by Ford, Lizzy
“Don’t worry about me. Worry about keeping your head focused on your goal.”
“Which is …”
“Staying one step ahead or away from Wynn.”
She bit back her response, hating the way it sounded in her head. She wanted to tell him it’d be easier if he were with her, and she thought her goal was freeing him, even if she were taking a rather indirect route to get there.
“You disagree,” he guessed.
“I’m screwing everything up.”
“The best lesson you can learn as an Immortal is to survive. It’s not an easy lesson.”
“How can you be so calm about this? If not for me, you wouldn’t be here.”
“This was part of the chain of events I foresaw,” he replied.
“Really? Being tortured by Wynn and sent to Hell?”
“I believe this is penance. I’m working off my karmic debt,” he said with a grunt.
“None of this is fair! It’s not right to be stuck with you, then not stuck with you and kinda wish I was, at least long enough for you to show me how to deal with all these assholes.”
He chuckled. “Things change rapidly.”
“I’m out of ideas and worried about what Wynn will do.”
“In this situation, I like to throw in a wild card,” Fate said. “Someone to distract Wynn.”
She listened, fascinated by the idea.
“Find Rhyn.”
“Karma is looking for him. I haven’t heard from her in days, so I assume she’s not having any luck,” Stephanie said, disappointed.
“She won’t be able to find him,” Fate agreed. “But you can. Describe the man you freed during your adventure into Hell once more.”
She did so.
“Perfect. You’re going to summon him and cash in your favor, along with one of mine,” he said. “He knows where Rhyn is, and he can offer you what I currently can’t: protection that can hide you even when you have your soul.”
“Really? Who is he?”
“His name is Raphael, and he’s the head of the guardian angels.”
“Angels are real,” she murmured, surprised. “Are they uh, normal? Or like everything else, kind of twisted?”
“They are neither cherubs nor innately good, if that’s what you’re asking,” he replied. “They protect. It’s what they do, and how they do it has no restrictions.”
“So Raphael killing six demons is normal around here.”
“Angels and demons always massacre one another when they meet.” Fate’s voice was sounding fainter, and concern for him caused her chest to tighten. “Summon him and ask for the two favors. Be certain to specify you want a mature protector, not a baby.”
“No baby angels,” she repeated, once more feeling overwhelmed. “What about you? How do we get you out?”
“Concentrate on Immortal business. I’ll handle the deity side.”
“Maybe I can break you out, too.”
“No,” he said firmly. “Even if you made it this far, these cells can be opened only by Darkyn’s will.”
She started to respond then stopped herself, considered briefly, and spoke. “I really do want that date. Please tell me you have a plan.”
“Stephanie, I always have a plan.”
The tension in her belly had uncoiled. Whether it was a result of hearing his voice again or his advice, she wasn’t certain. But for the first time in weeks, she felt like she, too, finally had a plan.
“Go on. I think my break is about up,” Fate said with a grunt.
She hesitated, not wanting to leave him knowing he was going to be in pain. “Thank you,” she said.
“Everything will work out,” he said with forced lightness.
Except you can’t see the Future to know that. Stephanie frowned and stood. Gaze lingering on the darkness of the cell, she stepped away and joined Deidre in the hallway beyond the row of cells.
Dread was heavy in her stomach, and she had the urge to fling herself into his cell and hug him until the world melted away.
“Good?” Deidre searched her features.
“Yeah. I think so.”
The demoness led her away and opened a portal. “Go on through. I can’t do this again, but I wanted you to be able to talk to him at least once,” she said quietly.
Stephanie smiled. “Thank you. Really.”
Deidre mirrored her smile and stepped aside.
Stephanie breathed a sigh of relief when she crossed into the place-between-places and paced to the glowing portal leading back to the castle. She dwelt on Fate’s advice, grateful for his help, while feeling equally guilty about leaving him in Hell. He claimed to have a plan, but … well, he wasn’t the kind to tell her if he didn’t. She didn’t feel reassured about his chances of making it out of Hell, of them ever going on a date. She hadn’t thought she wanted anything to do with him and yet found herself praying he survived.
She blinked out of her thoughts when she entered her bedroom once again. It was evening, and the chandelier and torches of her room beamed happily. Stephanie looked around, doubting this place would ever feel like home, and grabbed a bottle of chilled water out of the small fridge near the living area. She sat and sipped, reviewing what she’d learned from Fate.
She didn’t feel at all ready to confront yet another new angle to the Immortal world. Being back under Wynn’s influence, however, left her unnerved, scared he meant to act, to trade her to Hell or worse.
Stephanie rose, hands trembling with anxiousness, and drew a breath. “Raphael,” she breathed the summons.
Moments later, the man from Hell with the white eyes appeared. “You figured it out,” he said, smiling.
“My mate told me,” she replied.
He cocked his head to the side, as if to discern her mate by looking at her.
“Shai,” she said.
His eyebrows went up. “Intriguing. A deity and a half-breed?”
“Yeah. I, uh, want to cash in my favor and one of his.”
“I’m listening.” The lean man with penetrating eyes had the intensity of a demon. For a moment, she was caught in one of her old thought patterns, in wondering how any of this shit could be remotely real and when good and evil became indistinguishable from one another.
