region for me as Cassius has. That takes longer than most of the construction. I’m also installing the same type of security the condo has. Instead of two safe rooms, it’s going to become a fortress when it’s on lockdown. Tying together the technology and the magic to work together is a pain in the ass,” I explained, looking over my new floors and the wrapped furniture everywhere. I was taking the chance to redesign some areas, and Raphael didn’t realize, but I had made major expansions to the main house, attaching it to the second building where the gym was. That way, if there was a lockdown, we both still had things to do.
This was why I never brought him. I was taking him into account when repairing my house. I couldn’t help myself. I couldn’t help but plan everything in my life around whether he would be in it or not.
There were rare moments in life when I desperately wanted my mother. This was one of them. She was the only person I ever felt comfortable talking to about naga things. My dad and brothers were just like Adhar in a lot of ways—get a mate, have children, avoid danger at all costs. I loved them, but they weren’t her. She had understood and would have been able to offer me advice none of them would have ever considered giving.
I can’t think about this right now.
“Kaliya, we’re going to be safe here, right?” Raphael asked from the kitchen. I honestly thought kitchens were his favorite room in every building he walked into. He practically lived in them.
“As safe as anywhere. I need to make that call to Hasan. I’ll be in one of the back rooms. Scream if you need anything.” I looked in the kitchen and saw his thumbs up in my direction as he looked around. I almost smiled at how my kitchen was twice the size it used to be, and he seemed to really like it.
Stop, stop, stop. Got to stop thinking about this. Got to stop worrying about this.
My bedroom was one of the few rooms I didn’t change much. It was larger now, but the design was the same, the colors, warm and rich, and explosive, remnants of a home I never went back to.
I dialed Hasan and waited for four rings before he answered.
“I’m in a meeting. What’s your update? We’ve seen the storm in Phoenix and contacted a local witch in hopes she and her coven can track the source and find where Levi might be hiding.”
“I’m getting the okay to go on the offensive?”
“I was going to call in ten more minutes. We’re briefing with Korey and Eliphas right now,” he answered. “They’ve finally secured the prison to the best of their abilities.” He sounded disappointed in them.
“Perfect. I need everything either of them can learn about this,” I said quickly, walking into my office and frowning. Damn it. All that work in the condo, and it’s still in the condo—the wrecked condo. We’re going to need a good cleanup crew from the Tribunal once it’s over.
“We can make that happen come dawn. We’re still trying to account for any of the northern cell block inmates, and they were just saying they noticed Wesley—”
“Wesley’s in Phoenix,” I answered quickly. “We just had a run-in with him. I would have called you sooner, but I had to drive through the storm. He found his way to my condo. Raphael nearly threw him off the building. We got out because he’s enraged, easy to distract. I think he’s spelled. There’s no way he would have been able to focus enough to track me otherwise.”
“You should have started with that…” Hasan muttered. “Putting you on speaker for everyone. She’s already run into Wesley, everyone, and believes he’s spelled.”
“What exactly did he do to make you think that?” Callahan asked, the male werewolf Alpha on the Tribunal.
“He took the elevator up to my condo.” That got a couple of curses and a gasp. Wesley, if he were just in a fit, would have never been able to focus enough to do that. If his mind was clear enough to work technology, he wouldn’t have tried to hurt a fly.
“Then I’m inclined to believe you,” the werewolf muttered. “Fuck. Hasan, we need to mobilize others in Phoenix.”
“Agreed. I can try to call in Coyotl. He lives south of the US-Mexico border, but he can get there by next sundown or faster. He might not