Archangel's Light (Guild Hunter #14)(14)

An eerie stillness in the air that made Illium’s skin turn to ice as Suyin said, “Fifty people—men, women, children, mortal and vampire—appear to have vanished into thin air.”





8


Suyin put her hands behind her back after that chilling statement, the hum of her power so subtle it was almost negligible. She had to be controlling it—archangelic power was never so muted.

Shaking off the shiver that wanted to crawl up his spine, Illium wondered if she was aware the problems her preference for such subtleties might cause her when the Cadre began to meet in person once more.

A sudden piercing look from Suyin. “What are you thinking, Illium? I can all but feel your concentration.”

Caught by surprise, he nonetheless held his ground. “You’re used to keeping your power contained.” It had to be a remnant of her captivity—a subconscious survival mechanism to stop Lijuan from considering her a threat. “That won’t do you any favors with the Cadre.”

A long moment of unblinking eye contact, and for the first time, he felt it. The icily practical power of an archangel. It raised the tiny hairs on the back of his neck, but he didn’t flinch. He’d been sired by an archangel, had grown up under the wing of another, had served Raphael for centuries. He understood that—no matter their outer skin—they were apex predators who didn’t trust or value weakness.

Then she gave him a small smile and the threat passed like a summer rainstorm. “It seems the two of you are in agreement.” A nod toward Aodhan. “But I will tell you this: thousands of years cannot simply be wiped away or forgotten. I have, however, never been called less than intelligent. I will take your advice onboard and attempt to appear more scary.”

Illium blinked. “Have you been talking to Elena?” Because that had definitely not been Suyin’s type of thing to say.

Laughter now, delicate and lovely. He could see why Aodhan liked being around her. She was like him. Gentle, artistic, kind.

“No,” Suyin said at last. “Naasir.”

That was when Illium remembered that it had been Naasir and Andromeda who’d rescued Suyin from Lijuan. “He told you to be more scary?”

Suyin pretended to form claws. “Show your claws, show your teeth,” she said in an approximation of Naasir’s blunt tone with people he knew and liked. “Or the bigger predators will eat you and spit out your bones.”

Ducking his head, Aodhan coughed into his hand. “Good advice.”

“Yes, yes.” Suyin folded her arms. “You have all made your point.” But then she smiled. “Do you think I have any chance of stealing Naasir and Andromeda for my court?”

“No,” Illium and Aodhan answered at once.

What they didn’t add was that so long as Dmitri stood as Raphael’s second, Naasir would never go far. He was fiercely bonded to Dmitri—and now, to Dmitri’s wife, Honor.

“That’s what I thought. But to have two such trusted people . . .” Suyin exhaled. “I hope Raphael understands how lucky he is.”

Andromeda didn’t technically belong to Raphael’s court, but that didn’t matter here.

“It took him hundreds of years to put together his Seven,” Aodhan pointed out, careful to do so in a way that wasn’t about judgment but about offering his archangel clarity. “We were not Seven until roughly just over two centuries ago, when Venom joined our ranks. At the very start of his reign, the sire had only Dmitri by his side.”

“You are wise yet again, my second,” Suyin murmured. “I will think of this and I will practice patience.” Wings held with warrior control she’d perfected since healing from her wounds, she said, “I want you and Illium to examine the hamlet.

“But first, we will wait for Vetra’s return so she can more fully brief you—before she departed the area, she did a careful sweep over the forests to ensure the people of the hamlet were not hurt or lost in there. The trees stood silent, no voices to break its quiet.”

Aodhan understood her meaning: Whatever had taken place, it was too late to save the residents. Waiting for Vetra wouldn’t put them in harm’s way—and, harsh as it was, right now they knew the people of the stronghold settlement were alive. And those people needed their help to prepare for the journey to come.

Suyin opened out her wings in a restless movement, closed them back in. “I don’t foresee an easy answer—it is for this reason that I’d like you both to stay behind with the domestic team in charge of closing up the stronghold.”

She held up a hand when Aodhan would’ve spoken. “You know we have the numbers to do this safely—and Caliane’s elite squadron even now watches over the location where I intend to settle.” A light in her eyes. “I think I will like my citadel by the sea, across from a friend.”

Frown lines between her brows as she looked in the direction of the dark stone of the stronghold. “This is not a good place.”

“Investigating the hamlet while keeping an eye on the stronghold shutdown team seems a small task. Illium and I would be more use to you en route.”

Frown deeper, Suyin said, “I overflew the hamlet prior to our meeting to see if I could spot what Vetra might’ve missed. I had little time, but I felt an awareness of a cold evil. As if the silence of the hamlet made its whispers audible.”