Ronan replies.
“That means he’s using a powerful concealment spell,” I mutter to myself.
“What did he do? Hire a rogue mage?” Karl asks.
Suspicions creeps into my head. “Maybe, but there’s also a chance he’s receiving help from someone within the Council of Witches.”
A low growl comes from Saxon, which earns him everyone’s attention.
Manu cocks her head. “Why is Saxon looking like he’s about to turn into the Tasmanian Devil?”
“Because we have a suspect. Elena Montenegro,” I say.
“That name sounds familiar.” Ronan frowns, rubbing his chiseled chin.
“She’s a respected elder in the council, but we know she’s up to no good.” I refrain from telling them about the blood vow. I can’t deal with everyone knowing about my stupidity. Plus, it doesn’t change anything for them.
“The asshole warlocks believe she’s made a deal with a demon,” Saxon chimes in. “She also knows that first-generation Bluebloods are going crazy.”
I watch the blood drain from Lucca’s face. “What?”
“Uh? Come again?” Vaughn pinches his eyebrows together.
Saxon sucks his bottom lip in, looking incredibly guilty now. “You didn’t know?” he asks Lucca.
“I did. But how could you or Elena possibly know that?” Lucca grumbles. “My uncle only told me recently. He’s keeping a tight lid on the issue.”
“He didn’t tell me!” Manu crosses her arms, pouting, then turns to Karl. “Did you know?”
“Yep. I’ve known for a while.”
With a mischievous grin on her lips, Cheryl chimes in, “Me too.”
Fury sparks in Manu’s eyes, and I bet if there weren’t so many of us here, she might have tried to wipe the grin off Cheryl’s face by force. Karl shoots his sister a reproachful look, which she ignores.
Rikkon is standing as still as a statue, but his eyes are vacant. My eyes immediately seek Vivienne’s. She doesn’t seem surprised by the revelation. Lucca must have told her. Now that she has recovered her memories, she might shed some light on the mysterious Nightingale relic Elena possesses.
“She has the Taluah Mirror,” I say.
Vivienne widens her eyes as her spine goes taut. “She has one of them?”
“There are more?”
“Yes. Each court in Ellnesari had one. It allowed them to spy on the human realm without them having to leave their kingdoms.”
“Kind of like a big brother thing?” Karl says.
“Precisely. A Nightingale must have brought the mirror here, but how did it end up in Elena’s possession?”
“I don’t know.” I cross my arms. “Only that’s not good for us, especially if she’s indeed in cahoots with a demon.”
Lucca passes a hand over his face, standing from his chair. “If she’s a threat, we need to take care of her too.”
“The warlocks of Ivern have a plan,” I say.
“An absurd one. You’re not going to follow through with it, Rora.” Saxon tries to stare me down.
“Hey, don’t look at me like that. I want to marry Calvin as much as I want to jump out of a plane without a parachute.”
“I’m so confused,” Vaughn pipes up. “Tell us again why you have to marry someone else if you’re mated to Saxon.”
“She’s not marrying anyone,” Saxon snarls.
A ringtone interrupts the tense conversation and I’m grateful for it. It turns out it’s Cheryl’s phone.
“Hello?” she answers.
Sadly, I don’t have super hearing, but a moment later, she frowns. More bad news coming our way, I bet.
“Who was it?” Ronan snaps, growing visibly tense.
I expect the feisty redhead to snarl back, but her expression is more somber than angry. “That was Jagger. He says we need to head to Ember Emporium right now if we want to avoid a disaster.”
“That’s all? He didn’t give any details?” Karl asks.
“No.”
“That sounds like a trap,” Saxon mutters. “Manu probably should stay here.”
“I’m not going to stay behind. I’m not a baby.”
“No, but until we hand Jacques over to the dragons, you’re still a target. It’s best if we don’t provoke the beasts with a short fuse,” Lucca argues.
I turn to Saxon. “You should stay behind too. You haven’t completely healed yet.”
The look of complete astonishment he gives me is almost comical, but I know it means he will fight me on it.
“You know I can’t stay behind. Besides, I’m feeling much better.”
Rikkon, who had been quiet the whole time, hisses loudly, and then shoves the heels of his palms against his eyes. “Fuck!”
“Ah, shit. Are you having another vision?” Saxon asks.
He doesn’t answer as he rests his head in his hands. Vivienne jumps to his side and begins to rub his back. “Talk to me, Rik.”
“Aargh! This hurts so much.”
“Did you see anything useful? Are the dragons planning