“Are you a tracker?”
Magnus gave a stiff nod. “I am.”
“Impressive.”
“Yes.”
Styx rolled his eyes. “Wait here.”
Moving forward, Styx gave a lift of one hand. The gesture would signal his Ravens to circle the intruder, but to wait far enough away not to spook the creature until Styx had time to speak with him.
Then, moving with a silent speed that made him little more than a blur, he’d rounded the lake and approached the imp from behind.
Once close enough, he pressed the tip of his sword against the back of the creature’s head.
“Don’t twitch a muscle.”
There was a squeak of terror, but the imp wisely froze as Styx slowly circled to study the overly pretty demon with pale green eyes and gold hair.
“Styx?” The imp drew in an unsteady breath, his fear drenching the air with the scent of strawberries. “It’s me. Keeley.”
Styx bared his fangs as a tidal wave of fury cascaded through him.
Keeley had been one of the bastards responsible for destroying the previous Anasso.
Leaning down, he grabbed the imp by his hair, lifting him off the ground and glancing toward his nearest Raven.
“Take him to the dungeon.”
Chapter Five
Fallon hadn’t expected to sleep.
But after Cyn had escorted her to the kitchens and promptly disappeared, she’d gathered a dozen bowls and headed back upstairs. Then, choosing a room close to her private chambers, she’d filled each with water and infused them with her magic.
After that she had nothing to do but wait for the connection to the Commission to be completed.
It always took longer to scry for a person than a specific place. And the greater the magic of the person, the harder it was to get a lock on them. So tuning the bowls to the caves Siljar had seared into her mind, she set the magic to trip only for a demon of great power. Eventually she knew she would be able to track the movements of the Oracles, but it wouldn’t be for several hours.
Unwilling to risk running into the vampire who seemed to have an uncanny ability to rattle her nerves, Fallon crossed the hall to her rooms and stretched out on the bed.
She’d only intended to rest for a few minutes, but obviously drained from expending so much magic she’d quickly tumbled into a deep sleep. It was past dusk when she woke and managed to drag herself to the shower.
Now, still dressed in the ridiculous robe with her damp hair left free to tumble down her back, she opened the door to her rooms, intending to check on her scrying bowls.
The last thing she expected to discover was a tiny gargoyle waddling down the hallway.
“Oh.” She came to a halt, her brows lifting in surprise. Cyn had shared his opinion of Levet during the trip to the kitchens. And his determination to rid his lair of the “pest invasion.” “I thought Cyn was going to make you leave.”
The gargoyle sniffed, his fairy wings spread to reveal the brilliant crimson and blue patterns that were rimmed with gold.
“I do not answer to the vampires,” he informed her, his ugly little features tight with outrage. “I have a higher calling.”
“Of course.” Fallon hid her flare of amusement. There was something excessively charming about the small demon being utterly unafraid of a vicious vampire ten times his size. “You said when you arrived that Siljar sent you. Are you a part of the Commission?”
“Moi? Non.” He gave a dramatic shudder. “I have discovered that being entangled in Oracle business always includes some daring adventure that ends with me doing all the work and some vampire or werewolf ending up with the beautiful maiden.”
She blinked. “I . . . see.”