Both nodded grimly.
“Get everyone over the bridges sooner rather than later. We’ve been warned the barrier from last summer is broken, and I don’t know what Cernunnos will be forced to put in its place,” Tiarnán warned.
“What barrier?” Amelia asked.
Jono finished typing out a text to Gerard about what had happened and sent it off. He wasn’t sure when the other man’s flight would land, but at least he’d be warned the second he turned on his mobile. “That whole mess during summer solstice last year. Some of the wards should’ve been permanent, but shit happened.”
“I’m going to wager Estelle happened.”
“She’s carrying a bloody demon in her soul right now. Every member of her god pack is. Warn our packs about that.”
Austin stared at him. “She really fucking did what the London god pack did?”
“Yes,” Jono bit out, the sound a growl.
Austin calmly dug out his mobile and unlocked it. “I’m letting my friends back in California know. They’ll spread the word among the god packs over there on the West Coast.”
“We should warn Naomi and Alejandro in Chicago,” Sage said, pointedly holding open the door.
“Ring them after we reunite with Wade.” Jono’s gaze cut across the room to the others. “You lot keep in contact with Sage, and if you can’t get through to her, ring Emma.”
“We’ll mobilize all the packs,” Amelia promised, already typing away on her mobile.
They had hours before the six o’clock evening curfew went into effect, and that was far too long to wait to rescue Patrick. Jono followed Sage out of the flat, Tiarnán right behind them. Deirdre had been standing guard outside in the hallway the entire time, and she neatly stepped into position on Tiarnán’s right, just out of range of the cane he carried.
“Get your people as well,” Jono said, looking over his shoulder at the fae. “I want them in Manhattan.Allof them.”
“Brigid wanted you to find Cernunnos,” Tiarnán said.
Jono’s lips curled over his fangs. “We’ll worry about that bastard after we get Patrick back.”
“You need to—”
Jono spun on his feet, fingers grabbing Tiarnán’s tie and yanking him close. The smell of silver was toxic in his nose as Deirdre held a dagger up in a warning a hairsbreadth from Jono’s throat. His skin burned from the close proximity, but Jono didn’t care. He’d had worse—washealingfrom worse—and he knew they wouldn’t harm him.
“Patrick is the only hope your precious goddess has that Ethan won’t turn our world into a fucking hell,” Jono snarled. “You cast your lot in with the heavens in this war.Thisis the side you fight for.Weare who you need to support. So shut your fucking gob and call the fae to fight.”
Tiarnán lifted his hand, gently easing Deirdre’s dagger away from Jono’s throat, the fae lord’s eerie violet eyes staring right at him. “We made an alliance. We fae will keep it.”
“If you do not, my Lord of Ivy and Gold, I will know,” a calmly powerful voice said from behind Jono.
He let go of Tiarnán’s tie to face Órlaith. The Summer Lady was dressed in jeans and a short-sleeved blouse half-tucked into her dark jeans, her red-orange wavy hair tied back in a tight braid. She had no less than three blades strapped to her person, all within easy reach. The magic swirling around her made Jono’s eyes sting, or maybe it was a leftover reaction to silver.
“My lady,” Tiarnán demurred, inclining his head her way.
Jono stalked down the hall and paused for a moment in front of Órlaith, catching her gaze. “I thought you were past the veil?”
She raised her chin. “The trail ends in Manhattan, so here I am.”
“You’re in Brooklyn, love.”
Her mouth twitched. “It does not take much for me to cross the river.”
“Then pick up Gerard from the airport and meet us back at Sage’s flat. She’ll text you the address.”
“I will bring my love, and he will lead the fae to fight.”
Jono patted her on the shoulder as he walked past her, knowing she’d get the job done. Out of all the gods and immortals he’d had to deal with, Órlaith and Gerard were a decent sort. They at least cared about Patrick because he was Patrick, and not because of what he could do for them in the grand scheme of godly machinations.
