VALEN
“The hotel?”I blurt. “The one you took us to when this one showed up?” I hook a thumb toward Levi.
“The very one,” Zav says, drumming his fingers on the table and eyeing the map Celine drew on. “There’s a gala coming up … I don’t know if it could have anything to do with that.”
“A gala for what?” Luna asks.
“They have it once a year,” Zavier explains. “It brings in powerful supernaturals of all types.”
“Is that the reason for all the rainy weather?” Ava asks, her hand gripping my knee.
Zavier is quick to shake his head. “No, the weather issues have been going on way too long to be because of that.”
“I need you to explain this hotel thing to me more,” I interrupt. “How do you know these guys? Who are they?”
Zavier shrugs. “It’s owned by five powerful supernaturals. Greyson the vampire, Cyfrin the warlock, Alder, who’s a werewolf, and two others I’ve never met. Their mission with thehotel was to create a safe place forallsupernaturals. There’s no fighting and no killing on their property. It’s more than a hotel, though. Sure, you can stay there, but it’s also a place to exchange information and set up meetings. That sort of thing.”
“Is this where your contact is?” Celine asks him with a narrow-eyed stare.
“Maybe,” Zav says in his most innocent—that’s not innocent at all—tone.
“I don’t understand why whoever this is would be pointing us to the hotel. Especially if it’s a safe space,” Luna says, leaning forward. As she does, her shirt rides up, and I don’t miss the way Leviathan’s eyes scan the bare expanse of her back.
“I don’t know either.” Zav rubs his jaw. “There’s so much that doesn’t make any fucking sense about any of this, and I hate being confused. It’s very annoying for me.” He runs his fingers through his hair so the red strands stand up every which way. “Somebody’s trying to tell us something.”
Ava fidgets next to me. “I really don’t like this. It feels like whoever is trying to get Valen back is lying in wait.”
“I’ll reach out to my contact who may or may not be at the hotel”—he side-eyes his mate—“and tell him to keep his eyes and ears open. We’ll all do the same.”
He stares down all of us, and a feeling of both dread and determination fills me.
CHAPTER 49
AVA
The bellabove Jade’s door chimes merrily when I step inside. It’s a stark contrast to my current mood. I know where Jade is coming from, taking things slow and steady, but it’s maddening. I want to be able to help Valen, to help my friends. I’m awitchafter all, but since my powers have been bound for so long and I know nothing of my heritage, I’m practically a newborn. This is so much harder than I thought it would be. I was foolish when I attempted to cast a protection spell. Foolish and naïve.
“Hey,” Jade greets, shrugging on her coat.
I narrow my eyes. “Are you going somewhere? Am I late?”
“We’re going somewhere.” She pulls her hair out from where it caught under her coat.
“Where?” I ask curiously.
She zips up the coat and tugs on a beanie. “Think of it as a field trip of sorts.”
“A field trip?” I repeat, narrowing my eyes in suspicion. “Should I be worried?”
“No,” she huffs, grabbing a purse from behind the counter and draping the strap over her shoulder. “It’ll be fun. Liam?” she calls out behind her. “Hold down the fort while I’m gone!”
She hurries over to me with a smile. “Come on, it’s going to be fun. I promise.” Outside, she leads me to a dark SUV parked out front. “It’s far enough from the store that I figured driving was easier than walking,” she explains. “Especially with this cold.”
“I won’t complain about a warm car over this.” I gesture to the snow falling softly around us.
Inside the car, she turns down the radio. “Where exactly is this place?”
“There’s this hotel in the city—Arcane. Have you heard of it? It’s basically a glorified club for supernaturals to get together. Neutral ground, if you will.”
