with hers. Suddenly, being in the cemetery didn't feel as difficult and wrenching as it used to. Alice gave him comfort. She gave him peace.
He looked up at her, and his heart tightened when she smiled down at him. It felt damn good to have her by his side.
"You guys should be in a Hallmark commercial. You're that cute."
Ian turned sharply at the sound of Thano's voice. To his shock, Thano was just behind him...riding the wizard's horse. "Thano!" He strode over to his teammate, Thano bent down, and they exchanged a hard hug. For a moment, there were no words, and then Ian finally stepped back. "Shit, man, it's good to see you. Where did you come from? How'd you get back?"
"Ryland tracked me down. The bastard interrupted my pedicure." Thano grinned, and Ian noticed how thin he looked. His eyes were sparkling with humor, but there were shadows in them that hadn't been there before. "It's good to be back. Got myself a horse. You like?" He stroked his mount's neck.
Ian rubbed the horse's nose, surprised at how soft it was. To him, Deathbringer had always been a harbinger of evil, not an animal to be patted. "You're rehabbing Deathbringer?"
"Rehabbing him? No chance. He kicks ass exactly how he is." Thano scratched the beast between the ears, like he'd adopted a damn cocker spaniel, not a war horse. "This warrior is my new partner, and his name is Apollo, because you cynical old guys need a little more Greek power on this team. Figured having a god on our side might help." Something surprisingly dark flashed through Thano's eyes, as if he were now the one with a load of hell haunting him, instead of the rest of them.
Then Thano grinned, shaking the shadows off as if they'd never been there, but Ian didn't believe it. What had happened to Thano while he'd been in Cardiff's lair?
"If Apollo decides he likes you," Thano continued, "he may allow you to bask in his greatness. Or, he might be offended and kick you in the head. You just never know."
"Sounds like your perfect match, then." Ian grinned as Apollo reached around and began to nibble on Thano's jeans. "Never knew the Order would turn into a mounted force, but I'll bet he'll be an asset." A warrior horse that could run on water, fly, and move in complete stealth? Yeah, that would work.
Ian had to admit, the horse looked good. His coat was a glossy black, and his stiff leather bridle was gone, replaced by a soft gray suede that draped gently over his nose. There was no bit in his mouth, no way to really control him, and yet he stood proudly beneath Thano.
There were black straps around Thano's thighs that almost looked like they were holding Thano in place. Ian noticed that Thano's feet were hanging limply, not gripping the horse's sides. "Shit, man, you okay?"
"Dude, this day is not about me," Thano said. "Get with the program, old man."
Ian frowned. "What are you talking about?"
"The party, of course." Thano jerked his chin, and Ian looked past him, shocked to discover that the entire Order was present. All of his team, plus their women.
The Order members were kneeling in a semi-circle, each of them holding their weapon in their right hand, while the women stood off to the left in a small group. Gideon Roarke, Quinn Masters, Elijah Ross, Zach Roderick, Gabe Watson, Ryland, and even young Drew...though Vaughn was nowhere in sight. The man was the dedicated guardian of the youth he loved like a son, yet he was absent. Still searching for Flynn, like Alice had indicated? After spending time with him over the last two months searching for Alice, Ian still felt like the man was an enigma, but he'd gotten used to having him around. He'd become almost an honorary Order member, and Ian hoped he was okay.
Thano rode Apollo to the spot beside Gideon, and then the massive beast went down on one knee with Thano still astride, the horse and rider assuming the position as a single entity.
At the top of the circle was an empty spot. Carved in the ground was an outline of a mace, exactly like Ian's weapon.
He recognized the formation immediately, and his throat tightened. "Son of a bitch," he said. "You've got to be kidding."
"What is it?" Alice moved up beside him.
"It's an induction ceremony for the Order of the Blade." Suddenly, it became hard to talk.