“And it does just what you think it does,” John cut in. “Sucks the soul out of anyone it cuts and absorbs it. Forever.”
“So a sword that shouldn’t have been there was there, and a sword that should have been there wasn’t.” Gigi frowned and met my eyes. “And the should-have-been-there sword is connected to Amanda’s petrification.”
“Just that it was the relic Clem brought back from that mission.” Jax shrugged. “That’s not much of a connection.”
“Way too many variables.” Rome shook his head. “Keep gathering data. The connections will make themselves once we know more.”
“Find out more about Clem’s mission if you can. The one when Amanda was petrified.” I narrowed my eyes as I thought. “And see if you can dig up anything more on either sword.”
“Sure thing,” Tara said. “Take care of yourselves, and keep us updated. We’re worried about Gemma, too.”
“Thanks. We will.” I ended the call.
“What are we going to do with Lilas and Hinge?” Jax wanted to know. “When they call back with a location, I assume we’ll be leaving. Are we taking them along with us?”
“Why haven’t Hank and Gina returned yet?” Gigi asked. “Or contacted any of us to explain the delay?”
“I dunno.” I shrugged.
I didn’t care, either, but I kept that to myself. I was outta there as soon as I heard where I could find Christopher Remington, kids or no kids, wardens or no wardens.
“Is there anyone in the city you would trust to watch them?” Rome asked. “You had the sheba guard your bike. You must have trusted them at leasta littlefor that.”
“I trusted the value of the gold I gave them to do so,” I snorted. “But we could ask Josef to squirrel them away in St. Pat’s.”
“St. Pat’s?” Jax stared at me. “The cathedral where we went the other day?”
“Yeah. It’s about the safest place I know. Has a portal to the Sanctuary in case of emergency, too.”
“Do we want to trust their lives to other hands?” Mira looked from me to Rome.
“That’s a hard call.” Rome frowned. “If they weren’t kids, I’d say bring them along, but theyarekids, and neither has an offense, let alone a defense. It would be reckless to take them into what could become a battle, but if we leave them behind and something happens, their blood’s on our hands.”
This is why I don’t work well with others.
I had a name, soon I’d have a location, and I would be ready to take off. But, no, I had to deal with this first. Plus, in a minute, Rome was gonna remind me to call Chance and Spin and let them know where we were going and why.
Ditch them all. Before they slow you down any further.
I shoved that voice back into its black hole, but it was getting harder and harder to ignore.
“Gigi and I’ll take care of it, Kerry.” Jax pulled out his phone and motioned to Gigi. “You focus on the next step. Leave this to us.”
I scowled. I knew he couldn’t read minds, but sometimes, I felt like he lived inside my head.
As the two disappeared into the girls’ bedroom, Mira came over and smirked at me.
“What?” I demanded.
“Everything you were feeling scrolled across your face. Impatience. Frustration. Then the monster peeked out of your eyes for a split second.” Her lips widened into a grin. “Don’t ever play poker, my friend.”
“Go away, Boots,” I grumbled.
In the end, Jax got a hold of Josef, who agreed to harbor the kids until something else could be arranged. At Josef’s request, Gigi ’ported over to the cathedral to see the room where she could take the kids directly rather than drop them in front of the pieta she’d visited earlier. She took Jax with her because she didn’t want to go alone.
And, because my luck was garbage, as soon as they ’ported out, Gina ’ported in with Hank.
45. A War is Brewing
