“And you’re a liability,” Ruhn said darkly. Tharion grunted his agreement.
Declan rubbed his chin. “You told Ruhn after the attack that Hypaxia aimed for your scar to supercharge your powers, right? I wonder what would happen if you were struck on the Horn.”
“Let’s not find out,” Bryce said quickly.
“Agreed,” Cormac said from across the room. He pointed to the obstacle course he’d laid out in the center of the space. “Back to work. Follow the track.”
Bryce pivoted toward the Avallen Prince, and said as casually as she could, “I’m shocked you’re even here.”
Cormac said icily, “Because you decided to end our engagement without consulting me?”
Hunt muttered to her, “Anything to avoid your exercises, huh?”
She glared at her mate, especially as Ruhn chuckled, but said to Cormac, “I had no other choice.”
Shadows rippled around Cormac. “You could have let me know while you were plotting.”
“There was no plotting. Athalar and I decided, and then just waited.”
The Avallen Prince snarled low. Hunt let out a warning growl of his own. Tharion said nothing, though she knew the mer was monitoring every breath and word. But Cormac didn’t take his eyes from her. “Do you have any idea what the phone call with my father was like?”
“I’m assuming it was similar to the Autumn King telling me I’m a little bitch?”
Cormac shook his head. “Let’s be clear: I’m only here today because I’m well aware that if I’m not, then your brother will cease contacting Agent Daybright.”
“I’m flattered you know me so well,” Ruhn drawled, his arms crossed. He’d moved into a position on Cormac’s other side—without her even noticing. Placing himself between the Avallen Prince and Bryce. Oh please.
Cormac glowered at him, but then focused upon Bryce again. “I’m willing to move beyond this, on the condition that you don’t surprise me again. We have too many enemies as it is.”
“One,” she said, “don’t give me conditions. But two …” She made a show of examining her bare arms. “Nothing up my sleeves. No other secrets to hide, I swear.”
Except for that itsy-bitsy thing about Emile. Hunt gave her a dry look, as if to say, Liar, but she ignored him.
Cormac, however, did not. Catching that look, the Avallen Prince said, “There’s something else.”
“Nope.”
But even Ruhn now lifted his brows at her. Hunt said casually, “Don’t be paranoid.”
“You have something planned,” Cormac pressed. “For fuck’s sake, tell me.”
“I don’t have anything planned,” Bryce said, “other than figuring out this teleporting crap.”
One moment, Cormac was glancing between her and Hunt. The next, he’d vanished.
Only to reappear at Bryce’s back with a knife to her throat.
Bryce stiffened. “Come on, Cormac. There’s no need for this.” Lightning shone in Hunt’s eyes. Ruhn had drawn his gun. Tharion remained sprawled across the bench, but—that was a knife now gleaming in his hand. His focus was fixed on the Avallen Prince.
“Tell me,” Cormac snarled, and cool metal bit into her throat.
Trying not to breathe too deeply, Bryce laid a finger on the blade. “I made the Drop. I’ll survive.”
Cormac hissed at her ear. “Tell me what the fuck you have planned, or you’ll lose your head. Good luck growing that back.”
“You draw blood and you lose your head, too,” Hunt growled with lethal menace.
She could blind Cormac, she supposed. But would his shadows muffle the impact? She doubted he’d truly kill her, but if he tried … Hunt would definitely attack. Ruhn would, too.
And she’d have an even bigger mess on her hands.
So Bryce said, “Fine. It’s about Emile.”
Hunt started. So did Tharion as the mer said, “Bryce.”
Cormac didn’t remove the knife. “What about Emile?”
“I found him. At the Viper Queen’s warehouse.” She sighed loudly. “I learned he was there, that all the reptiles and gross things in the marshes had told her where he was and she’d gone to retrieve him. She was the one who killed the people who helped him, and intended to control him. But when I went to the warehouse two days ago, he was already gone.”
Cormac whirled her to face him with rough hands. “Gone where?”