“Bess has sneaked away from the academy to bring us news. And it turns out we need your help,” the Watcher began.
I reflected that at this rate, Cara was going to need a second guest treehouse. “Havoc says you have a scheme involving me?”
She straightened. “As Nikolai has been taken out of play, the council is moving both their forces and the Dragon Legion against Isobel tonight.”
“I thought that wasn’t a good idea.” I looked toward Bess.
“It isn’t,” Bess confirmed. “Brock has a significant number of pinions guarding his primary stronghold. And Isobel’s forces have only augmented it. Our forces will be outnumbered.”
“Are they sure she’s still in the same place?” I asked. “Marcus killed Brock, and that was his stronghold.”
Tareal cleared his throat. “Isobel is back there now.”
I stared at him. “You know this how?”
Lora lifted her chin and her eyes flashed. “Because they have held our mate captive, and he has managed to recruit eyes within the stronghold.”
Things clicked along in my head. “You two aren’t twins, are you?”
“We are mates,” Tareal admitted. “And Brock took our other mate, Jinsic, captive months ago. He forced us to spy for him.”
Hmm, that certainly explained the gropage and bed sharing. Why didn’t we doubt the twin thing right from the beginning? I exchanged a lifted eyebrow assertion with Kiko.
Rafael spoke from his leaning position. “Has he envenomated servants so that he can connect to them?”
Lora glared, but Tareal replied, “Yes. And a couple of Bellatis, but they are more resistant to our claw venom.” His jaw clenched.
Cara steered the conversation back on course. “Jinsic says Isobel has Brock, and she’s got the coven working on him.”
I looked from her to Rafael. “But I thought—”
“Brock was dying when we Jumped,” he affirmed.
“Marcus pumped so much raw power into him,” Vali said. “It would have fried almost every organ he possessed.”
“It isn’t likely she can heal that kind of damage,” Cara mused. “There are limits.”
“She can no longer heal.” Rafael set his jaw. “The bloodmagic has negated that talent in her, and in the coven. They have recently brought in a healer. She’s not Watcher caliber, but Isobel will have her make the attempt, for sure.”
I was confused, and the Satyr’s sexual reference didn’t help. “So—Isobel won’t succeed in saving him?”
A muscle jumped in Rafael’s jaw. “She will be determined to try that… or something else.”
We all stared at him.
Cara’s eyes narrowed. “Was her connection to Brock more than a friendship?”
Rafael’s mouth twisted. “Brock is—was—her mate.”
Cara inhaled sharply. “His life essence,” she whispered.
My stomach clenched. “She’ll harvest his soul?”
Rafael nodded without looking at me. “He is too far gone, but I am certain she will try.”
Cara rubbed her temple. “We need to focus on the advantages this presents for us—her efforts to save Brock’s essence are pinning her in place for the moment.”
“But it sounds like the council’s initiative is doomed to fail.” I tried not to think of all the people I’d come to know, and how they might not survive.
