"Why?" Cassandra asked. "He seems nice enough. A bit standoffish, but I can't really blame him for that."
"Trust me, hon, he's a different Urian here. He's not the same guy I've known for eleven thousand years. The Urian I've known wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone or anything at his father's command. I've seen him snap the neck of any Daimon who crossed them and you don't want to know what he does to Were-Hunters who betray them."
Wulf reached for his drink on the coffee table. "The Spathis are the reason Dark-Hunters never come out of bolt-holes, aren't they?"
She nodded. "The bolt-hole drops you front and center into the main banquet hall of Kalosis. Right in the heart of their city. Dark-Hunters are killed instantly. Weres are given a chance. They can swear allegiance to the Destroyer and be spared or they die."
"And Daimons?"
"Are welcomed so long as they train with the Spathis and uphold their warrior's code. The instant they show weakness, they die too."
Wulf let out a slow breath. "Hell of a place you come from, Kat."
"That's not my place. I come from Olympus."
"Then how did you get involved with the Destroyer?"
Cassandra was curious about that too.
Kat was sheepish. "I really can't go there."
"Why not?" Cassandra asked.
Kat shrugged. "It's something no one talks about, least of all me."
Well, that was just irritating and told her nothing. But then Cassandra had other things on her mind. "Do you think Stryker will be able to find us here?"
"Honestly, I don't know. Stryker has a lot of spies in the Apollite and Were communities. It's how he found us before. Apparently one of the Weres at the Inferno works with him and contacted them as soon as we came in the door."
Wulf indicated the door that led out into the city. "So any one of the people out there could betray us?"
"I won't lie and say no. It is possible."
Cassandra swallowed as fear invaded her heart. "Is there any place safe?"
"At this time. No."
Cassandra was getting ready for bed. Wulf was still outside with Kat, brainstorming escape plans in case they needed a quick exit from Elysia.
Personally, Cassandra was tired of running. Tired of being hunted.
Look on the bright side, it will all end on your birthday.
Somehow that thought was less than comforting to her. Sighing, she ran her hand through the letters in her memory box. Cassandra paused as she noticed a piece of sealed gray vellum paper that was different from the cream ones she used.
She hadn't added that one. Wulf's fears about what her sister might write made her more than curious.
A frown creasing her brow, she pulled the letter out and looked it over. She pried the seal up so as not to hurt it, then opened it.
Her heart stopped as she read the masculine, flowing script.
Dear son,
I would call you by name, but I'm waiting for your mother to decide. I only hope she is joking when she calls you Albert Dalbert.
Cassandra paused to laugh at that. It was a joke between them, at least most of the time. Sobering, she read on.
For weeks now I have watched your mother zealously gather her tokens for this box. She's so afraid of you not knowing anything about her, and it bothers me greatly that you'll never know her strength firsthand. I'm sure by the time you read this, you'll know everything I do about her.