"To be honest, I have no idea what you’ll do in any situation." Especially given how many times in the past he’d stated that he would not interfere in the daily events of my life. And in fact, he hadn’t—not when I’d been attacked by humans who could somehow attain half-animal form, and not when the Raziq had captured me. Although he had, at least, saved me and Tao—one of my best friends—from the hellhounds.
But once again he changed the subject. "You are fortunate the Aedh can only form a permanent telepathic connection through sex. Otherwise, your trip to the railway station would now be compromised."
Did that mean that Lucian—the fallen Aedh who’d become my lover—had formed a telepathic connection with me? Or was that one of the skills that had been stripped from him when they’d ripped the wings from his flesh? I didn’t know, but I suspected it might be wise to find out—even if I was positive Lucian was on no one’s side but his own. Still, given what the priests had done to him, I had no doubt he’d kill them given the slightest opportunity. His punishment might have happened many centuries ago, but the anger still burned in him.
I frowned at Azriel. "The priests rifled through my thoughts when they held me captive, and they certainly didn’t do that via sex."
He nodded. "Aedh—like reapers—can read thoughts when in the same room as a person, but unlike human telepaths we are incapable of doing so from any great distance."
Thank God for small mercies. Although I did wish my rebellious hormones would remember more often that, when I was in his presence, he knew exactly what I was thinking. "Then you’d better be vigilant. If the Raziq get their hands on me, any information we get from the locker will be theirs."
Because I certainly wouldn’t be able to resist them. I might be psychic, but my skills were on a more ethereal level. And as I’d already discovered, me fighting the Raziq was like a leaf fighting a gale.
"When it comes to you, I have learned to be very vigilant."
"And just what is that supposed to mean?"
"Nothing more than it says." But a glint in his eyes belied his words.
Despite the fact that reapers were generally about as emotional as a plank of wood, this one definitely had a sense of humor—even if it was a very odd one.
I headed back into Mom’s room. The main safe was in the study, just across from my old bedroom. As in all the other rooms, the furnishings here were minimal. A desk, a couple of chairs, and the colorful painting that hid the wall safe. But sunlight streamed in through the double windows, lending the space a warmth that many of the others lacked.
Azriel followed me in, a powerful presence who was quickly becoming a permanent—if often distant—fixture in my life.
"I’m not believing a word of that statement, Azriel."
"Allowing you to fall into Raziq hands again would not be the wisest move. Not when they already have the book." His soft voice held little inflection, but I still had the odd feeling that he was amused. "And especially when they are the very people we are trying to stop."