Nox grunted. “I would expect nothing less. Let’s get on with it.”
Crowley’s gaze skimmed over the newcomers. “You all look like someone’s died.”
Raphael sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “We can’t confirm that someone hasn’t died. I’d rather expect the worst and then be pleasantly surprised.”
“Damn,” Katy huffed. “You’re just a ball of cheerfulness.”
“My apologies, Katy,” Raphael said respectfully. “But it’s been a hell of a week.”
Katy waved him off. “Believe me, I understand.”
Nico cleared his throat and then motioned to Akira and Miryam. “Callon and Lola have already met these two ladies, but the rest of you have not. This is Akira and Miryam.” He paused and glanced at Lola before continuing. “Akira is my mate. Miryam is Raphael’s. They’re under our protection.”
Several pairs of eyes widened—Callon’s included.
Wyatt frowned. “How the hell does a demon get a mate before me? No offense, Raphael.”
“Offense taken,” Miryam said, her eyes flashing with anger.
“It’s fine Miryam,” Raphael said, his voice soft as he looked at her.
Callon noted that, although Raphael stood close to her, he did not touch her in any way. The beast in him found this odd. Callon, man and beast, wanted to be touching his mate constantly. Maybe it was different for demons?
Nico’s jaw tightened. “No offense, Wyatt, but your mate status is the least of our concerns.” The usual, easy going demeanor that Callon had witnessed in Nico over the years wasabsent. Instead, in front of them stood a shaman that looked as if the worries of the world were on his shoulders.
Lola spoke up, her voice like velvet over steel. “Let’s focus. Where’s Maddie?”
Nico smiled at her. “Thank you, that’s exactly what we need to talk about.” His voice was crisp and precise as he laid out the evidence—ledger pages, encrypted messages, names and dates and amounts that made the air grow colder with every revelation. Raphael filled in the gaps, never taking his eyes off Miryam.
Gage paced, fists clenching and unclenching. “So the Kingdom of Chaos and the Kingdom of Silk were both in bed with Azure? Didn’t people go to the Kingdom of Silk to find out this very thing, and it was determined they weren’t?”
“I trust Lyric,” Nico said, his voice tight. “When we went, she made it clear that the king and queen of KOS were not involved with Azure, and I believe her. I still do.”
“But her text says they’re guilty,” Katy pointed out.
The Kingdom of Chaos shaman shook his head. “Something is off.”
“What do you mean?” Nox asked, resting his hands on his hips, his head tilting in a very animalistic way.
“It’s a gut feeling,” Nico said. “I don’t know exactly how to explain it, but the more I read the texts and listen to her voicemail, the more something in me says this isn’t Athena and Aurelius. If Lyric really found out that the king and queen of the Kingdom of Silk had Roan and Maddie, she would have gotten them out. She wouldn’t have tried to hide out or have worried about her own safety. That’s not how a shaman acts. She knows her duty to Visata and to the Damarians.”
“I have to agree,” Raphael said, slipping his hands into his slacks. “Something isn’t right about this.”
“Then why are we just standing here?” Katy asked, practically bouncing on the balls of her feet. “Maddie is most likely in the Kingdom of Silk, so let’s go get her. And in the process, we’ll most likely find out what else is going on.”
“I agree with her,” Lola pointed at her friend and then looked at Callon, as if all of this washisdecision to make.
“I’m with the girls,” Wyatt tossed in, because of course he would. “I’m getting bored, and you know what happens when cats get bored.”
There was a pause, and then a small voice asked, “They play with their food?”
All eyes turned on Miryam, the female who supposedly belonged to Raphael, despite the fact that the demon didn’t show any affection towards her at all. In fact, in truth, he looked terrified of her—if Raphael could look terrified, that is.
“I like you,” Katy pointed at her. “Are you sure you’re Raphael’s mate?”
“I’m with Wyatt,” Drystan piped up. “We’ve been waiting to hear something and now we know. Why are we just chatting about it? Who cares if the king and queen are the ones in on it. We get Roan and Maddie out, then worry about who the actual culprits are.”
There were agreed voices all around.