Stephanie shook her head. “I need to find Rhyn. That’s one,” she said. “Two –”
“Wait. Rhyn,” he interrupted. “He’s under our protection. I can’t give him up.”
“But you owe me.”
“You’re new at this. This much I can see,” he stated. “What I can do is offer to set up a meeting with him, as long as you understand he has the choice of whether or not he wants anything to do with you. I can’t force him to come. Immortals have free will, too.”
“Okay. That makes sense.”
“In order to arrange a meeting, I must have an oath from you, signed by your soul, that you won’t harm someone under my guardianship.”
“Easy. I need his help. I don’t think I could ever hurt anyone.”
“Good enough. Two?”
“I need your protection. But not a baby angel. An older … I mean, really mature angel,” she said.
He gazed at the ceiling. “Smart. As always. Shai doesn’t make mistakes. I imagine a mate wasn’t in his plan, or he wouldn’t be cashing in a favor.”
“Something like that. And no unwritten terms or conditions or small print or catches or whatever.”
“Agreed on both counts.” He held out his hand.
She touched him, and a familiar streak of cold went through her.
“I’ll deliver your protector within twenty four hours. Do you have a message for Rhyn? Something that might make him more willing to meet you?” Raphael asked.
“Tell him ... tell him his sister needs his help.”
“Very well. A pleasure, as always.” He turned and strode into a portal.
Stephanie waited until the tear in the universe was gone before sinking onto the couch. She’d phrased everything the bes
t she knew how and managed to get him to agree. If she tripped herself up or fell into someone’s trap, she’d never know it until it was too late anyway.
Drained after her day, she got ready for bed, a small bubble of hope helping her fall asleep optimistic for once.
Chapter Eighteen
Her new protector arrived the following afternoon.
“Raphael called me out of retirement. He said you requested me specifically.”
What the hell? Stephanie sighed and looked over the hunched, slender, elderly man with a cane and thick glasses. White hair created a halo around his head. She went over her request to Raphael, stuck on the word older. She hadn’t meant it; she’d meant not a baby. But Raphael took her literally.
“I need to rest,” the elderly angel said and walked to the couch. His cane clicked on the marble floors as he moved.
Was there any chance guardian angels didn’t need to be able to physically protect her to do their jobs? This was yet another drop in her bucket of frustration. Instead of being angry, she felt resigned. “What’s your name?”
“Mithra.”
“Do you have a message for me?”
The ancient angel sighed as he sat and drew a slow, deep breath before answering. “Yes. Rhyn will meet you at noon on the Caribbean Sanctuary.”
She’d given up two favors for one useful outcome. Was this trickery common among deities? Was it why none of them trusted one another? “Is that noon Caribbean time or my time?”
“It’s whatever time we are in.”
My time. She checked the clock and did some basic math given the time differences. “Oh, shit. That was, like, hours ago!” she exclaimed and spun to face him. “You just got here. How the hell was I supposed …”
The angel’s head had nodded forward in a doze.
Furious about being duped twice by an angel, Stephanie called a portal and hurried through it.
The thick, humid, midday air on the other side of the second portal smelled of the ocean and sunshine. She paused, gazing up at the open wooden doors of a small fortress perched at the center of a tiny island surrounded by aqua hued water.
She stepped into the Sanctuary. Someone was waiting for her in the courtyard, a towering, muscular figure with liquid silver eyes, the penetrating stare of a demon and shimmering intensity of a deity. There was no mistaking the cheekbones and skin coloring they’d both inherited from their father.
Stephanie hesitated. Rhyn appeared less than eager to be there. She approached and stopped a safe distance – if there were such a thing! – from her exiled half brother.
He said nothing and glowered at her.
“I’m a half breed, too,” she blurted out.
His eyes narrowed.
“Let me start over.” Stephanie drew a deep breath. She repeated her story as succinctly as possible, from being discovered by Fate and Kiki, to her introduction to the politics of the Immortals and meeting a half-brother who was supposed to be dead.
Rhyn’s stance changed as she spoke. His arms unfolded, and he looped his thumbs through his belt loops. His silver eyes, however, remained pinned to her face with intensity she glimpsed from Fate in the little time they’d spent together.
When she finished, she waited.
“Okay,” Rhyn said in a low, gravelly voice.
It was all he said before turning away and striding towards the interior of the Sanctuary.
“Wait!” she cried, startled. “That’s it?”
“I have to tell my mate where I’m going,” he replied over his shoulder.
“Does that mean you’re –” She blinked when he slammed open the door to a hall too dark for her to see into.
Stephanie stood dumbly, staring after him. What had she missed this time? She hadn’t even asked him for anything. Suspecting she’d fucked up both of her tasks from Fate, she rubbed her face and sought the shade to escape the hot sun.
Soon after, Rhyn emerged from the hall and approached her. “I’m ready.”
“For what exactly?” she asked, watching him pass her and open a portal.
“You came here for my help, didn’t you?”
“Well, yeah.”
“I’m going to help.” He strode into the place-between-places.
She trailed him. “You have a plan?”
