Page 70 of Veiled Yearning

I’m not sure I’ll ever forgive myself, but that’s something I’ll carry to the grave. “Not that.” A pause. “Well, yes, that. But also. I’m sorry I didn’t try harder to understand. When you met Cait, I couldn’t believe you’d choose her first. Over the Sentinels. But now…”

“And now you do?”

“I do.” The joy of loving Chiara pushes away the clinging regret. “Now I understand. I would do anything for her.”

“Ah, Gavril.” Frederick claps my shoulder. “I’m happy for you. Both of you. I couldn’t think of two people who deserve love more.”

“Thank you.” My voice goes rough. “I just hope—”

“Frederick. Gavril.” Larkin stands at the other end of the hallway, frowning at us. “Are you coming? Or are you planning to stand there gossiping for the next five minutes?”

Shaking his head, Frederick answers, “We’re coming, Larkin. And when did you turn into such a nag?” And with a quick nod to me, he heads off down the hall.

We have to beat Nicolas.

All the people gathered here are more than my allies. They’re friends. Family. And the woman I love. And I can’t let Nicolas and his Custodians harm them.

I’ll do anything to keep them safe.

As I join everyone in the living room, settling next to Chiara on one side of the couch, the thought keeps repeating.

I’ll do anything to keep these people safe.

The alternative is unthinkable.

How can I lose my best friend; the man who has stood by me for two-hundred years? How can I allow Cait to lose the man she loves?

What about Alex and Jules? Grace and Roman? Ivy and Ethan? After all they’ve overcome, I can’t allow Nicolas to take it away from them.

There’s Larkin, who saved me all those years ago and gave me a reason to live.

And Chiara.

My Chiara.

I can’t let Nicolas get his hands on her.

“Gav.” Chiara taps my arm, drawing my attention to her. “Are you okay? Did you have a vision?”

“No. Why?”

“You went kind of distant for a second.”

“No vision.” I rub her leg gently. “Just thinking.”

Larkin stands in front of the fireplace—cold and dark now that it’s spring, and the only time I light it is for evenings with Chiara—and clears his throat to get everyone’s attention. “We have some updates. And some plans to be made.”

He scans the room, his gaze lingering on Frederick and I, waiting for each of us to give him the signal to continue. While Larkin is the oldest of us, and by essence, the leader of the Sentinels, he never speaks without conferring with us first.

Once we’ve exchanged silent messages, Larkin continues. “First. With the arrival of Circe, Paul, Darien, and Xavier last night, we have everyone in place to move out. We are twenty-five strong, and with all our abilities, our weapons and tools”—he gives Chiara a nod of acknowledgement—“we’re in very good shape.”

A phone chimes; a moment later, Frederick rises from his seat and hurries out of the room.

Larkin’s jaw tightens, and tension stiffens his shoulders.

We’re hoping this call is the one we’ve been waiting for, but it’s only been thirty-six hours since the Custodian was released with Grace and Roman’s enhanced suggestion. It could take our unwitting spy days longer to get to Nicolas, and that’s assuming he can get access to the leader of the Custodians to begin with.

Nicolas is incredibly paranoid, and from my visions, I only see him with the same small core of loyal Custodians. Our captive isn’t one of them, so it’s possible Nicolas won’t agree to see him in person at all. On the other hand, a Custodian who supposedly escaped from us? Who might know some of the inner workings of the Sentinels? I think Nicolas will want to talk to him face-to-face.

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