Atlas:
Went by Luna’s. Obviously wasn’t a good time. Need to meet to discuss next steps. 3 p.m.
“Fuck. I need to go,” Saros said. “And so do you.”
I nodded, refusing to meet his gaze, and descended the stairs. A moment later, my own phone buzzed. I grabbed it, awaiting the onset of an all-caps message from Atlas. But instead it was Hazel.
Hazel:
Rain check on visiting Mystic Square. Atlas got called to a last-minute meeting.
He hadn’t even texted me himself. My hands shook the entire walk home, wondering who was more screwed in this scenario: me or Saros.
Chapter11
Saros
Oakley was off somewhere with my power right now and no clue how to use it. Not that telling her everything it could do would be much safer for her. It was probably better for her to accidentally touch someone and witness their worst moments.
Goddess, how did I get so carried away?
And what the hell was about to happen in this meeting?
The front door had opened on its own when we arrived, a note left on the entryway panel to head to Atlas’s office and wait for him there. Lynx leaned back into one of the chairs, hands clasped behind his neck, fully relaxed. Meanwhile, I sat with my feet pressed to the floor, elbows perched on my knees. His attention narrowed on me, doing his inconvenient empath thing.
The sound of footsteps echoed down the hall.
We both stood up quickly.
The door swung open smoothly, perfectly in tune to his pace, which was eerie enough, but the calm expression trained on his face was what was truly terrifying.
He was a politician, though. Maybe the face he used for hiding political scandal was the same he used for coping with seeing his ex spread eagle for another witch.
“Agent Carver. Agent Holt,” he said with a quick nod to each of us before striding around his desk and gesturing for us to sit down.
“Archon,” we replied in unison with a bow of our heads, taking a seat.
He pulled out some small files from the tiny lockbox in the corner, swishing them in the air so they’d become full size before handing two to us and keeping one for himself. “I received word that the meeting we requested has been accepted. Everyone is in except for the aquatic folks, not that they were likely anyway.”
“But everyone else has?” Lynx asked, thumbing through the file with his brows lifted. “Even the Vivaldi Syndicate?”
“Yes, even them.”
I scanned over the contents. It seemed like shifters, vamps, and demons alike were concerned about the strange exodus of supernaturals from Celestial Haven.
“That going to be a problem for you, Agent Holt?” My name on his mouth sounded like an insult this time, whatever façade he’d come in with slowly crumbling.
Lynx looked like he’d just choked on something.
I brought my gaze back to the file, making sure I memorized the different players who would be at the meeting. Some I’d met during previous jobs; some I’d rather never see again. “No, Archon.”
“Good.” Smugness rolled over his tone. “The point of this meeting is to find out if any of the other areas in and around Celestial Haven have been affected with these odd disappearances. No one has been willing to do a face-to-face until now, which tells me something’s changed to make them agree to speak with us.”
My eyes snapped up. That definitely had my attention. Some of these groups were rivals… The idea that they were willing to meet over a seemingly witches-only issue definitely piqued my interest. “Any idea what?”
“No.” He pursed his lips, browsing through the file. “But if other communities are being hit, then we need to know.”
When he looked up, he shifted his attention to Lynx like I wasn’t even there. “Agent Aleander is also coming. The four of us are the only ones they are allowing into the meeting.”Could this day get any better?“Dante Vivaldi personally requested you, Agent Holt. Must have madesome impressionon the mafioso.”
