“Not in the way you think. Challenges are quite common. Though you have to have cause and meet a few criteria. The bigger issue is Thomas’s desire to rule. Or lack thereof. He’snever desired a seat on the council. He’s more than content ruling over his small kingdom.”
“That hardly sounds like the Thomas I know.”
He was as controlling as the ancient beside me. He could never be satisfied as long as others had the authority to impose their will on his domain.
“Sometimes it’s easier to see the truth when standing on the outside looking in,” Ahrun shared with a crooked smile that invited me to smile with him. “Thomas was always going to come to this point. He almost did already. The moment the council tried to infringe on what he considered his territory this exact situation became inevitable. He was just a little slow arriving at the appropriate conclusion.”
I wondered if Thomas would agree with Ahrun’s assessment.
“He’s not the only one who is a bit hard headed.”
I looked up to find Ahrun’s enigmatic gaze on me. “I’m not sure what you mean.”
“You should have remained in Noctessa as Brin instructed.”
My guard slammed up. “What do you know about that?”
“More than you.” Ahrun shook his head with a sigh. “Brin is right. You’re being reckless. Then again, your line always has to learn things the hard way.”
I gave him an impressed look. “And here I was thinking you’d try to talk me into returning to Noctessa.”
There was little emotion in Ahrun’s eyes as he studied me. “Not this time. I’ll let fate decide. As you said, your choices are your own.”
It couldn’t be that easy.
Maybe that was why I didn’t bother to hide my distrust as Ahrun nodded at me and glided toward the open doors of the penthouse suite. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop. For him to say ‘psyche’ and try to force my hand.
“Oh Aileen—there’s one thing you may have overlooked.” Ahrun paused on the threshold to look over his shoulder at me. “Your companion. She was in the mansion when Vitus’s people attacked. Liam’s enforcers tell me she didn’t make it out. They’re uncertain whether she lives or not.”
My fingernails cracked and split from how hard I dug them into the railing.
“Why are you telling me this?” I asked in a carefully controlled voice.
“Fate. I don’t want you to miss it.”
Ahrun offered me one last insincere smile before disappearing into the suite and leaving me standing alone on the balcony.
“Breathe, Aileen. Just breathe,” I whispered to myself.
I couldn’t.
An enraged sound burst from me. It acted like a release valve, calming the edges of the maelstrom that threatened to sweep me into madness.
It wasn’t enough.
I slammed a hand down on the rail. Hard enough for my bones to creak and the skin to split and bleed.
The pain brought clarity.
From what Ahrun had said, it didn’t sound like Deborah was dead. If Vitus had planned to dispose of her, he would have left her body where it fell. Not relocate her to a separate location. That meant she was only missing.
Dwelling on thoughts of what a vampire could do to a human in the course of one day and half a night wouldn’t help.
Neither would going off half-cocked. I needed to think. And plan.
twenty-two
“Are you sulking orbrooding?” Caroline asked an hour later.
