Urian snorted. “Touché.”
And as he studied them, he realized that their timing here was a bit suspicious. “You two looking for Helios?”
“No.”
“Yes,” Shadow said at the same time. He glared at Ruyn. “Why are you lying?”
“Why are you being honest?”
“I didn’t get the lie memo.” Shadow smirked. “You have to keep me up to speed on these things. Otherwise, expect absolute honesty.”
“Really? Thought you were Prince of Shadows?”
Shadow grimaced. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Dubious? Nebulous? Questionable character?”
“You have me confused with your mother.”
Urian let out a low whistle at that. “Hey, now, no need to invoke that dig. That’s seriously going low, Shadow. I’m flagging that play. And on that note, I need to get back.”
As he started to leave, Ruyn stopped him.
When he looked back at his former brother-in-law, Ruyn laid a verbal bomb on him. “There’s something weird going on in the Nether Realm. Something has kicked the proverbial hornets’ nest and they’re going crazy. Watch your back, brother. The gods are crazy, and we’re in their way. Which means they’re going to be coming for us.”
February 15, 2004
Urian pulled out his cell phone and masked his number to appear to be that of a Dark-Hunter’s Squire. He called their senior dispatch and made sure to disguise his thick Greek accent. “Uh, yeah, I was at Dante’s Inferno and I just saw a couple Daimons in there cruising for vics. You might want to wake a Hunter and send one in before they kill somebody.”
“Thanks, Squire. Could you give us your ID?”
He hung up, knowing they’d comply. They always did. Back in the day, he’d call in the reports like that from pay phones to lure Dark-Hunters out to kill them.
Never, ever in those days would he have dreamed he’d be using this tactic to protect Apollo’s heiress.
Hades is sitting on icicles.
Worse? One of Davyn’s friends, Jensen, was on the strike team. He’d tried to get the moron to stay home.
He hadn’t listened.
At least he’d been able to get Davyn to stay out of it.
Standing on the rooftop of the building next to the club, Urian watched the alleys as people came and went. His phone rang. He glanced down to see Phoebe’s number.
He answered immediately. “Hey,zoi mou.”
“Don’t call me ‘your life’ right now. I hear that and it makes me afraid you have bad news.”
“God, no, Phee. Your sister’s fine. I don’t have eyes on her, but the guys aren’t here yet so she’s safe.”
“You’re sure?”
“Positive. I can feel Kat inside. There’s no mistaking her power. And it’s calm. No fire-bolts are flying. No one’s calling the cops.”
“Okay. Love you.”
“Eimai trellos gia sena.”
