Blood Seeker (Immortal Curse #7) - Lexi C. Foss Page 0,10

healthy dose of sarcasm into that single word. “I’ll get right on that.”

His father made a noise of annoyance. “I retract my comment regarding your preparedness.”

“Astasiya is her own person,” Gabriel interjected before Sethios could lay another sarcastic comment at his father’s feet. “She would need a very good reason just to speak to you right now. The notion of going to you willingly?” Gabriel snorted. “That’s entirely impractical. It’ll never happen.”

“Are you saying I need to win my granddaughter’s trust?”

“I’m saying that from what I’ve observed of her power, she will not be easily compelled by her father, or you for that matter.” Gabriel twisted his wrist, his watch catching in the sun. A quick move, one that Sethios registered while the rest of him remained utterly composed, his legs stiff, thanks to Osiris’s compulsion. “The only way she’ll even consider such an absurd notion is if you give her a reason to. And so far, I haven’t seen any.”

Sethios’s mouth threatened to curl down, the young Seraphim’s proclamation strange. Astasiya would never agree to go anywhere near Osiris, even with a decent “reason.”

What are you doing, Gabriel? Sethios wondered, trying to follow the strategic path the male had set in motion. Because he was clearly after something. He’d also done something with his watch. Had Osiris noticed?

“Perhaps I should take both of you prisoner,” Osiris proposed. “That ought to provide the motivation she requires for a visit.”

Gabriel lifted a shoulder, unbothered by the looming danger. “You could, but that will only infuriate her more.”

“I can work with fury.”

“Can you?” Gabriel countered. “Your granddaughter was raised by humans, Osiris. She thinks with her heart, not with the logic of her birthright. Hurting her will only drive her further away from you.”

“You should probably listen to him, Father. He’s currently on the receiving end of her wrath. She broke his nose just this morning. Which was what? The third time this week?” Sethios pretended to consider. “Or was it the fourth time?”

“Second,” he corrected, his tone emotionless despite Sethios’s attempt to ruffle his feathers. He also never once looked his way, his focus entirely on Osiris.

“You’re right,” Sethios conceded, matching his flat tone while internally grinning. “The first one just gave you a black eye.”

Gabriel ignored him. “The point remains, Stas won’t go to you willingly, Osiris. Not even if you kidnap everyone she loves. She’ll just fight you, and while you may be able to best her, she won’t stop until she’s utterly broken. If that’s your goal, then so be it. But I think we both know that a broken weapon isn’t in your best interest.”

Ah, so that’s the angle you’re playing at, Sethios realized. He was indeed suggesting Osiris try to win over Astasiya’s trust, something that would be impossible to do. However, his father would be just arrogant enough to try. Because Gabriel was right—Osiris needed Astasiya intact and functional for his plans.

He wanted to go to war with the Seraphim. Sethios had known that was his goal for centuries. And they’d finally reached the point in their existence where the chess master could place the influential queen on the board.

“You’ve not done yourself any favors,” Sethios added, playing off Gabriel’s commentary. “And Gabriel’s observations are correct. I’m not strong enough to compel her, so even if you provided me with the motivation to try, it wouldn’t do much.”

Sethios ensured his voice and expression gave nothing away. He infused each word with certainty, sounding apathetic by even the prospect of being forced to persuade his own daughter.

Oh, it might work.

But his father didn’t need to know that. And the gleam in his green irises—the same shade as Astasiya’s and Sethios’s eyes—said he was taking their statements seriously.

Good.

That meant they might just make it out of this alive. Not that Osiris could kill either of them. Sethios also suspected Gabriel had set off some sort of alert with that watch on his wrist. His father hadn’t seemed to notice. Or perhaps, more accurately, he’d actually allowed it, simply because he wanted his granddaughter to arrive.

Hmm. Too bad, old man. The call had likely gone to Vera and Leela, who weren’t with Astasiya at the moment but with the Hydraians.

“All right,” Osiris said, sending a wave of shock through Sethios’s system.

Those were two words he never expected to hear from his father’s mouth, and they immediately put him on full alert.

He waited for the Seraphim of Resurrection to say more, but he didn’t. He merely clasped his hands