“Oh, gods.”Jedda closed the distance between them and laida comforting hand on his forearm.“Are you serious?They’ll kill you?”
“I don’t know,” he said grimly.“I don’t even know if I’lltell them.”
“What do you mean?”There wasadesperationin her voice that called to every one of his possessiveinstincts, demanding that heassuageher fears, but hecouldn’t.
All he could do was reach out and cup her cheek, telling herwith a touch that, while this situation was a shit sandwich, at least they wereeating it together.
And wasn’tthatall kinds of romantic?Cupid, hewas not.
But then, Cupid was a mischievous prick who got off onmaking inappropriate love matches, so maybe it was best that Razr was nothinglike the misunderstood angel.
“I mean that I can lie indefinitely about searching for thegems,” he replied.“No one has to know about you and your sister.”Azagothand Hades knew the truth about Jedda, but theywouldn’t squeal.And Jim Bob knew that the Ice Diamond was in storage with thedhampires, but seeing how he wasn’t exactly being upfrontabout who he was or what he was doing visitingAzagothin secret, Razr doubted he was much of a threat.
“Soyou’d just live the way you’vebeen living?With your wings bound and subjected to torture for the rest ofyour life?That’s bullshit.Isn’t there another way?”
He shrugged, unable to come up with any other way that madesense.“I could come clean, but that would put you at risk.Even if they don’texecute me, they could take my ring and give it to another who will hunt youand your sister down.”Damn, he was screwed.“No, I think it’s best to nevertell them.As far as I’m concerned, the gems are lost and will never be found.”
She opened her mouth, but before she could speak, the phonerang.“Hold on,” she said in a stern voice that reminded him of one of his oldbattle coaches.“We’re not done talking about this.”
While she answered the phone, he considered their next move.They had to get Shrike out of the picture, both for Jedda’s safety and to makesure the fallen angel’s interest in the Gems of Enoch came to a permanent and,withany luck, a painful end.
Maybe if they––
From out of nowhere, pain wrecked him.He doubled over insudden agony sointensehe looked for blood and aspear wound to the gut.Clenching his teeth, he checked the back of his hand.HisAzdaiglyph was lit up like aneon fucking sign as days’ worth of pain-free time caught up with him.
“Razr?”
He heard Jedda drop the phone, and then she was there besidehim, her arm around his waist as she helped steady him against the back of thecouch.
“Need...to get...toAzagoth,” hegritted out.“Hurry.”
The nearest Harrowgate was close, barely a block away, butit was going to feel like miles.
Jedda guided him to the door, effortlessly bearing hisconsiderable weight on her diminutive frame as he leaned on her through spasmsof pain.Even through the searing agony, he had to admire her strength anddetermination.He’d always been attracted to athletic, fighter-type femaleslike Darlah, but Jedda proved that one didn’t have to be big and brawny to be awarrior.
Keeping him braced against her side, one arm wrapped aroundhim, she reached for the door with her other hand and tugged on the knob.
“Um.”She tugged again, this time more forcefully, but itwouldn’t open.
“Is it...locked?”He felt like a jackass for asking, butsometimes the obvious got missed.
Fortunately, she didn’t take offense, simply shook her head.“It doesn’t feel stuck, either.More like––” She broke off with a curse.“Stayhere.”
As if he could do anything else.His bones felt like theywere melting and taking his muscles with them.As she gently pulled away, hesagged against the wall.
She hurried to the window and let out a string of angrywords in what he assumed was Elvish.He also assumed they were creativeobscenities.
“We’re trapped,” she said, still glaring out the window.
A groan rattled his chest.“By what?”
“Shrike’s minions.”She flipped the birdatsaid minions.“At least a dozen.They must have been watching for my return.Ithink they’ve trapped us with wards.”
Every breath scorched his throat, as if he was breathingwhips of fire.“Can you...get us to...ah, Rivendell?”
“It’sFilneshara.”Diamond dustfilled the air, shredding his already compromised lungs, and he knew they werein real trouble.“The travel stones to my realm only work fromfaeways.”
Her voice was pitched with alarm, and he couldn’t blame her,but now wasn’t the time to panic.As he told hisMemitimstudents, stay active.No matter how much shit you’re in, do something,anything, to stay focused.
