"So," Tao said, as he rolled the chilled bottle across his forehead. "Ilianna tells me you’ve found a way to read the book without alerting the Raziq. When you attempt it, I want to be there to help."
I opened my mouth to say no, then shut it again and took a drink instead. I’d known Tao long enough to realize he wouldn’t be dissuaded. And the truth was, with both Azriel and Lucian barred from entering the sacred site, we might just need him. Ilianna wasn’t a member of any coven, let alone the one that owned that ancient site, so there was no telling how the forest was going to react once she raised her magic in its midst.
And while she might be a powerful witch in her own right, she couldn’t help me and protect herself at the same time.
"You’ll need to wear every magical charm Ilianna can lay her hands on if you do," I said, meeting his gaze evenly. "The place we’re going is almost sentient. There’s no telling what will happen once Ilianna creates the void."
He nodded, looking pleased and somewhat bemused. "I was actually prepared for a rather long and drawn-out argument. I think I’m almost disappointed."
I chuckled softly. "I’m not stupid, no matter what some people think. And I rather like the thought of having someone at my back whom I can completely trust."
Tao opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Azriel said from behind me, "I gather by the rather ill-disguised sarcasm in your voice that that particular sentence is aimed at me?"
"At you, at Lucian, and at everyone else looking for these keys," I retorted, not bothering to swing around and look at him. I didn’t need to—not when I could taste his rising anger in the air around me. "I just want you all out of my life. I’m sick of the lies and the endless threat of danger. I want everything to go back to normal."
"Then we had best get moving and find these keys," Azriel said, his voice still cool and collected, even if the air still boiled with his emotions.
"Which all sounds well and good," Ilianna said as her gaze swept between me and Azriel, "but this spell must be done at the break of dawn. And that’s quite a few hours away."
"By the time we gather everything you need and drive to the site, it won’t be." I hesitated, then added, "You’ll need your four-wheel drive rather than Tao’s Ferrari. This spot is a bitch to get to."
She nodded, then swigged the last of her beer and rose. "I left everything at Mirri’s, but it won’t take me long to get there and back."
My gaze flicked to Tao, and he said instantly, "Feel like some company? I might be tempted to help out in the kitchen if I hang about here too long, and that would annoy Jacques."
Jacques was the sous-chef we’d recently employed, and while he was a damn fine chef, to say he was somewhat temperamental would be an understatement. He respected Tao as the boss and co-owner, but when it came to his shift, he was in charge and interference was not appreciated.
Ilianna smiled and patted his cheek. "You lie so prettily. No wonder the girls all love you."