The Watcher smiled. “I want you to prevent others from getting involved,” she said. “Byothers, I mean Nikolai.”
I swallowed. That Cara wanted him kept calm and uninvolved—was my halfbrother really that powerful?
Cara’s suite was full of people, and Mari squeezed herself into a corner. Jacques offered me a wide grin from his seat at the table. “Ma Chéri, welcome, welcome.Mon Dieu, you look—” His dark eyes slid to Matt, and he swallowed. “Andsalutationsto you too,monsieur.”
“Keep it clean, Jacques,” Cara warned.
“Assurément,” he replied.
Sitting at the table, Ryan offered a weak smile as the twins ripped free from him to descend on Trix with happy squeals. My surprise on seeing him must have shown—he shrugged and said, “I lost the draw this time. Kitani and Cody are an awesome team in combat.” He rose and called to his daughters. “Let’s set you up in the spare room, girls. You can wrestle with your furry friend in there.”
They vanished down the hall.
Nikolai and Lucas were in the kitchen—Lucas was cracking eggs into a bowl, and the huge Bellati was at the stove, dropping meat into a griddle.
I suppose it’s breakfast time somewhere,Matt provided.
I peered at the griddle.So long as those aren’t grubs, I’m good.
Bugs are supposed to be good for you.He grimaced at me.
Grubs or not, as a keep-busy project, cooking seemed effective. Ash perched on a stool at the counter, chopping things with gusto. He shot me a smile, but his eyes were haunted. What had he foreseen?
There was no sign of Aria. I assumed her skills were too valuable on the battlefield to be holed up here.
Cara anticipated the question. “Aria’s directive is to fly clear and deliver a running commentary.”
“But she’s a bloody good fighter.” Matt stared, surprised.
“She’s also his mate.” The Watcher rolled her eyes toward Nikolai’s broad back. The muscles of which, I noted, were so tight they stood out beneath his thin shirt.
Point taken. Keeping the big guy calm seemed to be the prime directive.
Strewth,Matt commented. Nothin’ like being at ground zero for a realm apocalypse.
Only if we blow it, or the battle goes to hell,I said, pulling off my pack and plunking myself down on the couch.
Gotcha. I’ll be at my easygoin’ Aussie best.To Cara, he said, “Got any beer?”
“Fridge is stocked.” She turned to go.
“Cara,” I called after her.
She looked back at me.
“Good luck,” I said, sending her an energy pulse that contained all my heart and soul.
She nodded once, briskly, before vanishing out the door.
43
Talakai
I soared through the darkness, watching the forest below.
Haki banked to my right. We were sticking to the cloud cover, but we were hardly alone up here. Tyrez soared not far to my left, along with Aria and Dani.
We were well apart from the Legion Dragons, who flew so high their wings trailed frost. It was a calculated risk—the realm’s technology would pick them up as random blips, but the heavy storms scudding across the area would help disguise them. Better that than risk Isobel or Galeran sensing them. The Torshin with them would also be sensitive to life energies, although not to the same extent. So the Dragons dropped the Sabres, who hunkered down in the woods, and then returned to the sky.
