Page 60 of Warrior Unraveled

“Are you sure?”

“Of course I’m sure. I know my half-sister. She might have been misguided, but she’s a good person.”

Virginia took a deep inhalation. What she had to say wasn’t easy, but she had to say it. “I want you to hear me out, Cinead. This is not going to be easy.”

He raised his eyebrows.

“Deirdre knew where the council compound was located. In fact, she knows where every single one of our compounds is located. She knows everything about our defenses, our rules, our habits. If she’s seeking revenge for being exiled, helping the demons—”

“No!” Cinead jumped to his feet. “You’re wrong. Deirdre would never betray us to the demons.”

Virginia rose slowly. “She betrayed the council once. And she paid dearly for it. Anybody would be angry and would want to strike back. Wouldn’t you?”

“How dare you make such an accusation?”

“I dare because my concern is for my race. I dare because it’s my duty to keep them safe. And we’re not safe, not if the demons know how to find us and how to enter our strongholds.”

Cinead narrowed his eyes. “I would be very careful, counselor, whom you accuse. I vouch for Deirdre.”

“I’m afraid that’s not enough. And I’m not accusing anybody. But there’s a possibility that you can’t see what Deirdre’s true feelings are because you care for her. I don’t blame you. But I have to follow up on her. Her being released into the human world and the demons attacking us happened too close together.”

Cinead continued shaking his head. But Virginia pressed on. “And even if she’s not involved, there’s still the possibility that you and her were spotted together, and that somehow the demons were able to get to her. Maybe torture her to tell them all she knows.”

“Are you accusing me now of being careless?” Cinead barked.

“I’m doing no such thing. But even the most careful of us makes a mistake once in a while.” She certainly had made a few, some of which didn’t lie that far in the past. “Even if you were careful, if a demon spotted you while you were helping her get settled, he would be curious as to what she means to you. Do you really want me to do nothing? I thought you cared for her. If you do, don’t you want to make sure she’s safe?”

Cinead snorted. “You have an interesting way of manipulating people.”

“You would know, wouldn’t you? You’ve had the same training as I.”

“Yes. And that’s the only reason I’m not tossing you out on your ass right now.”

She nodded. “I will need to know where to find Deirdre.”

“Do you have a pen to take down the address?”

Virginia shook her head. “I’ll memorize it.”

“Good.”