Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(15)

Rescuing Tristan and his group, which included his sister, Petrina, and two friends, had just gotten more complicated. Now Evalle had to also figure a way of preventing the Medb from taking possession of those Alterant fighters entered in the Achilles Beast Championship.

But Imogenia could have lost her Alterant tonight.

Evalle asked, “Why risk your fighter here?”

“I don’t have to answer—”

Storm cut in. “To train him.”

Imogenia sliced a mean look at Storm and muttered, “I wouldn’t tolerate insolence.”

Evalle ignored her. “What about the Alterants without sponsors? What are they fighting for?”

“Oh, all five of the top Alterants are also offered a chance to escape persecution and become immortal warriors.”

If Evalle hadn’t been clenching her teeth up to this point, her jaw would have dropped. The chance for immortality should bring in any loner Alterants.

Was that why Tristan had signed on with the Medb?

If he had?

Evalle asked, “Do you have more than one Alterant?”

“No.”

No reaction from Storm, so that had to be the truth. Now what? Use the intel tip Evalle had been hoarding to trade with? She cast a thoughtful glance over at Bernie. “I doubt I’ll run across any sacred bones before the ABC, and I do plan to enter, so I may have to take your Alterant after all.”

“No. I answered your questions.” Energy sizzled around Imogenia. Her hair lifted away from her shoulders and body and her shoulders shook, but Evalle couldn’t pin down if the reaction was from fear or anger.

Her senses picked up paranoia . . . and worry. How often would any witch have a chance to get Noirre majik from the Medb without risk to her person? Evalle said, “No, you haven’t answered all my questions. You don’t even know how to access T?μr Medb. I’m not feeling satisfied.”

But Imogenia had to be planning to show up with a Volonte bone to get her Alterant in. If Evalle could get her hands on that, she’d have a way for herself and another VIPER member to enter the championship undercover. As an Alterant, Evalle could enter for free if she entered as a fighter. But she couldn’t do that unless she wanted to die, since she was forbidden from fully shifting. A Volonte would guarantee her access if she had someone else with her.

Someone other than Storm.

No more death fights for him. Evalle would not allow him to put his life at risk for her again, and definitely not for VIPER. Sen could choose who went in undercover as a fighter.

Imogenia worried the chain holding her pendant. “What else do you want to know?”

Evalle crossed her arms, tapping a thumb against her bicep. “To be honest, I’d rather enter my shifter in the ABC than your Alterant, so here’s the deal—I keep your Alterant until you bring me a Volonte bone, then you get Bernie back. Simple as a pawn deal.”

Imogenia released her necklace and fisted her hands. When she spoke, it was in a voice meant to raise the hair on any living creature. “He’s my Alterant.”

The witch must be drinking her own cauldron brews. She was jumpy as a crack house junkie.

Imogenia took a ragged breath and, on the exhale, calmed down but still threatened, “If I go to the Domjon and he believes you’re dealing in bad faith, he’ll rule in my favor. If that happens, I walk away with both fighters.”

Ah, crap. If I back off now, she’ll know she has me and turn the tables. In spite of that threat freezing the blood in her veins, Evalle forced a confident expression and responded as if nothing mattered. “Maybe, but what if he doesn’t? You’ll lose your Alterant for sure, because I won’t continue to negotiate at that point.”

Imogenia became very still.

Evalle pressed her slight advantage. “Seems like you’d know where to get a bone if you were all set on entering Bernie. If you can’t tell me how to get into T?μr Medb and you don’t have a bone, we’re at a stalemate for a satisfied deal.”

Imogenia spent the next few seconds stewing until her mask lit up, a bright, blinding white. When her mask settled down to a soft glow, she released a stream of air from between clenched teeth and said, “I have a Volonte.”

“Where?”

“Here.”

No way. This was too good. “Show it to me.”

Imogenia raised her forearm that sported an armband woven of gold and bronze threads. It smelled old and strangely alluring.

Evalle and Storm leaned forward at the same time. A small bone that could be from the tip of a man’s pinky finger had been caught inside a web of crisscrossed bronze threads.

Sounding more like a witch in control, Imogenia said, “Make me a worthy trade and I’ll give you the bone if you’ll declare this deal satisfied.”

“What do you want?”

“A strand of hair.”

Storm’s jaw flexed against the “No” Evalle knew he wanted to shout. She laughed at Imogenia, making it clear she thought the suggestion stupid. “As if I’d give you something you can use against me?”

“I use hair for many things. It’s not always about the donor.”

“Tell you what. I’ll give you something better.”

“Such as?”

“The name of a witch in your coven who wants to take over and intends to use you for a blood sacrifice to do it.”