The Curse (Belador #3)(97)

“I don’t want to see Sen.”

Casper grinned. “Don’t blame you, but it’s going to be a bit airy riding home unless you’ve got on something under that robe. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy the view when you rode off.”

She smiled a little, hoping Casper still wanted to joke with her once he heard about Evalle the Monster. “Quinn sent a car that’s supposed to be here somewhere.”

“That’d be the sleek black ride sittin’ over yonder.” Casper waved at someone behind her.

When Evalle shifted around, a black limousine pulled up. The driver jumped out and said, “Miss Lanna?”

Lanna took on the air of a princess. “That is me. There are two of us.”

“Absolutely.” The chauffeur opened her door, then led Evalle to the other side, where she slid onto the luxurious leather seat next to Lanna.

As soon as the driver climbed in, Lanna said, “Evalle will give you her address.”

Evalle had just sat down. “What?”

“Cousin said he must help Tzader and I must go with you to apartment.”

Evalle had never allowed anyone inside her underground apartment except Tzader and Quinn, but this girl had done her share to save lives tonight, the twins being two of those. Evalle gave the driver an address near her apartment and dropped her head back against the cool leather seat.

When the chauffeur closed the privacy window to the passenger area and drove off, Evalle mumbled, “Thought Quinn wanted you to go to the hotel.”

“He said I am safe with you and I am to tell you important thing about when you change into your other self.”

Turning her head to Lanna, Evalle said, “I don’t want to be rude to you, but the last thing I want to talk about is what happened back in Treoir.”

“You are wrong. You must know this.”





THIRTY-THREE




I should ha expected Kizira ta put her own plan into play since she shares the blood of both of us. Cathbad stood alongside Flaevynn in front of her scryin’ wall, where rare gems glistened and sparkled beneath a shower of cascading water.

He could no fulfill his own plans as long as Kizira remained in the dungeon. Pointing at the images on the wall—the aftermath of the battle between the Beladors and the Svarts on Treoir—Cathbad said, “You’re fortunate the female Alterant defeated the demonic troll.”

“I never doubted that Evalle would survive a battle with the troll we dipped in Loch Ryve. I’m fortunate to have caught Kizira’s betrayal now before she could ruin everything.”

“Ach, Flaevynn. You’re wrong. Kizira did ya a favor.”

“How do you possibly see this as such?”

“Kizira told me she intended to gain the location of Treoir an’ test the defenses with trolls. She ha planned it as a surprise for ya.”

“You really want me to believe that?”

No, but he ha never won a battle from the point of defense. “I do. You compel her. Do ya really think she can get around that?”

Flaevynn shifted her gaze to him, eyes tense with undisclosed thoughts. “Not really.”

“Course no. Ya need Kizira. She brought ya Tristan an’ his sister. Kizira will deliver the other five Alterants, an’ in time.” Cathbad would ensure that she did.

Flaevynn floated across her chamber. In her wake, flames surged on hundreds of candles around the room, then died back to normal heights as her energy moved with her. “I can’t abide a traitor.”

“If that be the case, why does she live?”

Spinning around in a swirl of brilliant colors, Flaevynn cocked her head at him. “You would condemn your precious child to death?”

“No. I but question if ya truly believe she betrayed ya since she still lives.”

He’d struck his mark. Flaevynn scowled at him.

Now that he’d stirred doubt, he added, “Ya need the girl to do your biddin’, less ya want ta go out there yourself.”

She sent him a look that suggested he’d been birthed by a rock.

He gifted her with the smile that ha once put him in her bed. “You an’ I can no leave until the day the Alterants win Treoir for us. Until then, we need Kizira.”

She smoothed a hand over her hair. Long, black fingernails adorned with diamonds sparked with tiny bolts of energy. “I’ll release her if you share what you know about the Alterants.”

He loved a good victory, especially since he’d been anxious to start pushing Alterants to the next level. Waitin’ until now ha played perfectly into his hands. He would share something, but no everythin’. “’Tis a fair request ya make. First ya must know that the other four will seek out Evalle.”

“When?”

“That is the part that I will now share with ya. ’Tis said once the female Alterant has the gold aura and shifts into her beast—as she did today—the other four Alterants will seek her out. When that happens, Tristan an’ his sister will become important, so do no lose them.”

“I don’t plan to lose any captive, but what would it matter since Tristan is not one of the five?”

“Open your scryin’ wall to the arena an’ teleport Tristan there.”

Flaevynn considered his request with suspicion but floated over to her wall. When she waved her hands, the massive pit in the tower known as the arena came into view, an’ Tristan appeared inside, lookin’ around in surprise. He shouted, “Where’s my sister, Kizira?”