“I tried planning once. Hated it.” He paused at the second portal and glanced back at her. “Are you coming or not?”
Stephanie scrambled after him, not at all reassured she was doing the right thing.
He disappeared into the second portal and she hurried through before it could close.
She looked around when they emerged, not recognizing their surroundings. Rhyn strode down a dirt driveway leading to a humble bungalow situated in the middle of a large, green lawn. She guessed they were somewhere in the Midwest by the fields of corn across the street.
He didn’t knock but opened the door and paused in the doorway. “What the fuck are you doing?”
Stephanie couldn’t see around his large frame and held her breath, prepared for something horrible to happen.
“Minding my own damn business,” answered a familiar voice.
Rhyn walked into a small yet modern living area.
Stephanie paused in the doorway to see the white-haired Kris standing from his position seated at an armchair.
“Why the fuck would you let our sister deal with that asshole alone?” Rhyn demanded.
“My brother. Demon in a henhouse,” Kris replied.
The two regarded each other intently enough Stephanie started to step back onto the porch.
Suddenly, Rhyn threw his arms around Kris and slapped him on the back in a tight embrace.
“Good to see you, little brother,” Kris said, distant affection in his tone.
She frowned, puzzled by the abrupt switch from animosity to warmth. “Look, I have like a few hours until Kiki gets sent to Hell by Wynn. Is someone going to help me or not?” she asked, at her wit’s end.
“Send him,” Rhyn said. “He won’t die.”
“Am I the only one who thinks it’s a big deal?”
“Wynn’s bluffing,” Kris replied, extricating himself from his burly brother’s embrace. “Please have a seat. Both of you.”
“How do you know that?” she asked.
“Because Wynn’s end of the deal has been fulfilled. He sent a son to Hell, using a favor to manipulate Andre into volunteering for the privilege. If Andre escapes, it’s not on Wynn. He delivered,” Kris said.
“So Wynn was fucking with me.”
“Probably to see what other tricks you have up your sleeve.”
She considered this, unable to help the trickle of relief at the thought of Kiki being safe. Somewhat placated, Stephanie sat down.
A quiet settled over them, one that seemed out of place for the two. They were gazing at one another intently, and she frowned. Their silence stretched on.
“Um, you can’t talk in your heads, can you?” she asked finally.
“Yeah,” Rhyn replied. “You don’t want to know some of this.”
“But I want to know the plan and how not to end up in the catacombs.”
Kris glanced at her. For a moment, he didn’t speak. “I was telling Rhyn we have a problem.”
“Just one?” she replied sarcastically.
“A new one. I’ve been doing my own research on how to checkmate our father,” he continued. “Andre is laying low for now, but we spoke once already. Whatever Wynn wants you for, no one knows. Why he sent Kiki to find you now, no one knows. What he’s willing to do to keep you in place … well, that much we can figure out. Rhyn gets his lack of limitations from Wynn, so we were brainstorming what he might be doing right now to force you to do what he wants.”
Stephanie swallowed hard. “I should be involved in this conversation.”
“Where’s your family?” Rhyn asked.
For a moment, she wasn’t able to speak. “They’re human,” she said hoarsely. “They’re of no us
e to him.”
“Unless he wants to manipulate you,” Kris pointed out.
“I’d grab ‘em in a heartbeat,” Rhyn added.
“As far as I know, they’re at home in Newport.”
“When was the last time you spoke to them?” Kris asked.
“Last week. Before Tamer showed up in my living room.”
“Wynn has them,” Rhyn said without hesitation. “He’s waiting to play the card until you fuck up.”
She wiped clammy palms on her pants. She’d considered telling her family about the Immortals but feared their reaction or dragging them into the mess. Distance was supposed to keep them safe, and playing along with Wynn was supposed to guarantee their exclusion from his game.
“I’ve been doing what he wants,” she said. “We don’t know that.”
“There is one thing we always know,” Kris said firmly. “Wynn is always several moves ahead. It’s what makes him dangerous.”
“Assuming this is true, what do I do?” She looked between the two of them, quelling the panic bubbling inside her. “Try to find them?”
“You need to play along with Wynn.”
“I am!”
“We’re not yet in position to take him on. Rhyn will make sure nothing happens to you. Wynn has people hunting for Andre. Only I can move around freely right now, at least, until he discovers I’m no longer dead-dead,” Kris explained. “We have allies. Namely, Wynn’s enemies, and he has quite a few. Enough for us to pull away part of Wynn’s power base. With the Immortals divided, we have a shot at wresting power away from him.”
Stephanie listened. “But doesn’t that put everyone in danger from the demons? I thought they just want to wipe out everyone.”
“Yeah. We’d have to hope the castle has enough magic to hold together the breaches if we end up losing track of Wynn. His power sealed the second breach last year.”
Her brothers were grim.
“But you have a plan for that, right?” she prodded. “I mean, the cost of getting rid of Wynn shouldn’t be unleashing Hell.”
“You sound like Andre,” Rhyn grunted. “She has good political sense.”
“And you have none,” Kris replied to him with a smile. “Which is why you’re going back to your enforcer role. You can Rhyn smash problems away again.”
