Reaching Answers (Artemis University #8) - Erin R Flynn Page 0,50
a swift nod and suddenly found my backyard interesting. “It took me weeks to accept the bagged blood again. You have supercharged blood and are too powerful for a vampire to drink from.”
I sat with that a few moments. “Is Neldor right? Do you need my help?”
He didn’t answer at first, unbuttoning his jacket, but not taking it off as if saying he understood he could be thrown out at any moment. “I would like to work together and see if it can’t be mutually beneficial.”
“Meaning you don’t want to be indebted to me, but it wouldn’t cost me anything to use you since it would help you when you’re in a bad spot,” I clarified.
He shook his head. “People really don’t give you enough credit for how smart you are.”
“No, they don’t, and for all your faults, that is never something you’ve ever done.”
He gave me a tired smile. “My mate is much smarter than I am. Women are normally smarter than men. I don’t need to be convinced of that. I’m simply a greedy bastard who wants to give her more than a dean of a college—even Artemis—could ever dream.”
“Keep playing straight with me and I can make that happen.” I nodded I was serious. “You won’t ever be my favorite person, Collins, but you have kept your word with me and that carries a lot of weight. I also know you treasure your mate and treat her like a queen. That does as well. You now know I have help and the tide is turning. I need more time. Lay it out for us and let’s get this done.”
He let out a slow breath. “Okay.”
It was exactly what I expected when I realized he wanted something. The council had sent word they wanted him to start digging into me and get them something about me they could use. Their plans with Blake Ward had blown up. The warlock elders were fucking things up all over and while people were outraged over Ainsworth, they were going to take another shot at me.
Because the new rumor was I’d lost the protection of the Rothchild clan, given my best friend had dumped me.
I wasn’t sure part of that rumor wasn’t wrong.
“I need some answers before I can formulate a full plan,” I admitted. “First, can your mate be pulled from view like we did Craftsman’s mom?”
“It depends on how long,” he hedged. “She works with humans, but she could take a medical or unpaid leave, yes. She has the years and seniority at the company.” He winced. “She loves that job though.”
“We could make sure she kept it or found another of the same she would love,” Iolas muttered, studying me closely.
I nodded I heard him, ignoring his gaze. “Then is there something we can do as fairies that locks up secrets as effectively as the magical tats my security and friends have?”
“Which the councils can sense and cause all kinds of problems,” Collins worried.
“Yes, but it’s…” Iolas trailed off, giving a sigh and rubbing his hand over his face. “We would lock him from being able to discuss it.”
“That doesn’t help a telepathy rune,” I worried.
“It does,” another light fairy promised. “It cuts it out, sort of how radio would have dead air instead of curse words. It would be the same in his mind and he couldn’t speak on it, so it would never register as a lie.”
“It’s how we keep young fairies from discussing secrets they shouldn’t,” Neldor muttered. “And we will be taking that knowledge from you, Collins. You know more than any of us are comfortable with.”
Collins snorted. “I wish I hadn’t been there that night for the meeting and ever learned of you, Ms. Vale.”
“Oh, I think that still a better outcome than you not being there that night and becoming a patsy for your council,” I challenged. His thoughts told me that was fair and he was grateful I hadn’t hung him out to dry. “We’ll help, but give me a few days to figure out how is the best way to use this to our advantage. There is something else I want that will actually help you stay safer.”
“What?” he worried.
“It starts with the meeting happening in a few minutes that I’m now inviting you to. You game?”
He let out a heavy sigh. “I’m on your side of this war, Vale. You promise not to let me regret it, and you’ll do whatever you can to make sure my mate doesn’t die