“Why do they need the ship?” Archie asked.
“The Creators didn’t trust anyone—even each other. They were incredibly secretive over their final resting spots since they knew it would mean death if any of their enemies ever found them,” Tate explained. “If Jaxon Kuno couldn’t track them down, I doubt Nathan could either. His only choice is to use the ship, which is equipped with a tracking feature. Right now, all the rock surrounding it blocks the signal, but that would change once it’s above the surface.”
“This can’t be,” George said.
Tate’s face remained neutral as she fiddled with Jax’s cube, debating whether she should bring it out or not. Its existence had succeeded in suppressing Grandmaster Keel’s doubts. She knew it would do the same with these people.
Tate came to a decision after several moments of thought, stashing the cube in her jacket pocket.
As she did so, she met William’s gaze unexpectedly. His attention lingered on the place where she’d hid the cube before he looked away with his customary disinterest.
Hmm.
There was nothing suspicious in his behavior. Nothing that should have drawn alarm. It was the sort of observant action she’d expect from a man in his line of work.
Yet, something in that moment’s interaction set Tate’s instincts tingling, the same ones that had saved her life on more than one occasion. There had been calculation in his gaze. A cunning that didn’t fit the image of the Lord Provost she knew.
Tate narrowed her eyes, glancing from the Lord Provost to Ryu to see if he’d noticed.
Ryu was listening intently to the discussion between Thora and Archie. Could it have been her imagination?
Tate frowned and hesitated.
She nudged Night with her foot, waiting until he looked up at her before touching the spot where the cube lay and then sending a significant look at Dewdrop.
The Veles’s ears swiveled, his only reaction.
Tate hoped it was enough for him to figure out what she wanted. Dewdrop made an aborted movement beside her, careful not to look at her.
That was a good sign.
Tate might have been acting unnecessarily paranoid, but the person they were up against had already gotten the advantage on them once. It was possible Jax’s cube wouldn’t make that big a difference if someone else got their hands on it, but she didn’t want to take the chance she was wrong.
“The Rift is the answer,” Thora said. “If we can protect it, Nathan won’t have the power he needs to raise the ship. We can leave the matter of the minor goddess until later.”
“Agreed,” Ryu said.
Thaddeus beckoned toward the Lord Provost. “William, have some of your men and the imperial guards strengthen the protection around the Rift.”
An explosion shook the palace, drowning out the Lord Provost’s voice. Ilith shrieked in pain, accompanying roars coming from Ryu and the other dragon-ridden in the room.
Tyne lifted one hand to press it against his head, shaking off the effects almost instantly.
Dewdrop steadied Tate, using his body to shield what he was doing from the rest as one hand slipped inside her jacket to filch the cube. He winked at her before stuffing it into one of his pockets.
Rascal, Tate thought with some relief. It looked like Night understood her message and passed it to Dewdrop.
“I’m okay,” Tate told Dewdrop, forcing herself to straighten despite the way her insides felt raw and exposed.
“Ahnteela said to be wary of the adult minor goddess. There is a way to override her control, but it is only temporary,” Dewdrop said in an undertone.
Tate nodded to show she understood. It wasn’t much but it was something.
Dewdrop’s hand landed on Tate’s arm when she would have turned away. “There’s something more.”
Tate forced herself to wait as Dewdrop hesitated.
“She said if you’re asking questions about the minor goddess, you’re ready to reclaim the thing you left with her.”
