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“Good.” Saint waited a beat, then asked, “Who is Zaine?”
“An obnoxious dick, but also one of the few in the Brotherhood who isn’t afraid to question Mikalis.”
“Sounds promising. When we have him, then what?”
“We make him listen.”
“Is he likely to?”
“No, but it’s all we’ve got.” Octavius explained that in all likelihood the Brotherhood was searching for him alongside Mikalis. Storm could pilot a chopper, which meant Storm and at least one more would be tracking them. Storm was Mikalis’s right-hand man and immovable when it came to his devotion to the Brotherhood leader. He couldn’t be kidnapped and made to listen. That left Zaine or Kazimir as possible ways in. Kazimir could potentially be convinced, especially as he’d already interacted with Saint over the years, but Octavius’s instincts were telling him Zaine was the more pliable target. As the youngest, he could still see outside Mikalis’s orbit.
“How do we lure Zaine in without Mikalis finding us?” Saint asked.
“You lead Mikalis away, since he’ll track you over me.”
“Great.” He grinned without humor. “Was nice knowing you, Octavius. Beneath all that—” He waved a hand at Octavius’s face. “—you might actually be tolerable.”
“Just lure him away, don’t fight him.”
“Uh huh.” Saint smirked. ‘To borrow Jay’s wildlife analogy, you’re asking a seal to lure a great white shark out to sea, but sure, I won’t fight him.”
Octavius’s heart gave an unexpected hiccup at the thought of Saint dying by Mikalis’s hand. He was nyk, heshoulddie. Yet… things weren’t as black and white as they’d been yesterday. And if he died, Jayden would be distraught, probably suicidal, which meant Octavius would have to step in. He rubbed an approaching ache from his forehead. “Just don’t die.”
Saint touched his chest. “Is that a tiny semblance of caring for me?”
“No, I just don’t want the headache afterward.”
They fell into a soft, comfortable silence. “Jay stays here,” Saint said.
“Agreed.” Even if Jayden had technically saved them both from Mikalis the last time. Now that Mikalis was aware of him, Jayden was an obvious weakness.
Also, Octavius needed to know the feeder was safe. He wouldn’t be able to think straight if he feared for Jayden’s life.
“Where do we set the trap?” Saint asked.
Octavius nodded toward the town. “Down there.”
CHAPTER16
Saint
They stoodabout in a hardware store parking lot like sitting ducks. The store stayed open until midnight, for some inexplicable reason. It wasn’t because of demand. The lot was empty, besides their own stolen truck.
Octavius simmered with anticipation, coiled tight as a spring. He had been sitting on the truck’s hood, then he’d switched to leaning against the fender, then he’d paced, and now he was back on the hood. All the while, Saint waited in the driver’s seat, facing the open door.
Beneath the sparse parking lot lighting, Octavius’s hair gleamed like snow. He stared away, so Saint could admire his back and the slim line of his shoulders. To pass the time while they waited for the Brotherhood, he tried to guess Octavius’s origins. The name Octavius was Greek, but he didn’t look Greek—too pale, too slim. Mikalis was Greek, ancient Greek, and looked it. Octavius was… unique and was wholly surprising.
He’d heard Raiden’s side of his and Octavius’s last conversation, accusing Octavius of being shortsighted, self-centered, and more. And Saint had assumed the same of him. He was self-centered, but only to protect himself.
Saint would have liked to have known him. Under all that spiky exterior, there might be someone worth knowing.
He’d figured all those in the Brotherhood were lost causes, since they all followed Mikalis like blind newborn puppies. Not so with Octavius, although he was clearly still wrestling with what it all meant. And thisZainesounded promising. Perhaps they weren’t all mindless acolytes.
Octavius hopped down off the hood and began to circle the truck, kicking at stones. He buried his hands in his pockets, making himself smaller.
“Look after Jay,” Saint said, catching Octavius passing by while on a lap around the truck.
“What?”
