“It would be better if I didn’t lose control,” she said.
I checked the text and found a picture of Oanen and Fenris tied back-to-back in a boat. Oanen looked like he’d had his ass handed to him several times. His lip was bloody. His nose was probably broken. And he had several cuts that I could see through his torn shirt. Fenris didn’t look much better. He radiated an anger I’d never witnessed in the playful wolf as he glared at whoever was taking the picture. He was just as banged up, but it looked like it was healing faster.
The text with the message said, “The Oracle thanks you for her snack.”
I looked up at Eliana.
“Fenris and Oanen are at Lake Uttira. They’re tied in a boat, and based on the ripples in the water and the text message, I think the mermaids are planning on taking them to the Oracle.”
Eliana’s eyes flickered black as she looked at Megan.
“Adira would never allow the Oracle to eat Oanen. He’s family.”
Megan’s gaze flicked to me.
“I didn’t think she would allow Oanen to be beaten either, but she did.”
“You should go,” I said. “Before they get too far out into the lake.”
“That’s what they want,” Megan said angrily. But I knew the emotion wasn’t directed at me. “They want us to go running around like we’re chasing our own tails so they can get to you. Not going to happen.”
My Council issued phone buzzed.
Adira: Are you really going to allow your friends to die for you? Save my nephew. Please.
I turned the phone to show the others. Megan swore up a blue streak for two seconds then went oddly quiet.
“I hate when you do this,” she said, sitting calmly.
Eliana smiled slightly. “No, you don’t. Or you wouldn’t have sat next to me. We need to keep a level head about this. We’re not without options. You can hellgate to the island and warn the Oracle not to harm the guys.”
Megan shook her head. “I don’t need to. She’s smart. She knows what would happen to her if she ate my mate. I will burn everything she holds dear.”
“Then their threat is empty,” Eliana said.
Megan considered that for a moment. “So how do we turn this to our advantage? They can’t see inside this house, right? How will they know when we show up at the beach?”
“I’m betting they bribed the mermaids again,” Megan said, answering herself. “They’d do anything to stop the Oracle from killing their kind forever, even risk my wrath.”
It was weird to see her sit there, talking about it all so calmly.
“So then we show up there, and what? The mermaids call Adira, which would give Adira and Thanatos the all-clear to try to get in here?” Eliana asked.
“That’s my guess,” Megan said.
“Then let’s do the opposite,” I said. “Let’salltake my car to the beach. Then Thanatos and Adira won’t be showing up where you aren’t.”
Megan was already shaking her head before I finished.
“I agree with Megan. I think that’s a bad idea,” Eliana said. “It feels like that would be playing right into their hands.”
“So does doing the same thing and expecting different results,” I said. “Each time, we wait for them to attack, then Megan always tries to catch them. Nothing good happens.”
“What do you propose, then?” Megan asked. “If we take you to the lake, you’ll be out in the open.”
“Out in the open doesn’t have to mean defenseless.” I looked at Zotera. “Can you put me in a bubble?”
Her gaze bounced between Megan and me. “Yes, but they don’t last long.”
