And yet the notion that others would be lost before this quest was over was one that wouldn't go away and wouldn't be ignored.
Azriel picked up the index cards, his expression unreadable and little emotion evident in the link. I really had no idea what he thought of my reasoning, but surely he understood. After all, reapers did what was necessary to get the job done.
"We head to Stane's, then?" was all he said.
I hesitated, then nodded. "After that, we might go to Adeline Greenfield's place, and ask whether our Michael Greenfield could possibly be her brother."
Azriel frowned. "I thought you intended to see your uncle next?"
I grimaced. "I did, but after that confrontation with Rhoan, I've rethought the wisdom of that."
In other words, cowardice had come to the fore. But one angry confrontation a day was really all I could handle at the moment.
"It is not cowardice to wish to avoid a confrontation that might set those you care about on a crash course with death,"Azriel said softly. "And that is what all of us involved in this quest face."
My gaze flashed to his. "You stay alive, reaper, no matter what. I have no intention of raising our child alone."
He smiled. "Trust me, I have no intention of going anywhere. Whether the fates give me that choice is another matter entirely."
"Well, they fucking better," I said, as I stepped into his arms. "Because if I survive all the chaos they've created, I think I deserve some sort of reward."
He raised an eyebrow, amusement evident. "And I'm to be that reward?"
"You'll do for starters."
He laughed, and delight skated through me. I cupped his cheek and lightly brushed my thumb across the small laugh lines near his mouth. Lines that hadn't been there when he'd first made an appearance in my life. "You should do that more often."
"Once we are through this, perhaps I will."