“And I liked it better when you were dead. Guess we can’t have everything we want, huh?”
Guess not.Nick pulled out his Malachai sword and extended it. “How are we going to play this?” He figured Grim would charge forward to fight.
He didn’t.
Instead, Grim slowly closed the distance between them and draped his arm around Nick’s shoulders. “I feel like we got off to a bad start.”
“What?” Nick was incredulous.
“I know. I know. We’ve had our issues in the past. You disrespected me. I promised to kill you … but I think we should put that pettiness behind us.”
“Okay, did I accidentally inhale some fumes? Fry my brain cells? Get hit in the head one time too many? What’s going on here?”
Grim held his hands up. “Lots of things have changed since you died.” He glanced around their group. “I don’t even want to know how you and Neria are back … or Xev. I won’t even question it. I’m too grateful.” Whacking Nick on the back, he actually laughed. “I’m so grateful to the gods that I have another chance that …” His voice trailed off as if he just realized he wasn’t alone.
Clearing his throat, he stepped back. “Anyway, I am not happy with current management. I’ve realized that I might have made a mistake with my earlier alliance, and as such … You wouldn’t happen to be interested in renewing our old relationship, would you?”
Nick was so confused that he didn’t even know where to begin. “I thought you said I didn’t need anyone.”
“I was doing that for dramatic effect. Worked, didn’t it?”
He’s nuts. Not that Nick didn’t know that from all their earlier encounters, but still …
He held his hand up to Grim. “Can you give us a minute? I need to confer with my group.”
“Sure.” Grim moved closer to the statues.
His mind boggled, Nick pulled his friends in the opposite direction. “Okay, guys. WTF! Anyone have any idea what to think of this?”
Kody shook her head. “Don’t trust him. He’s a liar and a beast who serves no one but himself.”
Xev agreed. “I’m with Kody. Given everything we’ve gone through with him …”
That was an odd thought coming from someone who’d once switched sides.
“Bubba?”
“I’m inclined to agree. However, people change. It’s possible he’s seen the error of his ways. If he’s really wanting to work with us, he could provide valuable intel.”
True. Grim knew everything about Laguerre and Cyprian.
Nick turned back toward him. “What exactly has happened to make you want to join us?”
“Cyprian. He turned on us, and I want to see that little weasel burn.”
That was something Nick understood, and it made more sense. Grim was all about revenge.
“Nick, don’t do it. We can never trust him.”
He smiled. “I don’t trust him, Kode. I do trust his selfish greed. He wants what we want. My enemy’s enemy is my friend.”
“Or your end,” she said firmly. “Remember the scorpion and the frog. His nature is to sting.”
“I know. You know. Bubba knows and Xev knows. As long as we watch him …”
She placed his hand over her eyes. “Damn you and your stubbornness. Fine, you’ve made up your mind. But when this ends badly, remember that I was against it.”
“Duly noted.” Nick moved to stand in front of Grim. “You want us to trust you? Free Acheron.”
