Page 98 of Ancient Magic

Lynx blinked as the name tumbled from his lips, as if shocked he’d revealed his secret partner in crime. Micha was equally shocked. Not by the fact that Lynx had finally revealed the traitor, but who had betrayed the Cabal.

He wouldn’t have been surprised if Igor had been working with Kane to overthrow Valen. That was what they’d suspected from the start. But to be the leader of a demon revolution? No way. The male might have the balls, but he didn’t have the brains.

“Igor Triton?” He repeated the name, struggling to accept what he was hearing. “Kane’s devoted servant?”

Lynx hunched his shoulders, accepting it was too late to deny the truth. “Not so devoted. He was willing to pretend to be a loyal servant to Kane so he could gain a position of authority, but he was desperate to break free of the leech.”

“He wasn’t a prisoner. If he wanted to leave he didn’t need to sneak around. He could walk out the door.”

“Yeah, right.” Lynx’s features hardened with contempt. “You leeches love to act all civilized when the truth is that you’re nothing more than cold-blooded bastards who use your position of authority to oppress everyone around you.”

Micha didn’t bother to argue. Although most vampires had adapted with the modern codes of decency, there were still many vampires who believed that they were superior to every living creature and resorted to threats or violence to impose their will on those in their care.

Including Kane.

Instead, he tried to reconcile himself to the possibility that the Cabal had been so easily played by a swaggering idiot. Was it possible? No. No way.

There had to be something he was missing.

Micha folded his arms over his chest. “How did Igor locate you?”

Lynx shrugged. “He’d been on the lookout for a fairy with the natural talent for organizing and inspiring demons.”

“And you magically appeared?”

The smell of copper swirled through the air. Lynx was more than a little touchy at the implication he’d fallen into the role of the chosen one. Obviously it was important to his ego that he believe he’d been chosen by fate.

“Not magic.” The gemstone in his hand pulsed, as if reacting to his flare of temper. “Hard work. I created my destiny. I didn’t have my inheritance handed to me just because I’m a zombie who won’t stay in my grave.”

“Again. Not a zombie,” Micha reminded him, “but while I might not possess your lofty claim to fame, I’ve often crossed paths with Igor Triton over the centuries. He does have royal blood and a small amount of cunning, but he doesn’t have the intelligence to research the Tempest or how to locate it, let alone track you down to guide you toward your supposed destiny. And he certainly couldn’t organize my kidnapping.”

Belatedly remembering he was trying to escape, Lynx inched to the side, nearly reaching one of the marble columns.

“I organized that,” he insisted.

Micha shook his head. “Someone told you when the Cabal was coming to New York and gave you the keycard to get to the lower floors. They also told you the exact location of my bedroom and how to get out the emergency exit.”

“Igor.”

“Impossible.”

Lynx snorted. “You just can’t accept that a demon could outsmart a bunch of leeches.”

Micha frowned. His senses told him that Lynx truly believed what he was saying. So that had to mean...

“He’s right.” A smooth male voice echoed through the cavern. “A demon could never have executed such a glorious rebellion. But I could.”

Micha hissed, his fangs fully exposed as he whirled around to confront Kane.

Only it wasn’t Kane standing in the middle of the mosaic tiled floor.

In fact, the vampire with light brown hair and dark eyes, wearing an ankle-length black robe, was the last male he expected to see.

“Ambassador Azra,” he rasped in shock.

* * * *

Valen watched his mate toss her cell phone on his desk, her body vibrating with frustration.

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