Page 122 of Wicked Heirs

“I get it. You don’t want anything to screw that up.”

“I don’t, X. I really fucking don’t.”

“He’s been the most peaceful I’ve ever seen him over the last two weeks,” Orpheus stated.

“But that’s not whyyoudon’t want to risk telling her.”

“It’s part of the reason. You know how important Tal is to me, how important the both of you are to me.”

I smiled. “As much of an asshole as you can sometimes be, yeah, I do know, brother.”

“So, what’s the other reason?” Tal asked, too hopeful that there was one, that there was an excuse to avoid rocking the boat when it came to Alena.

Orpheus stepped back from his garden completely and looked between both of us. Folding his arms across the chest of his purple long sleeve tee, he said, “She could view the true purpose ofObsidianas underhanded and a violation of what her mother andExemplaras a whole stands for. The position of power that she’s in, both as a Nephilim and as the daughter of Abigail Rose, is dangerous if she proves to be at odds with what we’re doing, with our plans. Telling her puts the means in her hands to destroyObsidian.”

I shook my head, unwilling to believe that would be the case. “She’s been on board with everything so far.”

“Yeah, she was on our side over the shit we told her about, even with her own mom,” Tal said, backing up my stance. It caught me off guard a little, because he predominantly sided with Orpheus on things, on most matters. “She wouldn’t do that to us, anyway, Ore.”

“That remains to be seen. The only way to know is to call her bluff. Unfortunately, to do that, one needs to be prepared to lose everything should that go south.”

“If anything, she’ll want to be a part ofObsidian.You’re just playing devil’s advocate,” I told him.

“Somebody needs to. You two are far too smitten with her to do so. You’re allowing your feelings free reign over fucking everything.”

“And you’re not right there with us?” Tal questioned, tossing him a withering look.

“The difference is, I’m also exercising rationality and caution.”

I downed the rest of my drink, put it down on the railing, then pushed off the door. “Then employ thatrationality and cautionto another scenario. That being, what will happen if wedon’ttell her?”

Before he could answer, Tal cut in, “Hold up, I wasn’t on board with jeopardizing things by telling her, I just didn’t agree with Ore that her knowing could be a danger to what we’re doing. I’m just really worried she’s gonna freak that we never told her this earlier before we all got so close.”

“Things can’t go any further with Alena until we let her in on this. It’s a big part of our lives, part of our raison d'être. Without telling her about this, we’re cutting a massive aspect of ourselves off from her, and it’s not fair,” I told them. When Talon went to argue his case more, I put it in terms that he’d understand best. “We can’t keep her.”

The look on his face as soon as my words were out there was heartbreaking.

I knew he’d taken to Alena strongly and he’d really grown fond of her, but this reaction from him was far beyond what I’d interpreted from him so far. He couldn’t imagine being withouther, couldn’t imagineusbeing without her. She’d become an integral part of his life.

That was true for all of us without a doubt.

But seeing it reflected back at me drove it home in both a brutal and beautiful definitive way.

“I hear you,” he admitted. “I get it, X. You’re right, it’s just—”

“We know, brother. We know. But it’ll be fine. I know it. Ifeelit.”

“Let’s see to it,” Orpheus said.

I cocked an eyebrow. “Yeah?”

“Yes. It’s the ultimate test of where she stands, of her loyalty to us too.”

“A test? That’s not what I meant,” I told him.

“Yeah, that sounds way too manipulative, Ore.” He gave him a knowing look. “Like you backsliding into your assholish ways.”

“That’s not how I intended it to come across. My apologies.”

---