Iniquity (The Premonition, #5)(109)

“You cannot see the big picture.”

“You’re keeping something from me. What is it?” They both remain silent. I put up my hands. “Fine. I’m moving out. I’m going to live with my aspire.”

“Please take some time to consider—”

Turning, I leave the room. I go to my bedroom and pack some things in my bag. Brennus joins me. He watches me move about the room, collecting items that I’ll need. His silence is awful. I have to break it. “I love him.”

He sighs wearily. “Ye love him, ye love me, ye love dem—ye love us all.”

I rub my forehead in frustration. “Reed started all of this. He’s the reason we’re here now.”

“He’s na da reason we’re here now. Ye have no idea where ye come from, do ye?”

“I have a pretty good idea. I have a rather long memory now.”

“I’m talking about da time before yer memories began—before a Russell or a Xavier ever existed.”

“What are you saying?” I ask, fear erupting in the core of my being.

“One day I’ll be able ta show ye whah I’m talkin’ about. One day ye’ll need no tellin’.”

“I have to go.”

“Den ye have ta go. But ye come back. Ye live here wi’ us when he’s away. We protect ye as da Keeper of Da Key of Sheol and our queen.”

“Okay.” I try to move past him.

He puts out his hand and holds my elbow. “Ye still have a job ta do.”

“And I’ll do it,” I assure him. “We’re a team, you, me, and the fellas. I will hold up my end of it.”

“And I’ll hold up moin, mo chroí. I promise ye.”





Reed is waiting for me in a shiny red SUV when I emerge from the old church portion of the seminary. Getting out of the driver’s seat, he opens my door for me when I reach the end of the walkway. “Hello,” he says, leaning down and kissing me. It’s more than a quick peck.

“Hi,” I say breathlessly, my heart beating faster just because I’m near him. He takes the bag in my hand from me. I climb into the seat. He closes my door. He’s in his seat in a millisecond, starting the car.

“Do you have everything you need?” he asks.

As he pulls away from the curb, he studies the rearview mirror. “We’re being followed,” he says softly. At least three cars of fellas trail us.

“I’m sorry,” I sigh the words. “You expected that though, right?’

“I did.”

“I’m their queen, Reed. They’ve sworn to protect me.”

“I know. I will try to be okay with it.”

“Thank you. So where are we going?”

“Tau gave me his home to stay in for as long as we need it.” I know the place he’s talking about. It’s one of the biggest mansions in Grosse Pointe on Lake Shore Drive, right on the water.

“Is he there?” I ask.

“No. He’s currently in Paradise with your mother.”

“Is he happy?”

“He is.”

I’m silent for the rest of the ride, thinking about my father. I wish things could have been different, but maybe, when I see him again, they will be. Reed drives through an open wrought-iron gateway into a circular drive. He parks in front of the graceful French Normandy style fa?ade I know fairly well from hanging out with Xavier in high school. The house is built from limestone and the roof is covered with slate. The copper accents have a verdigris patina that compliments the limestone.

Reed turns off the car. He gets out and comes around to open my door for me. Taking his hand, he leads me into the house through the stone-carved frame surrounding the front door. We walk beneath the enormous chandelier in the foyer, crossing the room to the impressive formal living room that overlooks Lake St. Clair. The room has exquisite glass windows on one wall. The other walls are paneled in the finest carved wood, housing recessed bookshelves. The furniture is impeccable. He takes both of my hands in his and looks into my eyes.

“Evie, I know that our hasty binding ceremony was not what you ever expected would happen when you risked everything to find me in Dominion. I have thought since then that we should renew our commitment under less dire circumstances. Now that we are no longer bound to one another, we have the unique opportunity to do everything exactly the way you’d like to do them. I love you. I will always love you. Will you commit to me again? Will you bind your life with mine?

My eyes cloud with tears. “Yes, of course I’ll bind to you, Reed.” He exhales deeply. Picking me up off of my feet, he swings me around before setting me down. He kisses me with heart-stopping sweetness, teasing my lips and making me hunger for more.

I have something I need to show you,” he says. He puts his hand to his neck, tugging a chain from beneath his collar. Attached to the chain there is a golden charm in the form of a boatswain. I recognize it at once. It’s the whistle Emil wore in Sheol. “Just as you’re the keeper of the key of Sheol, Evie, I protect the one to Paradise.”

“You took Emil’s key—in Sheol.” I say in awe. I reach up and touch the charm that shines with an ethereal light.

“Just before I gave you your key when we were in Sheol, I took Emil’s off of his corpse. I couldn’t leave it there. I thought I would return it to Earth with us, but I ascended with it instead.”