Page 115 of Winterfall Destiny

I try not to, but I glance at Jamie who's watching his feet as he dodges puddles. I'm with Maeve—she didn't see him die, only me asking an odd question. I could've referred to anything. Any him.

"Are you positive you got all the info out of Natalie?" asks Ash.

"Yes. I've seen where the recruits group in the daytime, and who currently oversees them," says Tobias firmly. "I have a name—Art—directions to the room, and I've also a presence that puts me above most supernaturals. If I walk in there with confidence as an envoy, Art will believe me."

"And dragons definitely go into the place?" pushes Ash.

"Occasionally. Natalie saw one once."

"Doing what?" asks Ash.

"Ensure nobody touches their shit," I put in. "That's your angle for walking in with Tobias, Ash."

Ash's presence will draw more attention than the rest of us, so he'd better stride in with superiority and confidence to match Tobias's. He's memorised the info stolen from Callum in case the guy in charge asks dragon-specific questions, and Ash intends to imitate Callum's attitude.

"And you believe you can pass off as Dominion, Tobias?" asks Jamie.

"Uh. Tobias was Dominion. Won't be hard." Ash throws me a look. "What?"

"With magic if needed, yes," Tobias replies, not looking at me. "The kids' minds are weak."

"And the general or whatever he is?" asks Jamie.

Tobias smiles. "That's who we're targeting."

Maeve and Jamie can present themselves as newly joined witch recruits but a hemia recruit wouldn't arrive in the daytime—Tobias needs to convince Art that I'm a fellow envoy from Gabriella.

And Ash? A dragon envoy 'checking in'.

"If we're new recruits, what do we do? What happens to us?" asks Jamie. "You're vague about that."

"Because I don't have precise details." Tobias places a hand on Jamie's shoulder. "Locate witches as soon as you can and speak to them. We all walk into that room primed for anything."

I smirk and rub my hands together. "Oh, yeah."

"Andrei." Tobias pauses and looks at me. "If Gabriella isn't in the catacombs, I'm happy to send her a message that we've found her troops, but not to slaughter everybody in there."

"A couple of bodies as a message?" I suggest.

"If we're attacked," says Ash.

"Hmm." Maeve. Anybody fucking touches Maeve and I'll more than attack them.

Maeve slants her head. "Let me deal with anybody who confronts me, Andrei."

Mind reading? Or am I that obvious? "Is that why you want me to stick by your side, Tobias? Because I might overreact to something?"

"That and the fact you appear and feel different to everybody else in this world apart from one other being." His eyes hold mine. "I can't work mental magic on every person in the place if you draw too much attention. There'll be dozens. Stay close to me."

"And if things go badly?" asks Jamie.

"Deal with what you need and head back to the catacomb's entrance. If the majority are hemia, they can't follow you out." Tobias smiles. "Between you, you have enough magic to handle anyone who comes your way."

"The shadows?" he responds.

As silence descends. "If I need," says Maeve firmly. "But only if; I can't control them well yet."

"Then both you and Andrei need to focus on self-control. Correct?"

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