“She gave up her runes,” I inform him softly.
“Excuse me?” He lowers his wineglass to his hip.
“Ines is no longer immortal, Gael,” I add, even though I assume he’s reached this conclusion on his own.
He blinks. “Did you know, Alexander?”
“How could you ask me that, Pops. Of course, I didn’t know,” my half-brother grumbles, approaching the window. “Though Ican’t say I’m surprised Gaea finally recalled them. Our goddess has always been sensible.”
“Alexander,” I hiss, shocked by his lack of empathy. “The woman just died.”
He pivots, pushing a lock of hair behind his ear. “Why areyouup in arms? You didn’t even like the woman.”
I slash a hand in Gael’s direction. “She was only the way she was because our father cheated on her repeatedly.”
Gael scoffs. “I didn’t mean to cheat.” When he raises his wine glass to take a sip, I flick my fingers, shoving the glass so its contents splash his unrepentant face.
He blinks—first to clear his eyesight, then at me.
I shake my head. “How could you be so cold? Both of you? Also, why the fuck are you drinking when Hunters are nearby? We need clear minds and a plan,” I say, just as something thumps the ceiling. “What was that?”
“What was what?” Alexander asks.
“I think someone’s upstairs,” I murmur, my heartbeats tightening.
A gust of air suddenly slaps me in the face.
“Electra, Pops, take cover!” Alexander yelps just as the door between the kitchen and dining room flaps open.
Anoomphleaves his mouth as he drops.
Just,drops.
My heart holds still before ramming against my ribs when a man in head-to-toe black bursts into the kitchen. I lift a palm, about to bowl the intruder over with magic, when my father barrels into me.
“Get behind me, darlin’!” Instead of dragging me to safety, he sends me hurtling to the floor.
My head cracks against the tiles at the same time as a shot cracks through the kitchen, punching me square in the chest.
Chapter 55
Electra
Fire streaks up one side of my body, carrying me back to consciousness with a violence that bleaches my vision.
When my lids pull open, it’s to the copper gleam of the hammered pans dangling off the ceiling-mounted pot rack.
I blink around the empty kitchen, expecting to find Gael lying next to me and Alexander farther away, but neither body stains the floor. The Hunters must’ve taken them. What of Dorian and Malachi?
My eardrums ring like someone’s slamming cymbals beside my face. Fucking Hunters… My fingers tremble as they scrabble over my leather jacket in search of my cell. I find Reeve’s switchblade, but no phone.
Of course they’d take my only means of communication, though I am somewhat surprised they didn’t take me along with it. Maybe Reeve convinced them to leave me behind?
Getting shot at has obviously made me delusional.
A sharp inhale travels down my chest as I remember Reeve’s phone. I go to seize it and almost black out when my fingers graze my left breast.
There’s a hole in the hide, and beneath it, something sharp and wet. I pinch it, then carry my shaky fingers up to my face. A glance reveals a shard of black glass covered in blood.
