Chosen One (Forever Evermore #6)(39)
I swallowed slowly, the bite feeling cutting down my suddenly dry throat, taking a pickle off the sandwich with a steady hand and setting it on the wrapper as I felt Elder Zeller’s dark gaze on me, his words even darker when he muttered dryly, “You couldn’t have held on to the damn thing, Ms. Jules?”
“You have no clue what I saw in that shower.” I faked a shudder, still rocked by what the One had said. “I was lucky I didn’t faint.” I took another bite.
“So was I,” Elder Farrar muttered dryly around his food. “Teeth don’t have to be sharp to hurt.”
I chewed slowly; trying not to choke as every single man at the table blinked, shuddered, and then started shifting on their chair.
Irritated words from Elder Merrick, who talked while chewing slowly. “That, is going to ruin my glow, dammit.”
Elder Farrar snorted. “It did mine.”
“Towels on the right…” King Collins muttered under his breath, shaking his head, and then, he turned his attention to me, asking, “Did Philip Masterson give a reason for the attack and taking you back in time?”
Dammit…think, think…I swallowed my bite, and then murmured, “He was upset we had attacked him in his place of business.” And, he had been.
King Collins muttered a curse, and then grumbled, “That was damn extreme using his powers like that, but he probably figured taking you way back would get you out of the picture since you know his secrets, growing up with him as you did.”
I hummed, looking thoughtful and nodding absently…and let everyone else talk after that about the fallout from the press on the attack and any new intel the MIA had been able to pull, which wasn’t a whole hell of a lot.
Finally, sitting in King Collins office, one of the privacy spelled rooms in the Elemental section, all the Rulers were in here, plus a few of the Elders, and Queen Ruckler stared at me with cold, blue eyes, asking bluntly, “Tell me I didn’t just cover for you in there because you selfishly want to keep the Primal Diamond.”
I snorted, ignoring the few surprised glances around the room for those not in the know. “Of course I’m keeping it. It’s mine.” I sat more comfortably on my chair before continuing. “But I lied because Philip Masterson’s whole reason for taking me back in time was because he wanted to take me to someone who could supposedly extract it from me.” My head cocked. “Tell me…how did he know I had it after the One so obviously used it, since Philip Masterson and Jacob Angel are protected magically, and then the Guardian under the One’s care?”
Everyone’s faces went deathly, scarily quiet.
I nodded once. “Yep, we’ve got a traitor in our midst.”
“It had better be a fucking spirit, and not one of our own,” King Zeller growled quietly, his Vampire sounding.
“Actually, I think it is,” I stated evenly, staring back into his deadly, green eyes. “Did you notice anyone else’s reaction in the room while I spoke about the diamond?”
Elder Zeller murmured, “Reese was more pissed than the One was.”
Elder Merrick muttered a quiet curse, his wolf growling as he started pacing back and forth, like he was caged. “He reeked of aggression at the news.” His head lifted, eyebrows together, sniffing once in the air. “Do you smell that?”
I sniffed the air, but didn’t smell anything.
Queen Ruckler sniffed the air, relaxed on her seat, answering, “Maybe the carpets were cleaned recently, but other than that, no.”
I moved along as Elder Merrick continued to pace. “Reese tried to hide it, but his eyes,” I narrowed my gaze, “they got all squinty.”
King Collins inhaled heavily before sitting tiredly behind his desk. “How the hell do we handle this? We can’t attack Reese without telling the One, but I somehow doubt he will believe us.”
I spoke evenly, possibly a bit clipped in irritation when I couldn’t contain it any longer. “Let me talk with him on this subject.”
Every single person in the room froze, including me, when a quiet chuckle came from a corner…an empty corner…the sound menacing and purring, then suddenly the space wavered to show the One standing there, arms crossed, leaning a shoulder against the glimmering golden wall, an eyebrow cocked. “And what would you say, Ms. Jules?”
My nostrils flared in instant irritation. “Seriously, Leric?”
“I would have hidden longer if he,” head tip to Elder Merrick, whom had been edging, pacing, toward that corner, “didn’t have the power, and nose, he does.”
I jumped to my feet, pissed the hell off. “You’re fucking spying on us in our own home?”
His lips curved gently, but his gaze was predatory. “As I’ve been spied on since I arrived.” Both eyebrows raised, and he stated evenly, “I want my diamond back.”
“And you can kiss my ass, because it’s mine.”
His eyes flared the barest bit. “How the stars have such humor…” He shook his head. “Ms. Jules, you really should have stayed at the Temple longer to learn more.” His head tilted slightly, white rolls dangling, swaying. “Now, tell me, what would you say to convince me one of my most trusted has deceived me?”
My chest heaved as I growled, “I would say,” a jabbed finger in his direction, “that you already fucking knew, and you allowed him into my home.” He knew fucking everything about his people if he wished.