He stabs the End Call button.
“Family event?” Seb mumbles. “What kind of family event has Cifarelli incommunicado for over a week?”
Remus holds up his phone and snorts. “Page Sixsays Roman Cifarelli purchased a custom diamond engagement ring at Harry Winston’s recently, and rumor has it he’s marryingNew York Timesbest-selling author Fiona Morrow.”
Seb snaps his fingers. “Doesn’t she write those thrillers about a woman who breaks free of a deadly secret society and makes it her life’s mission to take every one of them down? The Alex Rogue thrillers?”
“Yeah, that’s her.”
“Ironic. You think she knows she’s marrying into the very threat her main character vows to bring to justice?”
I brush off his question. “Any rumors onPage Sixabout where they’re tying the knot?”
Remus taps his screen a few times. “No, but that kidfrom Florida who tracks celebrity jets says Roman traveled to the Marseille province in the south of France two days ago.”
“No shit. Seems suspicious that the Cifarellis are in France at the same time a dormant dragon is murdered in Paris.”
“Coincidental.” Ellison scoffs. “Marseille is at least an eleven-hour drive from Paris.”
I whip out my phone and do my own calculations. “An hour-and-a-half flight. He’s a fucking billionaire. It would be nothing for him to rent a plane or chopper.”
“You can’t be suggesting that a member of the family did this? If the grandmaster or his son wanted to dissolve the accord, there would be quicker ways to do it than slaying a civilian in public. And why? This accord has worked for them as much as it’s worked for us.”
“Worked for us? After what they did to my nephew and his mate Reagan?” My voice is raised, something I promised myself I wouldn’t do. But after watching the Order hunt Reagan down like an animal and shoot her in the back not even twenty-four hours after forcing her to shift, I know the kind of evil the society is capable of. “I’m saying a member of the familycouldhave done this. Might even be using the wedding as an alibi.”
“Why? There’s no motive.” Ellison glares at me like I’m on the witness stand. “For that matter, if it was them, why openly use the Order’s motto? It would be far easier to believe this murder was committed by someone whowantedus to believe it was them.”
“A third party?” Seb scratches the back of his neck. “Someone not on our radar?”
Ellison shrugs. “It’s possible.”
Searching for a mysterious third party sounds like a great way to waste time. Good thing I’m in charge. “There’s one way to know for sure. One of us should go to this wedding and confront Stefan.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa…” Seb holds up a hand. “Calm your fire sign, Aries. That’s a good way to end up in a cage. You set foot on Order property, and they have every right to capture you.”
I fold my arms. “If they have the wedding in a church, he’s fair game.”
Seb’s mouth forms a firm line. He wants to support me, but I can tell this idea is pushing his boundaries. “For all you know, they could be having the event at the estate of a friend.”
“The Château de la Rosalie.” Remus grunts, holding up his phone again. “Or so it’s rumored.”
“Is that an Order property, Ellison?”
Ellison pulls out his laptop and storms the keyboard, mumbling under his breath, “This is such a bad idea.” His fingers stop their mad dance, and he shoots me a sideways glance that sayshere it is in black and white. You’re an idiot.“Yes, it’s registered. It’s Order property.”
“I want a map of the boundaries. I only need to get close enough to get inside Stefan’s head.” All dragons have psychic abilities, one of which is the ability to slip into an unguarded mind and read a person’s thoughts. Easy enough if they’re asleep or distracted. Two minutes in Stefan’s dreams and I’ll know what he knows about the attack.
A chorus of negativity rings out around me.
“You can’t be serious!” Ellison bellows.
Even Seb is shaking his head. “It’s too risky. At least clear this with the Oracle first.”
Remus, though, studies me as if he’s working something out in his head. “I actually think it’s a good idea.”
Every eye locks on the brother in surprise.
He strokes the two-day stubble on his chin. “Wedding days are pure chaos. They’ll be bringing in flowers, food, tables, servers. The family is going to be distracted with a million details, and they’ll all be together. With the right balance of stealth and timing, Connor’s right, he could slide into Stefan’s thoughts and get the truth before anyone knows he’s there. And the time to do it is the exact moment we know that every Order member will have their eyes on one spot and one spot only.”
