Or maybe it was sheer desperation.
“No.”
“Oh.” She didn’t bother to hide her relief. “Thank the gods.”
“I want you to remain with him and keep the Commission informed of his movements.”
Remain with him? Her brief moment of hope was crushed beneath a tidal wave of horrified disbelief.
It was bad enough to hunt down the damned Sylvermyst and haul him to the Commission. But to become Hutch to his Starsky?
Oh hell, no.
“Why?”
Pinpricks of pain stabbed deep into Jaelyn’s flesh, effective reminders that nasty rumors whispered about the Oracles were well earned.
“I have no need to explain.”
“Forgive me. I will, of course, do everything in my power to fulfill our contract.” She returned to her knees, bowing her head as she waited for the brutal pain to dissipate. “How much of a head start does he have on me?”
“Three days.”
Jaelyn grimaced. For her it had only been two hours since Ariyal had disappeared.
Damned mists.
“Do you know ...” She swallowed her question, and almost her tongue, as there was a loud pop and a small demon who looked nearly identical to Siljar made a sudden appearance, standing at the side of the older woman. “Holy crap!”
Siljar motioned to the familiar woman with the heart-shaped face and long gold hair that was pulled into a braid.
“This is Yannah, my daughter.”
“Yeah, we’ve met.” Jaelyn returned to her feet, her gaze never leaving the tiny demon who had helped Ariyal hold Jaelyn captive while they were in the Russian caves. “But at the time I thought she was a spirit that Ariyal conjured.”
“Such a yummy fairy.” Yannah heaved a dreamy sigh. “How could I resist?”
Jaelyn blinked. Good ... God.
Did Ariyal have this sort of effect on every female he met?
No wonder he was such an arrogant SOB.
“Yes, she can be quite naughty,” Siljar gently chided. “But she will be able to assist you.”
Naughty? That wasn’t the word Jaelyn would have used. But then again, she’d already pissed off Siljar more than was healthy. She wasn’t about to insult her daughter.
“I welcome any assistance she can offer,” she instead muttered.
Yep. Just call her Queen of Diplomats.
“She will take you to Ariyal,” Siljar informed her. “She will also be the one who will be responsible for contacting you to retrieve the information you have gathered.”
Jaelyn made one last bid for escape. “There are others who are trained in the arts of espionage... .”
“You have been chosen, Jaelyn,” Siljar pronounced, her expression unyielding.
If Jaelyn could have sighed, she would have. Instead she gave a grudging nod.