Lady Sarhin smiled. “I am, along with fellow members of the high court.”
“And you can trust them?” Max asked.
Dathal and I winced in unison, fully expecting a sharp and savage response.
“Yes.” Lady Sarhin didn’t even raise her voice. “Because we’ve all been questioned by Nathan.”
All eyes swung to Rys’s dad. “If anyone was lying, he’d have known.”
The obvious question after that was on the tip of my tongue, but Nathan spoke up first. “I can’t go through the whole of the fae guard to see who’s lying, because odds are, we’d tip them off before ever finding out who’s involved.”
“And that’s the last thing we want to do.”
“You think they’re key to finding Zh’alek?” Dathal asked.
“I think it’s our best chance, yes. Someone other than Melhak is helping him. We need to find out who.”
The room quietened again as that all sank in.
I yawned, couldn’t help it because sleep had been hard to come by the last few nights. It seemed to break the tension, and Max cleared his throat. “I know it’s late and that Lady Sarhin and Nathan need to return through the gateway, but I have a couple of things to discuss first.” He glanced at Talis and Rys. “And I’m sorry, but this is a confidential matter between the paranormal police and the fae. If you could go with Jake down to the break room, this shouldn’t take more than ten minutes.”
Talis opened his mouth to refuse—it was written all over his face—but Rys stood before he could speak.
“Of course.” He gripped Talis’s shoulder, then looked to Jake. “Lead the way.”
As soon as the door closed behind them, Max said, “This room is soundproofed.” He pointed to the cameras in the corners of the room. “And all recording equipment is turned off. Anything we discuss in here will go no further.”
I noticed Gabriel wince at that.
Keeping things from Rys would be hard for him, and I sympathised.
I wanted to tell Rys. Fuck knew I felt guilty every time I looked at him because I knew he thought of me as pack, would protect me with his life if need be. I’d heard his thoughts too many times over the years to believe otherwise.
I just wasn’t ready.
Too many people knew as it was, and the idea of telling anyone else… even Rys.
Or Talis.
Especially Talis.
It made me uneasy in a way that took me right back to being tied to that fucking chair.
You should’ve joined us, Axel. I wouldn’t have to do this if you’d just said yes.
“Axel?” Dathal kicked me under the table.
I looked up to find all eyes focused on me.
Lovely.
“Sorry. I was just thinking.” Before anyone could ask me what I’d been so lost in thought over, I turned to Gabriel. “I’m also sorry you have to keep this from Rys. I know it’s not ideal, as his mate.” I swallowed, took a breath, then said words that felt right as they fell from my mouth. “I’m going to tell him. Soon.”
Gabriel shook his head. “You don’t have to. Not on my account. I knew when I took this job that there would be things I couldn’t share with Rys. He understands, and so do I. This isyoursecret, Axel.Yourlife. If you don’t want to tell anyone else, then don’t.”
Relief whooshed through me. I still had every intention of telling Rys, because that was long overdue, and I was pretty sure he had a good idea about me anyway. But Gabriel’s words still settled something inside of me. “Thank you.”
Max cleared his throat again. “I asked the others to leave because I have questions for you that concern Axel and his magic.”
