He couldn’t deny it. Blinding white rage had overtaken his mind when Aneka had come rushing over in the midst of his conversion with Ronin. And he felt immensely grateful to Aneka for the warning, but couldn’t help his wariness. What if this was some kind of trap?
“What exactly do you plan to do?” he asked.
“She and August will be at the Serpent’s Den on Thursday night. She’s going to give me her key to his townhouse so I can poke around, see what I might be able to find.”
Tristan’s lips twisted into a grimace. “No way. That’s the same night thatI’msupposed to be at the Serpent’s Den with Ronin. No fucking way am I letting you do this alone.”
“Birdman.” She gave him a deadpan look but his heart leapt at his nickname. “I amwaystealthier than you.”
Tristan jostled his wings. “Ghostwalker, remember?”
She shook her head. “You need to talk to Ronin. I can do this, Tristan. I’ll take Hella with me. You keep working your angles and let me work mine. We’ll get the name you need faster this way.”
He sighed, scrubbing a hand down his face. “Why can’t I just ask Ronin if August is working with him? Pretty clear from that message Ronin gave me that he’s either a member of the Teles Chrysos or he’s got intel to share about them.”
“And what if he doesn’t? Then we’re back to square one.”
“I don’t like it,” Tristan grumbled. “But I know better than to try to stop you when you get these crazy ideas. You promise you’ll take Hella with you?”
“I said I would. Overprotective babysitter,” she smirked. He grabbed her hand and intertwined their fingers.
“Cass,” he murmured.
She didn’t look up at him, stalled by whatever emotions he’d just poured into her name.
He stepped in closer. “What are we doing?”
She kept her gaze glued to their interlocked fingers. But she didn’t drop his hand, so he pressed forward.
“Are we okay?” he whispered.
“What do you mean?” She met his stare, her eyes bouncing back and forth between his own. Searching.
“After what happened on the way to the party last night?”
He swore he could see her rebuilding her walls, each brick sliding back into place. Blocking him out.
“We had to do that,” she said flatly. “It was the only way to protect our secret. A duty betweenfriends.” The last word dripped disdainfully from her tongue.
She turned her face away, and he studied her profile. The upturned slope of her nose, her fluttering eyelashes and trembling lips. “Nothing like you and Ione.”
He jolted.Thisis what she’d been worried about?
He was an utter, utter fool.
How did she still not understand everything she meant to him?
“Cass, she’s gone. A cherished part of my past, but you…you’re my future. And I…” A cracked whisper. “I feel like I’m losing you too.”
Her eyes softened a fraction, and he inched towards her, intending to tug her against his chest, but she took a purposeful step backwards. “I can’t do this right now, Tristan. I’ve got to focus on the work tonight.”
She pushed back his wing and rushed towards the house.
“Cassandra,” he called, following her.
Hella opened the patio door, her timing impeccable.
“Hey,” the giantess grunted as Cassandra shoved past her. Hella narrowed her eyes at Tristan. “What do to her?”
