“Brutes,” Considine muttered. “Anything else?” he asked Vale.
“They might have the oracle drugged, but that’s not too likely given that they’ve been selling prophecies. Expect that the oracle will fear you, regardless. This experience will have likely traumatized them.” Vale glanced at the House and shook his head. “I’m sorry—I’ve never experienced an instance of wizards successfully kidnapping an oracle, so I don’t know how it will play out given that the House will hugely impact everything.”
“Thank you,” I said.
Vale nodded. “Of course. Good luck.”
“Everything just keeps getting worse and worse with this case.” Sarge barged past Considine and me, storming down the sidewalk. “Task force, prepare to support Blood and Considine as they go in.”
I shook my head at the nickname—despite knowing how much my teammates valued me, the moniker still hurt a little.
Doing my best to push the thought from my mind, I checked my handgun as Considine and I approached the property entrance, marked by pavers that led from the public sidewalk up to the House’s front porch.
Considine must have noticed my headshake, because his eyebrows briefly furrowed, even as Killian passed him his personal handgun and a couple of daggers to tuck up his sleeves.
“Okay, I’ll ask it.” Considine called, his voice loud as he looked up and down the sidewalk at our squadmates. “Why on earth do you all call Jade Blood, when you love her as much as you do?”
Brody so deeply furrowed his brow he gave himself a unibrow. “Huh?”
“Blood,” Considine said. “That’s kind of hurtful.”
Tetiana leaned back from her post on the fence. “How could it possibly be hurtful?”
I holstered my handgun and took the spare pair of magic canceling cuffs Captain Reese handed me, affixing it to my belt. “Doesn’t it refer to all the bloodshed I create?”
“No,” Grove scoffed.
“It’s shorthand.” April’s usual stoic look broke as she gave me a small smile. “For ‘not one drop of blood.’”
“Because you’re such a good warrior, you refuse to let yourself shed even a bit of blood because of the risk it poses Tetiana and Clarence, and because you work so hard to keep your teammates from getting injured.”
“Oh.” I blinked, surprised by the unexpected explanation and feeling oddly humbled. “Oh,” I repeated, as all my interactions with my team suddenly took on a new light.
Clarence cleared his throat. “It was our mistake in failing to explain the nickname. In hindsight, I can see how you might misinterpret it.”
Considine grinned as he finished tucking his daggers up his sleeve. “Feel better?”
“I already was.” I looked up the paver walkway and settled my nerves for the upcoming fight. “Since you’re back.”
Without warning, Considine moved in and kissed me. His lips were insistent against mine, and despite the blush that instantly heated my cheeks from our public position, I melted into the kiss, sliding my arms around his neck.
The show elicited a whoop from Brody and Grove, an exclamation of cuteness from Tetiana, and a sound of disgust from Killian until Hazel sharply elbowed him.
Normally this would have made me pull back, but Considine’s captivity had taught me to treasure every moment with him that I could, so I didn’t pull back until I needed air.
Considine ignored Vìgì’s cheer of encouragement and focused on me. “Are you okay with this?” He inclined his head toward House Tellier.
I nodded. “If I didn’t have you as a partner, it would be too dangerous. But together, we’re more than enough.”
“Good.” Considine kissed my temple, then together we turned to face the House. “I go high with the door, and you go low?”
“Sounds good—you have better strength,” I agreed.
“Then let’s go free an oracle.” Considine stepped onto the pavers first, strolling up the path with the confidence of someone who knew he was too powerful to be attacked.
I followed him, pondering the best possible weapon before settling on a pair of daggers. (While I for once had my slayer sword on me, I suspected the house was going to be tighter quarters, and the sword might be difficult to maneuver with. My handgun would have been ideal, but there was too big a risk that I might shoot the House if a wizard dodged, and I didn’t want to test the tolerance House Tellier held for us.
When we reached the porch and climbed the wooden steps I glanced back at the sidewalk.
