Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(117)

Sen shrugged. “Evalle can do it … with her hands.”

“I’ll get Adrianna,” Tzader called out to Trey, then slowed by Sen on his way out. “You ever take a day off from being an *?”

Sen let his glare speak for him.

Once Tzader was out of hearing range, Sen’s narrowed gaze hardened even further. He tucked the box with the stone under his arm and strode forward.

She didn’t see a warded vehicle in her future.

Sen stopped close to Evalle and leaned down. “Be on time for your Tribunal hearing and don’t make me hunt you. If I can’t find you, Tzader will be held responsible. If you’re not there for the Tribunal meeting, Tzader will have to take your place and accept the consequences of the ruling.”

“Somebody pee in your crispy-doodles this morning?” She couldn’t leave Tzader to face the Tribunal and Sen knew it.

But Brina had said she’d be there. Time for another dose of trust.

Storm had finished talking to one of the Beladors and moved closer to where she stood with Sen, his body flexing as if he intended to protect her.

But she didn’t need saving or protecting. She was a Belador. She jutted her chin at Sen. “I’ll be there, but don’t hold your breath that the Tribunal is going to make your day and send me away.”

His smirk spoke volumes before he teleported away with the Ngak Stone.

Asshole. Evalle felt a pop against the back of her head the minute she swore. Sorry, Brina. But Evalle smiled at the reprimand that meant she was one of Brina’s family.

“Is that the one who wants your ass?” Grady asked.

“Yes.” The Tribunal was a bigger problem than Sen, but she couldn’t discuss that here with Grady. She’d forgotten the Nightstalker was still here. “How’d you get caught in the Kujoo trap?”

His eyes shifted away from her guiltily. “I got sucked in when I heard about the double handshakes.”

Tzader walked back inside just in time to hear what Grady had said. “You know none of us can do that, and look what happened when the Kujoo shook with those poor Nightstalkers.”

Grady’s image wavered in and out, eyes shooting angry darts at Tzader. “I had a reason.”

Adrianna came into the room, took one look at Evalle and turned toward the windows, where daylight was coming on fast. Adrianna’s lips moved as she raised her hands. The windows turned into a solid wall. She ignored Evalle after that, directing her attention to Tzader. “I have a question for you.”

Tzader walked over to the Sterling witch Evalle was starting to reevaluate after all that Adrianna had done. Sterling witches didn’t give without expecting something in trade. That Adrianna hadn’t asked for a thing—yet—was reason enough to remain vigilant around her.

With everyone busy, Evalle took the opportunity to find out what was going on with Grady. “What’s the reason you need an hour tonight?”

A sad smile shifted his face. “I have a granddaughter getting married in Atlanta. I don’t want to meet her, but I wanted to hear her words. When I’m in this half-alive form, my hearing and sense of smell are dulled. Not crisp like a human’s senses. I want to hear the organ music play her wedding march and hear her say her vows. I want to smell the fresh flowers.” His eyes strayed from her face, turning watery. “I want to soak up a memory I can hold on to for eternity.”

Her heart might split from breaking. She had to get out of here before she lost the shaky grip she had on her emotions after all that had gone down tonight. “I understand.” She took a breath and cleared her throat. “You should go—” She started to say home, but Grady didn’t have a home. “I’ll see you later, okay?”

Grady stared at her so long that she thought he was stuck in that spot. He finally shimmered toward the exit, then vanished.

The room was far darker with the windows gone, but the glass skylights still intact allowed enough light to see. Storm finished closing the distance to her, clearly not caring what anyone thought when he put the back of his hand against her cheek. “That’s some shiner.”

Her heart tripped over itself at his touch. Guessed she had to reevaluate how she thought of him, too. “You told them how to find us and brought Laurette with the stone. She must have found you okay.”

Storm gazed at her for a few seconds. “I was buckling my belt behind a hedge in the park when she popped into view holding that rock.”

“You were supposed to put Laurette and that rock somewhere safe, not bring it around this place.”

“I don’t see the world in shambles, and that stone wasn’t going anywhere until you were safe.”

Okay, that just earned him more points than he’d know how to use. “Thanks, but what if Tristan had gotten the stone?”

“He’d have had to kill me to do that, and I’m not so easy to kill.” Storm reached behind his neck and untied a leather cord, lifting the amulet from inside his shirt. “Give this back to Nicole when you see her.”

Evalle stood still while he leaned forward to tie the cord at the back of her neck. His lips brushed her cheek before he lifted away. He ran his hand down to her shoulder, and she flinched when his fingers touched the slash cuts from Kizira’s bullwhip nails.

To keep from moaning, she gritted her teeth.