"You've cleared it with Hunter?"
"Yes. Neither she nor the council currently has any desire to lose your services, so I am to do whatever needs to be done."
Considering he was a Cazador and could basically do anything he liked to get the job done, that was a pretty chilling statement. "The only thing I need you to do is to get Rhoan out of there."
"I'm sure that is not what Hunter—"
"In this case, I don't care what Hunter wants."
He hesitated, then said, in a distinctly cooler voice, "If that is your wish."
"It is."
"I shall be there in fifteen minutes."
"See you then."
I hung up a second time, then met Azriel's steady gaze. "I have a really bad feeling about all this."
He half raised a hand, but let it drop before he ever touched me. And at that particular moment, I almost hated him. I certainly hated the reasons he was distancing himself almost as much as I hated the madman I'd soon have to face. Right now, I didn't want distance and I certainly didn't care that those reasons made perfect sense. I just wanted the comfort of his arms wrapped around me, the heat of his body pressed against mine, the tease of his lips against my ear as he whispered everything was going to be all right.
Even if we both knew it was a lie.
Something flicked in his eyes, but he didn't move or otherwise react. "You are not unprotected on the plane, Risa. You have Amaya, and she will do all she can to keep you safe. As I will."
"I know. It's just that—" I hesitated, and rubbed my arms. "He's not sane, Azriel. He'll do the unexpected."
"Undoubtedly." He hesitated, and a flash of frustration ran across his otherwise impassive expression. "I wish I could do more, Risa. I really do."