Rise of the Gryphon (Belador #4)(45)

“We could use him.”

“I’ll tell him, but I’m not encouraging him to sign on with VIPER again.” Evalle looked around, making sure they were still alone even though Tzader could see behind her. “Whether anyone believes it or not, I’m sure Sen tried to kill Storm a month ago.”

“You can’t be saying that around here without evidence.”

“I’m not. I’m telling you, because Storm will probably come in to help you and the other agents. Just keep an eye on his back if he does, okay?”

Tzader took his time answering, those dark brown eyes concentrating a little too much on what she’d just said. “I’d think you’d be watching his back.”

Crap. She shoved her hands in the back pockets of her jeans to keep from giving away her jumpy nerves. She should be helping Tzader. She should be watching Storm’s back. She should be able to do a better job of watching over the people she cared about. “I will, but we probably won’t be working together the whole time due to how little time I can be in the sun.” Especially once she headed out for the ABC without him.

A long, tired sigh wheezed out of Tzader. “Take him with you to do whatever you’re doing.”

No way. “If I need him, I will, but he’ll be more help as a tracker right now.”

“Fine. I need you to do something for me, too.”

“Name it.” Being able to do anything for Tzader gave Evalle a happy moment she needed after hours of stress.

Tzader reached inside his jacket and withdrew a thick legal-size envelope. “Take this to Quinn tonight. I got a text saying that he received the warning about the infection and that he’s back in the city. Said he’d be at his hotel all night. Tell him to call me after he gets this. I need to send him back to Treoir to oversee security there until we get this infection figured out.”

She took the envelope and followed Tzader up the forty steps it took to reach the hallway that led back to her motorcycle. With every step, guilt dragged at her over leaving Tzader and Quinn to deal with the infection when she should be here helping out.

But she didn’t have a lot of time to go see Quinn, check on Grady and talk to Storm before she had to leave for Cumberland Island.

When they reached her motorcycle, Evalle gathered what she needed, while Tzader arranged for the big black sport-utility vehicle that screamed Secret Service.

Tzader put his hand on her shoulder before she stepped into the imposing black ride. “I’ve never known Macha to intentionally send someone into danger, but I’ve got a bad feeling about whatever you’re doing.”

She pulled together all the muscles she could to create a believable smile. “Nothing worse than her usual crap.”

“Call me if you need me. Even if you can’t use a phone.”

“I will.” Not. She climbed into the truck and flipped on the headlights that speared the dark hanging outside the mountain. When she drove out, the entrance formed back into a rock, blending into the surroundings.

She couldn’t tell Tzader. And though she needed her friends to know, she hesitated to share any of this with Quinn. Guilt kicked her in the gut every time she thought about him, but much as she didn’t want it to be true, her trust in Quinn had a severe crack.

Back before Tristan was captured, Kizira had claimed Quinn had told her where to find Evalle. That knowledge had almost brought about the deaths of Evalle, Tristan and his friends in an underground maze. When Evalle had questioned Quinn, he’d lied about helping the Medb priestess find Evalle. And Evalle knew that to be a fact only because Storm had unintentionally overheard her questioning Quinn.

Even if she could tell Tzader, now was not the time to divide his focus, when his first responsibility was to the Belador tribe. Evalle’s should be, too, but she also served Macha now, and Macha topped everyone in the Belador food chain.

That meant Evalle would have to insert into the ABC alone, with no backup, because she would not pit Storm against an Alterant again.

And he couldn’t get in without her.

She hadn’t gotten the armband off, but she also hadn’t tried to kill Sen. That counted for something.

Sen had been too accommodating with this vehicle, and he’d backed off way too quickly when Tzader had refused protective custody.

Definitely too easy.

Sen hadn’t demanded anything in return for the warded SUV.

Deep in the pit of Evalle’s stomach, she had a sick feeling that Sen knew something. About her and Storm being at the Beast Club? But Horace would have told Tzader, who would have told Evalle.

Or was Sen anticipating that she’d make a run for the immortality offer by the Medb and he’d capture her there? If he caught her, he wouldn’t hand her over to be judged by the Tribunal.

Not this time. He’d deal out justice himself.





FIFTEEN





Cousin Quinn should have returned by now. He was near.

Lanna knew this because she held his wrinkled dress shirt in her hands, rubbing the soft material. She was sure she had felt him close just before dark, but that was three hours ago.

Brasko women were born with the gift of precognition, but few had Lanna’s power. Of course, hers was an unskilled gift, and at eighteen, her hormones were creating as much trouble as her lack of formal training. Still, she had been sure Cousin Quinn would walk through the door of his grand hotel suite way before now.