“It’s not good,” Terry grumbled. “I don’t like his scent here.”
“I’m sorry,” Cassius whispered. “But we’re going to have to live with it for a time. Now, let’s settle down and have something to eat. Terry, you’re the best cook I employ, and I’ve missed your cooking.”
“Thank you, but you’ll all go eat in the living room.” He pointed at the door, and no one argued, leaving as quickly as possible. As we sat down, Cassius’s phone started ringing again. He answered quickly and looked at me, giving a hard nod.
“We’re going to get him back, Imani. Don’t worry.” He waved a hand at Leith and motioned for a pen.
Leith started shuffling around in a drawer of a side table. The moment Cassius had both, he started writing, scribbling down everything Imani was saying. He tore off the top sheet, and it floated across the table toward me. I snatched it out of the air and read it while he continued to write notes before he hung up.
It’s a trade.
I sighed. Just as we had discussed. This was probably the most predictable thing that happened since I got back to Phoenix.
22
Chapter Twenty-Two
When Cassius hung up the phone, everyone tried to talk at once. Cassius, Leith, and Raphael were trying to get a word in, though I wasn’t sure why.
“Quiet!” I snapped, bringing silence to the table. “Cassius, you go.”
All the men looked at me with various levels of annoyance.
“He’s willing to give back Carter for something—”
“Me. I’m the one with the bounty,” Raphael cut in. “Let’s do it. I’ve escaped Mygi before. I can do it again. Carter is important to you two, and he shouldn’t have to—”
“No,” I said evenly. “We’re not trading anyone. We’re not even going to fake a trade. Cassius, tell us the rest.”
Raphael glared at me, his eyes flashing red. Such an angry, passionate man. He wanted to play hero, which astounded me. Heroes got killed. Did he really want to go the way of the dodo?
“He contacted Imani and let her know that he also considered her hostile since her vampire felt so comfortable helping you,” Cassius said, looking straight at me. “You and I already had this discussion.”
“We did, and I’m not having it a second time.” I would eat the guilt in private from here on out. I didn’t need another public shaming to feel any worse. Right now, I just need to focus on getting Carter back. If I get him back, he can never help me again, and everything will be okay.
“Of course,” Cassius agreed. “We have…”—he checked his watch—“twenty hours. He wants us ready for the trade at midnight tomorrow. He made sure to say he wanted to get a full day’s sleep before dealing with us. He promised Carter was relatively unharmed and would remain so.”
“But?” There was always a but.
“If we’re late, he’s going to carve Carter up slowly until sunrise, then throw him into the sun. We took something he wanted, so he’ll take something we care about. Typical criminal, making his intentions known.”
Beside Cassius, Leith paled and reached for a seat. Cassius helped him sit down. Raphael was snarling from his chair, and I snapped my fingers at him.
“None of that. It doesn’t help anyone. Right now, anger helps no one.”
“Just trade me! I’m not going to sit here and let—”
“It wouldn’t work,” I said, cutting him off again. “Do you really think we’ll get Carter back if we gave you to Sinclair?”
“What do you mean?” Cassius asked from the other end of the table. “His MO normally says he wants as little violence in his direct perimeter as he can manage.”
I hadn’t been expecting to have to give an explanation. I had just been trying to shut Raphael up before the man got himself killed or taken. Cassius was going to make me think it through, though, so I started working it out.
“But we’re already past that, remember? He’s off his MO. He’s tried to kill me in my own home, breaking several Laws from my protection as an Executioner, to my protection as a naga. Anyone who threatens me or trespasses on my property can and will be met with immediate deadly force. He knew that when he had his fae and witch torture Paden for information about where I was hiding.” I drummed my fingers on the table. “He doesn’t intend to give us Carter because he has witnesses that