Page 67 of Fallen Heirs

“She hasn’t felt an ounce of pain, I can promise you that.”

“You’re lying!” Talon yelled.

“He’s not,” Orpheus asserted, staring into my eyes. “What have you done with her?”

“If you’ll calm down, I’ll explain. However, you arenottaking her from here.”

“Issuing such a statement—or more like an order—is no way to calm me down, Father.”

“She exposed her dangerous ability to the world. She’s not safe out there. Within my kingdom she is protected. No harm will befall her.”

“Except at your hands,” Xavier accused.

“So forthright, just like your father.”

“Speaking of my dad, he won’t allow this. He won’t allow an angel—Abigail’s daughter, no less—to be held captive by you. By anyone.”

“You’re certain of that?”

“Yes,” he hissed.

“Then why isn’t he here right now alongside the three of you? Could it possibly be that you haven’t disclosed to him that it was me who was responsible for taking her? Why, pray tell is that?”

My son glared at me, aware that I’d obviously put the pieces together.

They didn’t trustExemplarwith this revelation.

Rightly so.

Even with Elliot wanting to safeguard Alena Rose and act in her best interests, his wishes weren’t paramount, not when he had so many others to answer to. It wasn’t a stretch to believe that those wishes would be usurped by whatExemplarwanted collectively. In all likelihood, after what had happened, they would want Alena confined at the compound, more for the safety of others than for her wellbeing, as well as to use the act as a gesture of faith to calm the uproar that was currently running wild throughout the supernatural world in light of what she could do being disclosed.

“Stand down,” Orpheus told his loves, a moment before he pulled his power back.

“Ore, what—” Talon started to protest, but Orpheus held up his hand. He’d inherited that from me.

“My father and I will talk,” he told them, his eyes narrowing at me.

I swept away my shield and told him, “You and I alone. Your loves will wait and calm themselves in the central living room.”

“The living room?” he questioned, knowing that I only liked to receive allies and friends in that room. I sent others to the library or one of my numerous salons.

“Correct.”

Understanding that it boded well, he gave a nod, then stepped forward. “So be it.”

“Youshouldbe attendingto your project with the assistance I sent along with you in the form of Edgar,” I told Orpheus, as I watched him down half his glass of bourbon, while I sipped at my spelled glass of vodka.

“I would be doing just that if you hadn’t kidnapped Alena.”

“Or if Constantine hadn’t had his new acolytes attack her and Electi Academy.”

He gave a nod. “I felt a mammoth and concentrated expulsion of dark magic.”

“And you thought it was Constantine.”

“Yes.”

“Well, in essence, it was. He was working through them, using them as his puppets. You need to maintain your focus on your project, because it’s clear Constantine took said action to cause a distraction and to render Alena impotent against him, forcing her into hiding to ensure she isn’t an issue he has to contend with when he makes his big move.”

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