“We can’t abandon the children.”
I stepped into my boots. “Youcan’t leave the children. They need your protection. But I have to leave. We need to find out what happened to Blue.”
He gripped the flashlight tightly in his hand. “I should have picked up their scent.”
“They were stalking you with the wind in their favor and doing it at a safe distance. This isn’t about what we did wrong; it’s about who can outsmart the other. If they haven’t already found us, they will. And they’ll expect us to stay here and protect the kids as a group. Safety in numbers and all that. Maybe that’s our best move, but it’s also the one they’re probably anticipating.” I lifted my backpack and slung it over my shoulder.
“I don’t trust him,” Claude said, jerking his head toward the passageway.
“Matteo? I know. He wasn’t part of the plan, but he saved me.”
Claude rubbed his hand down his bare chest, a predatory look in his eyes. “Did it ever cross your mind that he might be a part of this? Perhaps that’s why they didn’t attack. It was a scare tactic so your friend could lure us to this cave.”
I wanted to argue, but I bit my lip and thought about it. “We didn’t just bump into each other on the path. I fell into a trap.”
He rolled his shoulders back and turned away. “Maybe we all have.”
Chapter 22
After Niko memorized the layout of Cyrus’s home, he did his best to keep the tyrant occupied. The more focus Niko drew to himself, the better. Cyrus’s obsession wasn’t limited to the book but also the power he held over people. His strength was his weakness, and Niko had taken advantage of that Achilles’ heel by offering himself to Cyrus. It was the only way to ensure Gem was protected if he couldn’t negotiate her release.
After Niko finished heating a kettle of tea, he navigated across the spacious room until he reached the wooden couch on the opposite side. Cyrus had a distinct light that Niko categorized as a bumpy red. Having been blind all his life, Niko didn’t have a true frame of reference outside of his own imagination to describe the colors his gift allowed him to see. His sensei had taught him a great deal about his special gift of sight, and Cyrus didn’t need to know those things.
Niko set the tray on a raised section designed for holding food and beverages.
“Sit,” Cyrus invited him.
Niko reached for a nearby chair before taking a seat.
“On the floor, Nikodemos. You know your place by now.”
Niko suppressed his irritation and sat cross-legged on the floor. “Where is everyone?”
Cyrus’s clothes rustled as he shifted in his seat. “Lykos and Arcadius are guarding, so don’t get any ideas.”
“And Kallisto? I regret not meeting him. Has something happened?”
Tea poured into a cup. “That is for me to know. It is a shame you broke my loyalty all those years ago.” After a noisy slurp, Cyrus’s cup clicked on the surface of the tray. “Plato has shown exceptional loyalty, even in death. He’s kept a close eye on your collection of misfits. He followed that woman with the blue eye and her Vampire friend when they were transporting weapons. He mentally encouraged a Mage to stop the traffic lights. Would you believe he went into a nearby vehicle and convinced a man to follow them? He has that gift, you know. Something about being dead allows ghosts to slip into people’s heads and give them gut feelings about something.”
“To what purpose?” Niko asked.
“To sabotage. To collect information. To do everything in his power to unravel the rug from beneath your feet. He listened in on private conversations your leader held regarding those precious children you’re protecting. He followed your friends as they picked up supplies and patiently waited until he had enough information on where they were going and what they were transporting. Potentials… I always thought they were a myth. Only the ancients believe, but even I am skeptical as I’ve never seen one myself.”
“What could you possibly want with innocent children?”
“Innocent?” Cyrus belted out a laugh. “Innocence is an illusion. Worry not, brother. I have no use for them, but I happen to know all about your friend’s financial entanglement with the loan shark. You murdered two of his brothers and turned in a third. That’s exactly the kind of thing that incites a man to revenge, and I love a man with motives. I passed along the information about your trip to see if he was interested.”
“So they could kill me? You’re a coward.”
Cyrus laughed. “Kill you? The gods have kept you alive for over a thousand years. If they wanted you dead, it wouldn’t be at the hands of lions. But perhaps those bloodthirsty Shifters might weaken your team. Or even better, ruin your reputation with the higher authority.” Cyrus took another sip of his tea. “Regardless of General’s plans, I knew your leader wouldn’t take along the child you live with. Someone would have to remain behind, and usually those are the weakest links in the chain.”
“Why target Keystone when it’s me you want? You’re pathetic to involve a child.”
Cyrus sipped more tea and set down his cup. “I will always have a hand in Keystone affairs as long as you’re with them, but it seems that you’re with me now. I hope this isn’t a ruse. I cased the Keystone property not long ago. It’s not difficult to climb to the roof when you have the right equipment. Remember when we scaled the royal walls? Oh, wait. You weren’t there.”
Clearly Cyrus was still bitter over Niko leaving him. Perhaps most of that hostility lay with the betrayal more than Niko taking the book. Cyrus craved fealty, and he loved putting someone in their place. But Niko’s focus was currently elsewhere—Cyrus had just admitted to disclosing private information about their latest mission to one of Keystone’s enemies. Viktor and the team were in danger, and there was nothing Niko could do about it.
Nothing.
