Abaddon taps his bottom lip with one finger, thinking. Then his eyes zero in on something past my shoulder.
I turn and see Layden looking down at his handheld device, absorbed as ever in whatever digital rabbit hole he’s fallen into.
“Did you have something to do with this?” Abaddon’s voice drops to that dangerous rumble.
Layden doesn’t even look up.
“Lay.” Abaddon snaps it out like a whip crack.
Layden finally looks up. “Huh?”
“Remus’s sudden ability to stay awake?”
“And our blocked memory?” I turn on my little brother, pieces clicking into place. Of course. All the new magic he’s brought with him. I should have suspected him sooner. “Did you do something?”
He just shrugs, eyes already drifting back to his device. “Are you gonna accuse me of everything that goes wrong? Did I or did I not bring you the potion that unlocked the potential within so you could finally put on a glamour and travel amongst the humans as one of them?” His voice rises, defensive. “That allowed you to take your whole family on vacation safely? And what do I get in return? Suspicion. All I’ve done since I’ve been back is nice things.”
“You mean apart from the time when you were trying to separate me from my family by sending me back to a realm apart from them forever?” Abaddon growls, taking a threatening step forward.
Layden’s eyes snap up from his device, and I see genuine fire in them. Pain. “No forgiving and forgetting from you, huh, big brother? Guess I’m not the only one who can hold a grudge. I thought that was just me getting even for you letting our father cut off my wings and stab me right in front of you.” His voice cracks slightly. “And that’s before you buried me alive. My bad if that doesn’t make the slate between us clean. You’re still gonna suspect me of every little thing.”
“Abaddon.” Hannah hisses his name, fury radiating from her small frame as she shoots him a look that could melt steel.
But Layden’s already turned and is stomping away, shoulders rigid.
I toss my hands in the air. “Great. We didn’t get any answers.”
Hannah spins on me, and I actually take a step back from the fire in her eyes. “You’re just as bad as him.” She throws a thumb at Abaddon. “Always treating Layden so suspiciously. How is he ever going to feel like this is home if you keep acting like he’s the enemy?” Her voice softens, but the reproach is still there. “You’re going to drive him away again if you aren’t careful. And he’s right. The glamours were incredibly helpful. Abaddon and Kharon were able to walk around the city just like anyone else. Even Raven.”
She looks up at her daughter flying around the ceiling with a warm, maternal gaze that makes something twist in my chest.
“She’ll have so many more opportunities if she can walk in the human world too. She can go anywhere she wants when she grows up. Be anything she wants to be.”
Abaddon’s gaze immediately softens as he watches his wife and daughter. His whole body language changes—from warrior to devoted husband and father in a heartbeat. I know he’ll give Layden anything he wants as long as it makes his family happy.
But I just narrow my eyes after my retreating brother’s back. I’d bet anything he had something to do with Remus’s sudden new abilities.
Time to get this conversation back on track.
“We’ve lost the point.” I make my voice firm, authoritative. “Remus is being Remus, and we all know how dangerous that can be. He’s taken this woman under false pretenses.”
“I don’t know about that,” Lauren pipes up, completely unbothered. “I think I knew what I was getting into. Like you said, he did fly down from the sky. I saw the tail and everything.”
I turn on her. “But you didn’t know he shared a body with me. And you didn’t know he was one of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse.”
She waves a hand breezily, like we’re discussing the weather. “You know, I was thinking about that. Really, how much pressure should I put on the guy to disclose everything in the first few days of knowing someone?” She shrugs. “I think he wanted me to get to know him for him—without all his baggage. And I really liked what I got to know. I want to get to know him better.”
I cough out a scoff.Baggage?Did she just call me baggage?
“Seems reasonable,” Hannah says, nodding approvingly. She links her arm through Lauren’s in a gesture of solidarity. “Besides, what’s the harm in her staying a little longer?”
“There’s lots of harm!” The words explode out of me, and all their heads swing my way at the outburst.
Dammit. I’m losing tactical ground because of my emotions. Something that usually only happens to my opponents. I’m always the cool, calm, and collected one.
I try to gather myself. Stand straighter. Use reason instead of volume.
“The humans will be looking for her. You said the video of Remus’s reckless actions was all over the human networks.”
