Would you prefer me to stay here, then? he asked, looking at her.
She considered it and shook her head. I want you there. It would be the first time she’d seen her mother in eighteen years. Something about that left her uneasy. Mainly because of her nightmares. She wasn’t sure how those would impact her when she finally saw her mom again.
We’ll face it all together, Issac promised, lacing his fingers through hers. “We’re going to the island.”
Luc stared at him for a long moment, then nodded. “Better to walk willingly into the trap and learn the results than to wait around for a surprise opportunity. We’ll arrive armed and prepared.”
“I don’t think it’ll be needed,” Gabriel said. “Sethios told Ezekiel that Osiris knew of his intentions to escape. He’d used the entire situation as a way to test Stas. Which I’m guessing he’s doing again now. He doesn’t want to hurt her; he wants to train her.”
Stas bristled at the insinuation. “I’m not his to train.”
“Something he’ll learn with time,” her brother replied. “I’ll meet you both there. I need to have a conversation with someone here first.”
She frowned at him. “Who?”
Rather than reply, his red feathers appeared, and he vanished into thin air.
“Now I get to hit him twice,” she muttered.
“I’ll enjoy watching,” Issac replied. “Shall we?”
She responded by misting since, apparently, that was how Seraphim did things. They acted rather than explained.
Issac’s chuckle hummed across her thoughts, his amusement at her version of a tantrum warming her a little inside. He always knew what to say and do to calm her. She wrapped her arms around him a little tighter, her opal wings fluttering in the ethereal state as she took them to the location Gabriel had mentioned.
When their feet met the white sand beach, she knew it was the right place. Because she could feel the power reverberating around them, the wards enclosing her friend in a shield of absolute protection.
“He didn’t lie,” she said. “I can sense his magic all around this place. He’s sheltering her.”
“And you,” a deep voice said as Osiris appeared beside them. “Hello, Astasiya. I was hoping you would come.”
Energy flared around Aya as she faced her grandfather. Issac moved with her, his arm brushing hers as he stood right next to her.
“Osiris,” she said, her tone flat.
“Granddaughter,” he returned, his lips curling. “You knew I’d be waiting for you here.”
“I expected it,” she admitted.
“And you came anyway.”
She lifted a shoulder. “You have my best friend. Of course I came.”
“I’m protecting her,” he said.
“I know.” The nonchalance in those two words almost made Issac’s lips twitch. He wondered if Aya realized how much she’d grown in her confidence over the last few months. She was facing the most powerful being in existence—the one who had created all of them—and she hadn’t even broken a sweat.
Osiris studied her. “You approve.”
“Of keeping my best friend safe? Always.” She folded her arms. “But if you’re planning to separate her from Jay or their baby, then no, I don’t approve.”
His brow furrowed. “Why would I separate them?”
“Because you want to use her to create your own progeny,” she said.
“I wouldn’t need to separate them for that.”
“Then you underestimate Jay’s possessiveness,” Astasiya replied.
“I could make him watch, if I so desired, but that’s neither here nor there. The time to create new life has diminished due to recent events. Trying to train a new progeny won’t be possible. Which is why I’ve wanted to speak to you.”
“You want to train me.”
He dipped his chin in confirmation. “I do.”
“And if I don’t want to be trained?”
“Then you’ll die,” he replied simply.
Issac narrowed his gaze. “Choose your next words wisely, Osiris.” A statement he never would have made a year ago, but Aya didn’t exist in his life then. She did now. And this ancient being had just threatened her, something that could not be tolerated.
Osiris arched a brow at him. “Was that a warning?”
“Yes.” A single word underlined in confidence. It didn’t matter that this Seraphim possessed incredible power. He lacked family. Emotion. Heart. Those three items were ones Osiris looked down upon because he didn’t understand them. However, Issac did. They weren’t weaknesses but strengths. They created a defensive unit, one that would be used against Osiris should he try to harm Astasiya.
“Fascinating,” the Seraphim murmured. “I’ve always respected you, Issac. You’re bold and creative and loyal. And now you’re proving to be protective of my most valuable weapon.”