Chapter 18 #2
I reach for psychic help before I remember that it’s no longer available to me.
Then it comes to me in a flash. “I think I know what she wants us to do.”
Sure enough, when we read the audio transcript, we find several passages of Liora speaking about the purification rights.
You will be cleansed by the light of the moon. The Warden has proclaimed it. I’ve been given the honor of leading you in the ritual to purify your body, your mind, and your soul. It will only be me, dear one, and another chosen attendant. No one else–certainly no males.
No males means no guards. Liora is making it clear that the purification ritual is our best time to break in and sneak her and Oriana out. She isn’t saying anything directly, but that’s wise because she and the acolytes are probably being watched.
And then what?
the unidentified speaker asks. Noah thinks it’s his sister, Oriana, but there’s no way to be sure.
Then you will be pure and ready for the Alpha Rites. Do not be afraid. Fate will guide us.
There are a few more passages of the unidentified speaker sharing their fears.
I don’t want to be chosen.
Liora shushes them.
It is an honor to be chosen
she proclaims. It’s in stark contrast to the way she begged me to help free her daughter when she visited me in the tower, which makes me think she’s definitely putting on a show for the guards.
But do not worry. Fate will reveal your path at the time of purification.
I use the computer to type to Noah.
That’s our chance.
If we can get past the guards, we can get Liora and Oriana out.
Noah erases what I’ve written and types,
When?
I bite my lip and type:
Tonight
It has to be tonight. Do we tell Brick?
Noah shakes his head.
The door swings open, and I jump back from the computer as Madi walks in. “Thank you for looking this over, Noah,” she murmurs while signing. “This project has been a challenge from the start.” She’s keeping it vague for the guards.
Noah quickly erases all traces of what we’ve done from her computer. “Glad I could help,” he says.
“Did you have enough time to review everything?”
All done, I sign. My gut is churning. Do we confide in Madi? Or will she take what we share and run straight to Brick? We can’t take the chance in case he decides to stop us.
I glance at Noah, but his face is blank.
Madi seems to understand. She inclines her head. “You’ve been invited to lunch with Brick and I. I will warn you–the Moon Co Bros will all be there.”
“Moon Co Bros?” I ask.
To my surprise, Noah grins. It’s good to see some of the tension leave his face. “That’s what we call Billy, Jake, Vance and Sully. Technically, I was a Moon Co Bro, too.” His smile slips a little.
“Once a Moon Co Bro, always a Moon Co Bro,” Madi says and signs cheerfully. “Although why you like hanging with those alphaholes, I’ll never understand.”
“You mated the head alphahole.”
Madi snickers. “It was Fate. Can’t argue with that, can we?”
Noah agrees and offers me his arm. I take it, needing his touch, grateful for it. For some reason, at the mention of Fate, my insides grew cold.
Noah
Jake is talking too fast for me to lipread, but it doesn’t matter because it’s some bullshit story.
“So… pants around my ankles…get it on ..the most beautiful dragon shifters I’ve ever seen,.
...too excited and blows fire. Poof, there go the bed curtains.
I had to scramble to get them free–they were both…
if you know what I mean.” Jake waggles his brows.
The more Jake talks, the wider Aster’s eyes get. My wolf would be annoyed she’s so fascinated with the Moon Co Bros, but there’s only curiosity in her scent. I remind myself she’s been sheltered. And the Moon Co Bros are a lot to take.
“Then the other thinks the first one did it on purpose, and they start fighting. Flames are going everywhere. The bed’s toast. And I’m just trying not to get my buns roasted while I pull them apart.”
A laugh squeaks out of Aster, and then she shrinks a little because no one else is buying the story enough to laugh. I put my hand on her shoulder to reassure her.
Jake also shoots her a smile. He loves having her in his audience. She’s the only one who doesn’t realize this story is total bullshit, the rest of us are listening with amused skepticism.
“Finally, the door goes up in flames, and the bouncers come in with a hose. Too late for the room. Everything was in ashes, including my pants. Thaddeus was pissed. He revoked their membership and kicked us all out. But we all went back to the Emerald and had a nice time.”
I miss what Billy says, but when I turn to see, his expression is dismissive.
“What actually happened is he tried to make a move on a dragon shifter and got burned,” Vance says. He signs the joke clumsily, but I get the gist.
“Now that I believe.” Nickel raises his wine glass to toast Vance.
He’s the only one drinking wine–we spent the first half of lunch teasing him about acting more French than British.
I have a harder time reading his lips because of the British accent.
“Dragon shifters are rare. No way there are two female dragons in New York.”
“They were male. Twins,” Jake says, looking smug.
The rest of the Moon Co Bros snort.
“We can easily fact-check this, you know,” Madi says. “I’ll just ask Thaddeus.”
The smiles slip off people’s faces, and they all look at Brick, who has storm clouds in his expression.
Growl, Aster signs to me.
“What?” Madi says and signs, unfazed by her mate’s glower. “I liked him.”
“He liked you. Too much.” Brick captures her hand in both of his and brings it to his mouth to kiss. “No vampires.”
“Vampires and wolves don’t mix. Even the humans know that.” There are chuckles around the table.
“Inside joke,” I tell Aster. “It’s from a book.”
“I can loan them to you if you want,” Jake offers. “Do you like to read?”
“I do. I’ve just never read for fun. Because I was destined to be Seeress, I had to focus on my duties.”
The Moon Co Bros’ expressions are kind, but the room gets quiet at the reminder of how Aster was raised.
I copy Brick’s move and take her hand, holding it close. She squeezes it, and a little tension goes out of me.
It’s hard for me to relax right now because my mom and sister are trapped, and I have no idea how to free them.
I keep thinking that if we try to sneak back on Adalwulf land and we’re caught, we’ll probably be killed, like Moira, the wolf Sully knew.
The Warden won’t show mercy. It’s unthinkable, but I can’t stop imagining it.
“The Purification is tonight. I have to get my mother and sister out of there before then. Are you going to let us go?”
Everyone’s expression turns serious.
Brick frowns then signs and speaks slowly. “No one is going anywhere until I’ve had time to consider all the angles.”