The Mitchell representative—both he and the Rivera representative were staying with us—frowned at Nan, dressed in her slayer gear, then glanced at Pop-pop and Granny, who were both testing a few of their daggers for sharpness. He slowly hooked his mask into his hood. “I’m still not sure it’s best to include slayers past…a certain age.”
I glanced at the Mitchell slayer and wondered if he had a death wish, then reread my text to Sarge to make sure it was understandable.
Dad raised his bushy eyebrows. “Sure. Go tell them that to their faces.”
Paddy loaded his rifle—making sure to keep it pointed at the ground as was proper firearm handling.
The Mitchell rep audibly gulped. “On the other hand, perhaps the additional years of experience and wisdom will be a benefit to all.”
Uncle Tim patted the Mitchell slayer on the back. “Good choice,” he said.
I sent my text to Sarge, then put my phone away so I could address my team, undistracted. I had to do this right—Considinehadto pull through this. “Ready to move into position?” I asked.
All the Carter and O’Neil slayers had chosen to forgo their slayer masks in solidarity with me, so the Mitchell slayer and the Rivera slayer were the only ones on our team with shielded faces.
Dad saluted me, his expression stoic. “Yes Ma’am.”
A pained noise leaked out of me—which made Jasper and Peri laugh like hyenas—and it occurred to me Dad might have done it on purpose to lighten my mood.
Alex fist bumped me, then smacked our brothers upside the back of their heads before he headed down the alleyway.
The rest of the team fell in line, creeping the two blocks to the factory.
I glanced up at Orrin, who’d been silent for this entire nerve-wrenching experience. “Are you okay?” I whispered to him.
“Yes?” Orrin said, confusion coloring the word.
“You don’t have to go in.”
“I don’t,” Orrin agreed, his voice a low murmur. “But I’m here for you—and to represent the task force who definitely wish they were here for your sake as well as Considine’s.”
Touched, I bobbed my head and was unable to muster up anything to say.
“Also,” Orrin continued. “I choose to be present because I would do well to ingratiate myself with Considine, given that he is my best option for housing. Thus, I will be staying close during the altercation.” He pursed his lips, then added, “But not tooclose, because I agree with the Ackermann slayer’s concern for the stake’s general safety from Considine Maledictus.”
I wanted to smile, but my worry for Considine made my lower lip tremble.
“He’s going to be okay,” Orrin said.
He’s a fae, so he can’t lie…which means he must believe that.
“Why do you think that?” I asked, desperate for hope.
Orrin shrugged. “Because he’s about to be reunited with you, and there’s nothing more important to him than you.”
Considine had said as much to me a dozen times since he announced my inevitable seduction, and he’d done nothing to earn my doubt.
But he’d spent days buried underground.
Considine was unbelievably strong, but with that kind of situation, his physical prowess and abilities didn’t matter as much, and if he emerged ravenous, it would be my fault.
Not that I’d put him there, but I should have found him faster. Somehow. I should have done even more.
And most of all, I should have told him I was in love with him!
We reached the shipping entrance of the factory, and I made myself push all my worries away.
It was time for battle.
