Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(108)

“Of course,” he answers, beginning to frown.

“Pick me up there in an hour.” I hurry to the door.

“Evie, wait!”

I press my back against the door, opening it. “I have to tell them that I’m okay. They’re very protective of me.”

“I’ll take you there.” Reed follows me.

“I have to talk to him alone, Reed.” I reply. “He won’t understand.”

“Brennus?”

“Yes.”

“I’ll make him understand.” The threat in his tone is implicit.

“That’s exactly what I don’t want.”

I enter the alley. Declan is leaning against the brick wall, holding my bag in one hand and my battle hammer in the other. He straightens; he’s been waiting for me. I cringe, knowing what he must have heard. He gives me my things with a stoic look. “I tink ye dropped dese.”

“Thank you,” I mutter, accepting my bag from him. I place my battle hammer in it and close it.

Declan glances at Reed. “Aingeal, I did na know ye were back.”

“That seems to be a theme here,” Reed replies with irritation.

Declan’s attention shifts to me. “I guarantee Brennus did na know either, Genevieve.”

“I’m going to find out exactly who knew what and when.” I move down the alley. Declan matches my stride. “I’ll see you later, Reed.”

“One hour, Evie,” Reed replies.

I stop and look over my shoulder at him. “I’ll be waiting.”

Declan leads me to his car. We get in and he wheels it around and drives in the direction of our home. “I’m sorry if I scared you, Declan. I never made it to the shop.”

“I found Bruno in da dumpster. I take it he’s a ‘no’ for redemption.” He raises his eyebrow.

“Reed’s my guardian angel,” I blurt out.

Declan looks straight ahead at the road. “Dat’s a little awkward.”

“Atwater knew.”

“Atwater always knows. He’s older dan dirt—older dan da sky by two.”

“I’m sorry that I messed up your date.”

He smiles like it’s the least of his worries. “I’m beginning ta tink dat me lucky shirt is na so lucky,” he says and despite everything, I laugh. “I can reschedule it. Maybe ’tis insane of me ta want ta go on a date a tall.”

“No, it’s not insane. It’s necessary. What’s the point of having a life if you don’t live.”

“Ye’re a wise queen.” He pulls up to the walkway that leads into the part of the estate where I reside.

I go inside. The first fella I see is Eion. He’s chewing a piece of apple while he sits in the den cleaning weapons. He’s constantly eating since his return from Sheol. “Do you know where Brennus is?” I ask, watching him swab the barrel of a gun. He swallows, and then blows into the barrel, expelling lint out of the bottom of it.

“He’s in his office wi’ Atwater. They’ve been arguing for hours. Ye do na want ta go in there.”

“That’s exactly where I want to go,” I reply. I walk in the direction of Brennus’ office.

“Call me if ye need me,” Eion shouts. “I’ve sworn ta protect ye, na dem.”

Finn is leaning against the doorframe to Brennus’ office with his arms crossed. He frowns when he sees me, as if the situation just got worse. “Ye do na want ta go in there, Genevieve.”

“Yes I do,” I reply with relative calm. I open the door. It’s dark inside the room. The curtains have been drawn and the lights are low. Atwater is leaning against the windowsill with his arms crossed. I look for Brennus behind his desk, but the chair is empty. Instead, I find him in the far corner of the room. He’s in a black leather chair sitting beneath the dim glow of a floor lamp. In his hand is a glass filled with an amber liquid.

“Yer aingeal has returned, mo chroí,” Brennus announces. Ice rattles in his glass as he takes a sip.

“You didn’t know?” I ask.

Brennus laughs scornfully. “No. How could I know when Heaven is so good at keepin’ secrets?”

“You knew, though,” I say, looking at Atwater. His lionlike features are more pronounced in shadow.

He turns his diamond-shaped irises to look at me. “I did.”

“And you didn’t think that it was important to tell me that my aspire has returned to me as my guardian angel?”

Atwater shrugs. “He’s no longer your aspire.”

I take exception to that. “He is. He’s branded on my heart and I can feel him there, even if you cannot see his mark. Why would you do that to me? Why would you keep him from me?”

“It was important that you be here without any distractions. You needed to become a unit—to bond with one another. You were doing that.” He gestures to Brennus and me.

“You’re against this. You’re against Reed returning as my guardian angel.” I ask Atwater.

His blue wings flutter. “It’s a setback.”

“A setback?” I ask incredulously.

“You have a destiny, Evie.”

“And I’m fulfilling it. It’s my life. You don’t get to dictate all of the aspects of it.”