when he spoke out loud. She rather liked the sexy inflection. Not that now was an optimal time for her to think about it in that manner.
If Gabriel’s surprised by the intrusion, he’s not showing it, Issac continued. Sethios appears equally unfazed by it. Where did Ezekiel…? Actually, no, never mind. Don’t tell me in case they can locate you through me.
“Stas?” Luc prompted, his muscular arms folded over his chest. “What’s going on?”
Jacque had already disappeared, perhaps to Stark’s place to check in on the situation there. Or maybe he’d been called to another part of Hydria. The poor teleporter was constantly working.
“A Seraphim just arrived at Stark’s place,” Stas said. “Ezekiel traced me here before I could be seen. Or I assume that was the purpose, anyway.”
“Which Seraphim?” a feminine voice asked as a swirl of purple graced the air. Leela materialized, her blonde hair glowing in the moonlight. It’d just been morning on her side of the world. It seemed to be closer to eight or nine at night here.
This whole teleporting thing was intense.
Stas narrowed her eyes at the stunning Seraphim, recalling her father’s commentary with Gabriel regarding Leela’s job to monitor the council. She’d either failed in her task or was playing a dangerous game of double agent.
The female blinked. “What the hell is that look for?”
“Is my grandmother awake?” Stas countered.
Another blink. “I… Your grandmother? Why would she…?” She cocked her head in a decidedly inhuman manner. “Why would you ask me that? What has Sethios found?” Then her eyebrows lifted. “Wait, does he think…? Oh… Oh, no…” She flickered out before she could elaborate, disappearing from view.
Stas scowled after her. “That’s helpful.”
“What has Sethios found?” Luc asked, his emerald irises blazing with unworldly knowledge. Sometimes his omniscience frightened her. Yet she couldn’t doubt the useful nature of his strategic abilities.
Her heart gave a slight pang for the loss of his father, his death having occurred on this very beach.
If it bothered Luc, he didn’t show it. However, the bags beneath his eyes indicated he hadn’t slept in quite some time. While Hydraians didn’t require sleep, she suspected it hurt to go without it.
She cleared her throat to focus on his question, telling him about the conversation she’d just had with her father and Gabriel and how they were speculating that her mother might not be at the bottom of the ocean at all.
“They ran into Osiris?” Alik asked, his dark brow winging upward. “And I wasn’t invited to the party?”
“He ambushed them in Maine,” Stas explained. “I guess he knew they’d show up there eventually because it was near my mother’s drowning site. But he told them she’s no longer there.”
“And they believed him?” Alik didn’t bother to hide his irritation at the concept.
“He released Skye from her compulsion,” Stas added. “He claimed it was a gift for me.”
Luc stared at her. “A gift?”
“Yeah, Gabriel convinced him that I needed a show of good faith to consider talking to him.” She snorted. “Not that it will ever happen.”
Alik scoffed, just as Stas had when she first heard the asinine idea. Luc, however, nodded, mostly to himself.
“That’s a decent strategy. I imagine he also suggested your mother as an offering, which Osiris claimed he couldn’t do because she’s not where he left her.” He dipped his chin again. “Yes, I see why they believe him. Caro would be the best card for Osiris to play, and he hasn’t. That indicates it’s not his card to play. Interesting.”
Alik considered it and shrugged. “Maybe he plans to play that card later.”
Aya, the Seraphim just issued Gabriel an edict to rid his premises of the abominations—preferably by death—and then report to the council. With you. Issac’s warm tones belied the ice of his words.
Stas froze. What did he say to that?
He vaguely agreed.
Has Ezekiel returned? she wondered.
Not to this room, no. The Seraphim has only seen me, Sethios, your brother, and Owen. My guess is he’s tending to Skye.
What about Tristan? He was the only other Ichorian at Stark’s right now. Everyone else had returned to Hydria for the time being.
He’s staying silent upstairs.
Stas didn’t particularly like the sound-controlling Ichorian, but he was Issac’s progeny and therefore important. So she felt a small measure of satisfaction at learning he was all right.
Do you need me to find Jacque and send him to you? She phrased it in a way that didn’t give her location away since he didn’t want her to tell him where Ezekiel had taken