“Then how the fuck do you know?”
“She’s Bryce. Everyone has got a thing for her.”
“I used to like her.”
“Uh-huh.”
Ithan exposed his teeth. “I don’t feel that way about her anymore.”
“Good, because Athalar would probably kill you, then barbecue your corpse.”
“He could try.”
“He’d try, and he’d win, and I doubt slow-roasted wolf would taste that good, even doused in sauce.”
“Whatever.”
Tharion chuckled. “Don’t do anything tragically romantic to prove yourself to her, okay? I’ve seen that shit go down before and it never works. Definitely not if you’re dead.”
“Not on my agenda, but thanks.”
Tharion’s expression turned serious. “I mean it. And … look, I bet Bryce will kick my balls into my throat for this, but if you have any unresolved business with anyone, I’d get it done before we go to the Eternal City. Just in case.”
In case they didn’t come back. Which seemed likely.
Ithan sighed. Set down his controller. Got up from the couch. Tharion arched a brow.
Ithan said, “There’s something I have to do.”
66
“You have to be ten kinds of stupid,” Fury hissed at Bryce from where they sat at the dive bar’s counter, nursing their drinks. Fury had initially refused to meet up when Bryce had called her last night, but Bryce had pestered her enough throughout the following morning that she’d agreed to meet here.
Bryce had barely been able to sleep, though Hunt had done a good job exhausting her. Her mind couldn’t stop turning over the things she’d learned. Danika had a mate. Sabine had known about it. Danika’s mate still loved her.
And Danika had never told Bryce about any of it.
“I know it’s insane,” Bryce murmured, swirling her whiskey and ginger beer. “But any help you can give me …”
“You need a shit-ton of help, but not with this. You’re out of your mind.” Fury leaned closer, getting in Bryce’s face. “Do you know what they’ll do to you if you’re caught? What they might do to your family, to Juniper, to punish you? Did you see what the Harpy did to those rebels? Do you know what Mordoc likes to do to his victims? I make sure to stay well out of his path. These people are soulless. The Asteri will gladly let them go to work on you and everyone you love.”
“I know,” Bryce said carefully. “So help me make sure I don’t get caught.”
“You’re assuming I just have blueprints of the crystal palace lying around.”
“I know you’ve been there. You have a better memory than anyone I know. You mean to tell me you didn’t take mental notes while you were there? That you didn’t notice the exits, the guards, the security systems?”
“Yeah, but you’re talking about the archives. I can only give you a vague layout. I’ve only ever walked the halls—never gone into the rooms.”
“So don’t you want to know what’s in those rooms? What Danika suspected might be inside that one room in particular?”
Fury swigged from her vodka on the rocks. “Don’t try to convert me to your bullshit cause. I’ve done work for both sides and neither is worth the time of day. They’re certainly not worth your life.”
“We’re not working for either side.”
“Then what side are you working for?”
“Truth,” Bryce said simply. “We want the truth.”
Fury studied her, and Bryce withstood the searing assessment. “You’ve definitely lost your mind, then. I’m going to take June out of this city for a while. Lie low.”
“Good.” Bryce wished she could warn her parents without raising suspicions. She tapped her foot on the bronze footrest beneath the bar.
“Can you take Syrinx with you?” She wouldn’t leave without knowing he’d be cared for.
“Yeah.” Fury sighed and signaled the bartender for another vodka. “I’ll get you what intel I can.”
Tharion found his fiancée sitting on the edge of the quay off the Bone Quarter, her delicate feet dipping into the turquoise water, sending waves splashing in the sunlight. Her black hair was unbound, cascading down her slim back in a luxurious fall.
Once, that beauty had staggered him, snagged him. Now it merely … weighed.
“Thank you for meeting me.” He’d sent the otter an hour ago. She twisted, looking back at him, a pretty smile lighting her face.