Page 38 of Elven Lies

But now he was gone, and maybe if he took the opportunity to pay attention, he might even learn a thing or two about how Shade’s systems worked.

That, or she’d just given him authorized access to understanding in more detail how Shade’s systems worked. As in handing him the keys to breaking into all sorts of things, again, instead of just the compound’s security like on his first night here.

She’d just needed to get him out of here before this next meeting. Discussing any number of things with Rowan inside Shade headquarters was dangerous enough. Rebecca didn’t want to discuss Harkennr with him too. Though she didn’t think he knew much about the time she’d spent with the warlock in Ryngivát, there was no telling with Rowan.

Right now, figuring out Shade’s next steps took top priority. No one was in any immediate danger now, fortunately, but a lothad happened in the last forty-eight hours they couldn’t afford to ignore.

Plus, her conscience wouldn’t let her sit around and do nothing about all the magicals imprisoned in Harkennr’s facility, forced to endure unimaginable horrors for the sake of his “technological advancements”.

As she headed for her desk with a sigh, it occurred to her how much she’d changed since the last time she’d seen the warlock. Back then, once she’d discovered he was trying to do, she’d left him behind and moved on, removing herself from the situation entirely. This time, the mad genius had succeeded, and Rebecca couldn’t stop thinking about how to help all his victims and get them out of there.

Somehow, this mess with Harkennr felt so much more personal than any number of other horrible things she’d seen during her centuries on Earth. That was probably how Harkennr wanted her to feel about it too—why he’d pulled her into this all over again.

Now she was here. This washerresponsibility, and she meant to do something about it. Someone had to.

Just as she settled into the office chair behind her desk, multiple pairs of footsteps echoed up the rear staircase toward her, joined by a murmured drone of hushed conversation.

Yes, she’d called another council meeting—if that was what they wanted to name it—and hopefully, they could come to a decision together that didn’t make this feel entirely hopeless.

Luckily for her, Rick had showed up at just the right time so she could send Rowan away with him. She really didn’t have the bandwidth to deal with his games right now, even if everything was still all in good fun for him.

What Shade faced was so much more important and so much more potentially deadly. It needed her full attention. Still, Rebecca fiercely hoped Rowan came to his senses and startedtreating this like real life instead of another bit of personal entertainment, or Shade would have even more problems, from without and within.

Maybe the pressures of command as Roth-Da’al were finally getting to her. And in such a short time, too. That was what the council was for, right? Because she knew she couldn’t balance everything at the same time on her own, especially not when Kordus Harkennr was now part of the picture.

When he’d said he wanted her to think about his offer, she knew he’d also meant he expected a response.

She planned to give him one. She planned to make it a surprise.

And she hoped this council could brainstorm a way to do it that wouldn’t instantly get them all killed.

Or worse, force them into Harkennr’s facility not as guests but as prime specimens for his next experiment.

13

Listening to it was almost as horrible as having been there herself.

It didn’t help that while Maxwell relayed to Shade’s council everything he and Rebecca had witnessed at the Old Joliet Prison, Rebecca couldn’t stop watching the others’ faces.

Surprise, discomfort, horror, outrage. She watched the exact process of her own emotional evolution playing out across the expressions of everyone sitting around the table in front of her desk. Even Bor offered more of a reaction than his usual gruff muttering.

This wasn’t going over well with any of them. And that was the point. No one in their right mind could listen to something like this and remain calm and devoid of emotion. Not when Harkennr had built his new empire and let it take root in their city.

Now and for the last six months, admittedly, Rebecca definitely considered Chicago to be her city.

“The tunnels led right back up to the surface,” Maxwell continued. “We encountered neither Harkennr’s forces nor any other deterrent along the way, but I have already been advised that these tunnels will not be a viable point of entry for us in the future. Not for a covert breach op, at any rate. Which is what I imagine will be part of what we discuss next.”

He turned slightly in his chair. “Anything the Roth-Da’al would like to add?”

The office descended into tense, disbelieving silence, and it took Rebecca a moment to realize he was opening the floor for her. She blinked and nodded back at him. “Thanks, Hannigan.”

Was there anything she wanted to add to his disturbingly detailed verbal report of their visit to the Old Joliet Prison?

The better question was whatdidn’tRebecca want to add? There were so many things she could say right now, including all the dirt and even darker secrets she’d discovered about Harkennr the first time around, centuries ago. About the unbelievable lengths he would go to when he really wanted something. About just how awful the warlock could truly be.

But she didn’t go there.

She couldn’t.

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