long enough for Piper to speak up. “Can we move to the kitchen while you tell us about it? I still need to finish packaging up the cookies.”
Maya cursed. “I completely forgot about that.”
Sienna obliged her sisters and trailed behind them into the adjoining kitchen, where she and Fenn positioned themselves on the stool seats at the island. She watched Maya get to work rinsing dishes while Piper laid out four identical boxes and began carefully sliding homemade cookies into each. From the way the cookies were separated, and their coloring, Sienna deduced she’d made three flavors. “There better be some of those left for me this year,” she said, mostly teasing.
Without even looking up, Piper said, “Only well-behaved girls get cookies. You owe us a story.”
Sienna rolled her eyes and thought back to the vision she’d had before breakfast. In light of the confrontation she’d woken up in the middle of, and the strange conversation that had followed, she’d nearly forgotten it. “There’s not much to tell,” she finally said. “It was mostly Florence, maybe later today or another day in a similar dress, sitting at what looked like a low-traffic bar. She had a drink in her hand and a man’s coat over her shoulders and she was bitching about how she deserved better.”
Maya made a distinct sound of disgust.
Sienna grinned a little, but kept her focus on the lingering memory of the vision. “Some guy I didn’t recognize, but could see clearly, moved into my line of sight after a minute. I figure he was who she was talking to. He was up real close next to her, but looking out, like he was scanning the room or something, so I got a good look at him.” She shrugged. “Mostly he just let her rant, so I had the impression he was into her, but she was definitely pissed. The last thing I remember hearing her say was ‘how dare he’.”
Maya had turned around, dishes done, to lean against the counter and face them by the time Sienna finished. She looked at Fenn. “I would guess she’s mad at you, then.”
Fenn grunted acknowledgment, but his words were for Sienna. “You’re sure about the man’s description?”
Sienna blinked up at him. “Yeah,” she said. “I mean, the lighting was kinda dim, but it was almost like he looked right at me.” It always creeped her out when that happened.
His brow furrowed. It was not a happy expression.
Warning bells went off in Sienna’s head and she straightened in her seat. “What?”
Fenn leaned forward, cupped her jaw, and pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I have to make a call.” His words were a low murmur, vibrating through her as much as registering in her ears, and then he’d vanished from the room.
Maya cleared her throat pointedly. “Little sister,” she said, stepping forward. “Please tell me you aren’tdatingDeath.”
He could have made the call from the kitchen, but instinct told him to have this conversation alone. Or maybe it was paranoia.
Cassian answered after the first ring. “Have you figured it out?”
Fenn felt his frown deepen. “We need to talk about Florence.”
Cassian was quiet long enough for Fenn to register the sounds of something like engine noise in the background. “Florence Dossit? The immortal healer who’s obsessed with you?”
“Yes.”
Cassian let out a huff. “She’s not part of the natural balance. If you’ve finally killed her, I doubt it will upset anything critical, at least for long.”
Fenn flexed his jaw for a moment. “I’ll keep that in mind for the next opportunity,” he said. “In the meantime, I need you to tell me—what’s your relationship with her?”
At least thirty seconds passed before Cassian spoke again. “I beg your pardon?”
“Are you conspiring with her in some way?”
Cassian growled into the phone. “You have some nerve, boy. Accusing me—”
“What was that suggestion you spouted off at the turn of the millennium? That we should ‘flip the script’ and set the world on fire?” Fenn was well aware his words were disrespectful and argumentative. He also knew Cassian was a hard man to read. Provoking the Roman would be, if not the easiest, at least the fastest, way to get to an answer.
“You’re right,” Cassian said, his tone sharp. “I can’t stand those ancient bastards who’ve tasked us with an eternity of keeping their playground in balance. That has nothing to do with that narcissistic wench. If you can’t understand the difference, maybe you’re greener than I gave you credit for.” He disconnected before Fenn could respond.
Fenn let out a breath.
Maybe he should have called someone else. He couldn’t say he knew Cassian well enough to interpret his angry responses any better than his neutral ones, at least over the phone. But it was a mystery he needed to solve, and he couldn’t exactly be straightforward with his information. Just in case his fears were right. Just in case the man Sienna had seen with Florence in that vision was, in fact, the longest-reigning of them all.
