Which sent a bad feeling over her.
“Just how close are you to them?”
“Get your mind away from that. Not at all what you’re thinking, love. We are friends. Nothing more.”
Nazar scowled at her as he raked a curious stare over her body. “This is your Vala?”
Nibo nodded.
“Ah.”
She wasn’t sure what to make of that. “Ah?”
Karawan came over to eye her as if she were the most curious specimen he’d ever beheld in his life. So much so that Nibo pushed him back.
Laughing, Karawan took it in stride. “We’re both older than Nibo, my lady.”
That made her feel better. Sort of.
As did the fact that Nibo hadn’t abandoned her. “Thank you, Xuri.”
“For what?”
“Bringing them to us.”
His features softened. “Of course. I’m only sorry it took so long to reach you. We came as soon as we could. But with dragons, they often drag their wings.” His gaze went past her to Thorn. “There’s a storm brewing.”
“We know.”
“Nay, not the one you’re thinking, old man. This one is much darker and deeper. The petro are defecting to the Malachai.”
Thorn’s expression turned to stone. “Beg pardon?”
Nibo nodded. “It’s why I summoned me friends. Qeenan and the others plan to raise up Apollymi the Destroyer. They’re after the world and intend to take it over.”
“With Adarian? Are they out of their minds?”
Now Nibo had the attention of the captain and the rest of the crew.
“Not with Adarian. They plan to replace him.”
Thorn shook his head. “This plan gets dumber and dumber. Have they any idea what they’re asking?”
“They think they do.”
“And how do they plan to do it?” Bane asked. “Apollymi isn’t exactly known for her people skills or her great sense of cooperation.”
“Kill the Dark-Hunter leader, Acheron.”
Thorn scowled at his words. “How are they going to do that? No one knows where he is. He travels all the time and seldom stays in one place for more than a day or two.”
“That’s normally true, except for when he’s training a new Dark-Hunter.”
Thorn lost color in his cheeks. “Come again.”
Nibo sighed as he glanced toward Valynda. “Qeenan learned that Acheron is here and that he’s been training Jean-Luc Tessier. Captain St. Noir. So, his plan is to kill him and raise the Destroyer.”
Thorn sat down and then spread out on his back. “That’s it. I quit. Take me, Bane. Pierce me heart and have done with it.”
