“I’ll reach out to Caron. See if he can put a few thoughts in Bennett’s ear. If he’s willing, we’ll need to move quickly to figure out a plan,” Hawthorne replies to Jamison’s unspoken question.
He picks up the phone and shoots off a text.
Jamison pivots to Gatlin. “A word.”
Gatlin gives a lazy shrug and pushes away from the wall. It’s obvious the flight did him some good too. His usual scowl is gone, along with the tension he’s been carrying since Hera froze him in place. They’re not even two feet out the door before I hear raised voices.
I look at Hawthorne. “Is everything okay?”
“You looked incredibly tiny on the back of Gatlin’s gryphon,” he says gruffly, a note of irritation in his voice. “It might have freaked us out a bit.”
I frown. “It wasn’t my first time. When we were escaping his house in London, he had to fly us out of there, and believe me, we were alothigher that day than we were today.”
He rubs a hand down his face. “We weren’t there to see it. Today we were.”
My first thought is to storm outside and confront Jamison, but Gatlin can handle himself. Besides, I might say something really pissy if I do, and I’m feeling pretty good right now.
Rolling my eyes, I stand and move toward the door. “I’m going to grab a shower. By myself. If that’s okay with everyone in this house.”
He groans. “That’s mean.”
Ever since Italy, Hawthorne’s been obsessed with sharing my shower. “I know. See you at dinner.”
Here, I thought Gatlin would be the Neanderthal, not Jamison. I smile. It’s archaic, but honestly, I don’t care. It’s nice to have someone worrying about me. Still doesn’t mean I’m willing to share my shower.
When I walkinto the dining room an hour later, a map is strewn across the table. “I guess this means we’re not having dinner?”
Gatlin reaches over to the sideboard, grabs a plate with a sandwich on it and hands it to me, then returns to studying the map. “Mathias said the opening ceremony will be held here, but they aren’t allowing portals close to the building for security reasons. That leaves too many locations for us to track.”
“What’s going on? Did you hear back from Caron?” I ask, taking a bite of the sandwich.Mm, chicken pesto.I look up to see Gatlin eyeing me, and I wink to let him know it’s delicious.
“Caron and Bennett are already planning to attend the opening ceremony, so we’re trying to figure out a plan,” Jamison replies with a heavy sigh. “But it’s a logistical nightmare. We can’t pinpoint a specific location where we can be sure Bennett will be.”
Vanescue, the walled vampire city, is full of streets and alleys and plenty of places to hide. Not to mention a massive population of vampires. Definitely a problem. I listen to the three of them throwing out ideas and discarding them just as fast. There’s really only one option. Bennett wants the panels and, apparently, me. What if we give him one of the two? The last time I tried to suggest it, Jamison shot it down, but maybe the vampires will unintentionally provide us with a safety net. It’s not as if Bennett can bring a war party to a city controlled by vampires.
“We can use Mercer. All we have to do is tell her my location,” I state quietly, as if I’m not dropping a bomb into the conversation.
The three of them immediately stop talking to stare at me for a split second before all three loudly protest.
With a sigh, I put down my sandwich and let out an ear-splitting whistle. They all blink in disbelief, but they do stop. “Just hear me out. Mercer and Caron are in a relationship, right? She knows Caron has the true panel and the vampires have a copy. Don’t you think they’re panicking just as much as we are? The last thing they want is for Bennett to realize he’s been double-crossed by his closest confidants. And once he begins discussions with the vampires again, it’s only a matter of time.”
Jamison slowly straightens, and I can see his mind starting to work the angles. “Caron knows Bennett will kill to get what hewants. I can’t see him putting Mercer in danger.” He looks at me pointedly, as if he feels the same way.
“He won’t be. Not if we make it seem like she’s receiving the intel right before they leave,” I say, although I have no idea how to pull that off. Gatlin nods, though, and I realize I don’t have to be the one figuring out all the details. I’m not alone anymore. It’s…freeing.
Hawthorne folds his arms across his chest. “From what we’ve heard, Bennett is a paranoid bastard. Why would he fall for it?”
“Because he knows time is running out,” I say, knowing it’s the truth. “He was the first to start looking for the panels, but even with his human army, he has none. Zero. It’s driving him crazy.”
I hold up a finger. “Plus, he knows I have several and the key. If I act like I’m looking to make a deal with the vampires to get one or two more, he’ll act. It’s his only chance to get on the board.”
“We could disguise Mathias and set up a meeting between her and him,” Gatlin says slowly as he starts to work out a plan. He looks down at the map. “We can pick the location, secure it, and set the trap.”
“What if Bennett sends someone else, like Caron or another lackey?” Hawthorne asks with a frown.
I look at Jamison and see the final piece fall into place.
“He won’t if he knows I’ll be there protecting Phaedra. With my father in hiding, this is his chance to go up against the half-brother he’s heard about all his life. The one who’s gotten everything he always wanted.”
