“Fine, tell me where it is. I’ll go get it.”
Reynner shook his head. “Searching for the artifact isn’t that simple.”
Artifact? Wait, that meant it was probably priceless and well protected.Oh, no, this can't be good.“For the love of God, tell me I don’t have to break into someone’s home, or worse a…a museum?”
At the heightened silence, her belly rebelled. Of course. Why would it be that easy?
She swung around and stared at the mountains, and just as fast she spun back. “Where am I? Yes, I know you said Exilum. Wait”—she gulped—“are we even on Earth?”
“No,” Reynner answered. “You’re just beyond the veils of the mortal realm, accessible only through a portal.”
The air rushed out of her lungs. “You-you took me away from my world without even telling me?”
“Right, almost unconscious, and in an alley crawling with demoniis is the perfect place for explanations.”
She scowled. “Don’t you dare throw your sarcasm at me. You could have just asked.”
“Iasked—” A tic worked his jaw. He looked more than pissed. “Youagreed.”
Aerén stepped between them. “Eve, I promise, it will be okay. I’ll be your protector during the quest if needs be.”
“She’s min—my responsibly,” Reynner’s voice turned cold. Deadly. No hint of the heated fury she’d witness moments ago. “Stay the hell out of this, Aerén.”
“You're upsetting her,” he retorted. “I won't have that.” Aerén turned back to her. “Eve—”
“I'm all right.” Her frustration seeped out, leaving her drained and weary.
When Reynner had asked her in the alley, she had no idea what he truly meant. She realized then even if she had known the facts, she still would have come. He’d been hurt andthatshe couldn’t stomach.
God, what a mess! Rubbing a shaky hand over her face, she turned away, and much to her misfortune met Lucan’s cool, watchful gaze.
“How you came to be here is irrelevant,” he said. “What matters are the scroll and the Stone. Since the artifacts have a symbiotic link, to locate the latter, you must first retrieve the former.”
Eve blinked. “Scroll?” Her gaze rushed right back to Reynner. “What is he talking about? What scroll?”
“You did not tell her?” Lucan demanded.
Reynner ignored him. “We know where the damn thing is—”
“Then why didn't you tell me?” she countered.
“Where was the time, Eve?” A growl. “We were attacked by demoniis. I was knocked out, healing. You fell off the balcony—you nearly died!”
When he put it like that. “Fine. Where is this scroll?”
Aerén glanced at Reynner, as did Lucan. No one spoke.
Ack, men! “Please, don’t all answer at once.”
Reynner pushed his hands into his pockets, probably to stop himself from wringing her neck. She folded her arms across her chest, held his stare, and waited.
“The Museum of Natural History,” he finally said.
Her mouth dropped open. “Are you crazy? How am I supposed to steal the scroll from the most popular museum in New York, with a crapload of security, and come out of this without being thrown behind bars for the rest of my mortal life?”
“Stop being so melodramatic. You won’t get caught,” Reynner muttered. “I’ll be with you. Now, we’re leaving.” He snatched his jacket and stalked from the room.
Eve glowered at the empty doorway. The man was maddening, impossible and…and still he drew her like a helpless moth.
