“I killed Levi and the werewolf twins. Nakul is secured, but he won’t be returned to the prison. The threat to Phoenix and the surrounding area is considered active until further notice, but there’s been nothing for the last several hours. Everyone else who escaped probably went underground and found ways out of Arizona. Where are you?” I asked, needing to know if I would need to save her from an angry witch.
“Outside on a walk with some of the pack. We’re checking the perimeter, marking where we’ve found scents of other escapees to track later. I think we might find a few in the desert on their way to Mexico, instead of heading up to Phoenix.”
“And those would be the smart ones. Good thinking. I need you to stay outside until I get there. If you could, meet me in the parking lot. Something is about to happen.”
“Should I call Eliphas? He’s been locked up in his tower since you left earlier today, working on the magical defenses again.”
“No, do not call Eliphas. Don’t send anyone to get him or check on him. Korey, he was the source of the breakout. He was blackmailed by the healer he brought in. You’re going to meet me in the parking lot. I’m going to kill him while you work with my partner to find any information you can about the healer.”
“Oh.” Korey was stunned. “Am I going to get a briefing on why my fellow Warden is going to be executed?”
“By the time you get the full briefing, it’ll be about why he was executed. He’ll be dead before dawn, probably not long after I get there. I just want you out of the way.” I didn’t need the fucking wolf pack trying to help. For once, I was in my element and didn’t need anyone tagging along.
“Okay. I’ll call out the wolves inside to get out of the way.”
“Good.” I hung up on her and hit the gas.
“Partner?”
Raphael’s smooth voice sounded all too pleased. The man sitting next to me wasn’t the man I had lived with for four months, certainly not the man I had found outside that church, paranoid and pissed off.
“Yeah, partner.” I swallowed. “I know you didn’t ask for any of this, but—”
“I’m not mad. I’m glad I can help, and you consider me a good help at that. I was just messing with you.”
“I’m not going to say you’re good, but you’re at least hard to kill, so I don’t need to worry about you as much,” I smirked, turning it around on him again. “Now, pay attention. You’ll be with Korey through this. I am going to kill Eliphas alone. I don’t want you to see that or potentially get in the way. It’s nothing against you, but this is an official execution, and…this is what I do most of the time. I’m an assassin. These big brawls aren’t really my thing, but this is.”
“I’ll help Korey, just don’t nearly die on me this time. I kind of need you, Kaliya Sahni.”
I kind of need you, too.
We pulled into the prison’s parking lot an hour later. For the third time today, I stepped out of my BMW to be greeted by a werewolf Alpha. Part of me was weary, tired of this back and forth, tired of this entire fucking mess—only a small part. I was so close to finishing this, and the resolve made me stand straighter, lifting my chin as Korey walked closer.
“I don’t think any of them have a clue what’s going on,” Korey said softly. “I’m afraid the witches and fae might attack you, thinking you’ve turned or something. Loyalty to the Wardens runs deep.”
“I know. Once I’m in, you’ll know when it starts. He won’t go down quietly. I want you ready on the intercom system to announce he’s no longer in power, and he’s been sentenced to execution by the Tribunal. That will keep them out of my way.”
“Are you really going to climb his tower? That’s his seat of power, where he’s most powerful.”
I knew all of that. Eliphas controlled all the magic around the prison from the top of his tower.
“Yes.” I wasn’t concerned. I should have been. Only hours ago, the coven had to put me back together. There was a principle to the matter, though. He came after me. I got to end him.
Tit for tat.
“I’ll be helping you collect evidence from Eliphas’ office,” Raphael stated as he came around