18. Chapter 18
Chapter 18
I t’s with determination in my step that I make my way to the meeting. I haven’t exactly succeeded in finding any information that would help me devise an actual plan, but I still have such a strong feeling that there’s something vital for the war waiting for us in Nasgard.
So the plan is still to suggest it and be honest about the reason I’m doing it in the first place.
Once I get to the war room and see Dryden, I get a little distracted, but I don’t let it mess with my focus.
“I know it’s disheartening,” Nuala starts as soon as we all get settled in, “what happened at the last mission, but what’s done is done. Right now—”
“ What’s done is done? ” Lorcan cuts her off with a scoff. “I don’t think that’s the right attitude, Nuala.”
Damn, I think as we all exchange an awkward look.
Nuala glares at her father. “It’s Emberlord MacArthur, Lorcan . And we don’t interrupt each other at these meetings.”
He blinks and for a second, I think he’ll protest. Thankfully, he immediately retreats, albeit with a sour look on his face. “Of course, Emberlord MacArthur.”
“As I said,” she repeats pointedly, “what’s done is done, and right now, all we can do is move on. Let’s see what our next mission could be.”
“With your permission, Emberlord,” I start, with both caution and determination, “I’d like to suggest going to Nasgard.”
All of a sudden, everyone is leaning forward.
“ Nasgard? ” Raven echoes with confusion in her voice.
“Are you out of your bloody mind?” Alaric demands.
“Why the hell would we do that ?” Jaeger asks, worry etching into her face as she stares me down.
Glancing around the table, I see it’s only Nuala and de Groot I haven’t taken completely by surprise.
“I didn’t want to say anything until I looked into it, but…” I clear my throat and tell them everything that happened on the mission.
“And the words he spoke to me were, ‘She’s in Nasgard,’” I conclude the story.
“Who’s the man?” Dryden asks, clearly intrigued.
I press my lips tight, knowing exactly how this will sound. “I don’t know, but—”
“ You don’t know, ” Lorcan cuts me off with a scoff.
I see Nuala shut her eyes before she addresses him coldly and firmly, “I thought I said no interruptions, Lorcan.”
He leans back in his chair, his jaw working.
“Alright,” she says with a sigh as she turns her focus back onto me. “What did you find out? Who is the woman and why did the man have the need to waste his last words on her?”
“I’ll have to get back to you on that. But ,” I insist before anyone can interrupt me by pointing out how crazy I am, “when I read the man’s name in the scientist’s documents, my wolf reacted to it. And when the man spoke about the woman, I had this feeling, deep in my bones, that this is something majorly significant.”
“Ah,” Nuala says knowingly. “So let me make this clear. It’s because of some hunch of yours that you’d like us to risk our lives breaking into the most dangerous prison ever?”
I throw a glance at Jaeger, who seems ready to faint with worry. But I have no option but to keep pushing. “ One mission,” I insist. “And we risk our lives on all of them, regardless of where we go, don’t we?”
“No, it’s out of the question,” Lorcan snaps.
And now, Nuala seems downright annoyed. “Tell me, Lorcan, since when are low-level Embers the ones making the calls here?”
Raven shifts in her seat with discomfort, while Lorcan just looks away, clearly butthurt.
“To be honest with you, Aurora,” Nuala turns to tell me, “I don’t think this calls for serious consideration, let alone a vote. Does anyone disagree?”
Jaeger shakes her head, visibly relieved. De Groot seems to hesitate, but Alaric, Raven and Dryden, despite throwing me apologetic looks, all shake their heads as well.
“There,” Nuala concludes the discussion. “Now, as for serious, viable options for the next mission…”
Deflated, I have to force myself to pay attention.
But once the meeting starts drawing to an end, excitement takes over. Because Dryden is here and I remember Alaric’s suggestion.
So as soon as everyone starts getting up to leave, I call him to the side.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Would you like to go on a date with me?”
It only makes my excitement grow, when I see how glad he is I made the first move.