Blood Trinity (Belador #1)(82)

If only it were that simple. “I don’t want to see more Alterants caged.”

“You’ll never stop Brina from caging them.”

That was for sure. She should argue with him, but Evalle couldn’t honestly defend Brina when Evalle had her own doubts about the Belador warrior queen. She’d push Tristan and see what he gave up. “I’ve been working to find out anything I can on Alterants for a long time. I don’t want to see them caged. If you don’t, then answer my questions.”

He crossed his arms, pondering on something. “Finding you has made this an entirely new game. Tell you what I’ll do. If you really want to help Alterants and want me to tell you what I know of the others—”

“You know about the other three?” Now we’re talking.

“Of course. For example, I know where they were caged.”

How was it that Tristan had information Brina wouldn’t share with her?

He continued, “If you want to help your own kind, then bring me the Ngak Stone before four o’clock Wednesday morning.”

Let’s think about this. Hand this fool more power? Not. “What are you going to do with the Ngak Stone if you get it?”

“There is no if about it. I’ll explain when you show up with the stone unless I find it first, at which point I’ll move ahead with my plans. But if you bring the stone to me and join me, I’ll guarantee your safety for as long as you live and you’ll be revered for your powers, not treated as a dog who begs for scraps.”

On the surface, that sounded pretty tempting, but she had an oath to uphold. Just not her week for a decent deal. “I don’t think you’ll be around long enough to be offering protection once Brina finds out you’re on the loose. I’m going to be busy finding that young woman with the stone and protecting her.”

“You mean to take the stone, and put it in the VIPER vault, don’t you?”

She was amazed at how much he knew for someone who had been locked away for five years. “I can’t discuss VIPER’s business.”

“If you intend to lock up the stone, then don’t pretend you care what happens to me or the other three Alterants.” He lifted his shoulders in dismissal. “And you’ll never find out the truth about our species, because I’m the only one with the answers to your questions.”

“I can find my own answers without putting all the Beladors at risk.” Maybe in a couple lifetimes.

Tristan’s grin spread at seeing through her bluff. “I doubt you’ll figure out what bred with a Belador to make an Alterant. Not without my help. I know my family history and what you, me and the other three Alterants have in common. Are those some of your questions?”

Dead on the mark. Blood thrummed through her at the possibility of actually finding answers. She didn’t have a thing to offer Tristan, since he’d been burned once already by Brina—if he was telling the truth—and believed the Ngak Stone was his ticket to freedom. But he wasn’t the only one after the rock. “What’s going on between you and Vyan?”

“I’m going to kill him if he gets in my way again, and I will find that woman.”

“How did you find Vyan?”

“How do you know he didn’t find me?” Tristan quipped and walked past her. “Make plans to come with me, Evalle. I will hold the key to freedom without persecution.”

She took a side step to keep him in view, and her leg throbbed at the movement. “If you touch the Ngak Stone it could kill you, or her, and if that doesn’t happen the Kujoo might get their hands on the rock and start a war with the Beladors that could turn into a modern-day apocalypse.”

He paused from pacing. “Don’t confuse me with someone who gives a shit about any of that.”

That was the most truthful comment he’d made so far. He really didn’t care who lived or died, which only made him more dangerous. Vyan had been much like that when she’d first met him in this very park two years back. He’d lost everything to the Beladors eight hundred years ago, including his will to survive.

Why would Vyan risk drawing the attention of the Beladors?

Grady had told her an ancient synergy had entered the city.

She pieced it together in her mind and made a guess. “You really think the Kujoo warriors are your friends?”

He offered her a smile. “We have Common Enemy Syndrome.”

“We.” She had to get to Tzader soon and let him know what she’d just figured out. Vyan was no longer the sole Kujoo in the city. “How many Kujoo are here now?”

“Enough.”

“You aren’t going to have a world to live in once they start a war.”

Tristan crossed his arms. “They won’t be a problem. The Kujoo aren’t hanging around once I get the rock. They want to be sent back eight hundred years immediately. So you don’t have to worry about fighting them in Atlanta.” His gaze swung from side to side, watching all around him. “Love to stay and chat, but I’ve got a rock to find and you’ve got to go suck up to the Beladors.”

Just great. An Alterant on the loose hunting a human who had gotten her hands on the Ngak Stone. “If you harm that woman, you’ll bring down a lot more trouble on your head than the Beladors. Macha might even get involved.”