Page 30 of Premonition of Peace

“Actually,” he protested, “I put the perfect amount of thought in.”

“Really? So you put thought into how you were going to approach all of this, and somehow you still managed to come across rude?”

Lucifer raised an eyebrow. “I’m being rude?”

I sighed, turning back to August. “I appreciate the offer, but right now, I want to keep you away from Not-Sasha. Your mate bond with Real-Sasha complicates things. She claims to have gotten over it in the veil, but she would know that you would immediately recognize it wasn’t her, which means whoever is inside her would know the jig is up. Right now, they think they’re getting away with it. We don’t know who it is yet, or what they want, so we need to keep it that way.”

August nodded, though he clearly didn’t like it. “I can understand your reasoning, but if you won’t accept help, who’s going to keep you safe?”

“I—”

My phone buzzed with a text from an anonymous number. I opened it and my blood ran cold. It was a picture of Carissa.

Dead.

ten

NATHALIE

Who would keep me safe?

That was a great question. Someone wanted to kill the Le Fays. My family was horrible, so it could be for any number of reasons. Maybe I was next.

Dead. The word echoed in my mind as I stared at the picture. I knew I couldn’t answer why. Instead I focused on what I saw. The facts.

She was murdered. Her limbs were bent at odd angles, suggesting someone tortured her. Whoever sent me the text was either first on the scene, or more likely, the killer.

I looked up from my phone, my heart racing. “Carissa is dead.”

Both August and Lucifer stiffened immediately, their expressions darkening. I didn’t say anything else, just slid my phone on the table between us. Lucifer picked it up, and his lips set in a thin line before he passed it to August who blinked at the picture disbelieving. They started asking me questions, none of which I could answer. I couldn’t focus on them right now.

“I’m going to go over there.”

“Over where, exactly?” Lucifer asked, lifting a brow.

“The Le Fay mansion. She’s in the front room. I recognize the scuffed wood floors.” I stood up suddenly, ready to leave. They both rose with me. “What are you doing?”

Lucifer and August looked between themselves and then to me. “We’re coming with you, sunling.”

“Oh no,” I shook my head firmly. “You guys aren’t going.”

“And why not? An anonymous text of your dead sister doesn’t scream ‘safe’ to me,” August said, seemingly on Lucifer’s side in this.

“You are both a liability,” I retorted, my eyes narrowing.

“How so?” Lucifer demanded, his jaw tensing.

“August, you need to stay behind just in case Sasha is around. She can’t see you remember?” I chose not to tell Lucifer his impulsiveness was a risk. He would just get defensive. “Lucifer, if you really wanted to help, you’ll find where Sasha and Sienna are. I don’t know who else got this text. Keep a low profile, but make sure they stay away from the Le Fay mansion. Try not to engage with her, but if you have to, just distract them.Don’tmake this worse.”

Both men opened their mouths to argue, but I cut them off with a pleading look. I was wasting time that I didn’t have. Clues and evidence. I needed to get there before anyone interfered.

“Please. It’s important.”

Lucifer crossed his arms, his eyes narrowing. “Fine. I’ll go,” he muttered.

“If he’s distracting Sasha, then me coming with you isn’t an issue. I won’t see her.” August raised a brow, knowing he had a point.

Shit.

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