Page 72 of Of Flames and Crows

“Is he still sulking?” Nikolai said from the driver’s seat.

“Yeah,” Mae replied morosely.

Julius and Vlad grimaced.

He’ll feel better once we feed him some meat, Brimstone reassured Mae.

The fox was curled up on her lap.

Cortes eyed the pendant guardedly. Hellreaver had demonstrated why he deserved to be her weapon when he’d sliced a path through some two hundred feet of rock like he was out for an afternoon stroll and led them safely to one of the mine shafts.

The weapon finally spoke when their hotel came into view.

I’m just a glorified can opener to you, aren’t I?Hellreaver said sullenly.

Mae swallowed a sigh. “Look, it was in the heat of the moment.” She brightened and patted him. “And you did great. You saved us all. Why, you’re the hero of the hour!”

Hellreaver hesitated before lightening against her chest, practically vibrating with smugness.

It worries me how susceptible he is to compliments, Brimstone told Mae.

Tarang huffed.

Dawn was breaking across Prague when they parked outside the hotel. Roman stepped out of the second SUV with Violet and Miles.

Mae had been surprised when she’d seen him for the first time. His face, blond hair, tawny eyes, and his tall, toned frame closely resembled Vlad’s.

It was easy to tell they were related.

Budimir and Ludmila met them in the foyer.

The Bratva general stormed across the floor and wrapped his grandson tightly in his arms, relief brightening his dull eyes. “Roman!”

Roman stiffened before hugging his grandfather back, his face crumpling.

Filomena hopped from Budimir’s shoulder and landed on Roman’s head. She gripped his hair like she never intended to let go.

Roman flushed as he pulled back and lifted the chameleon in his hands. “Filo! I’m glad you’re safe!”

Filomena’s eyes shrank to happy slits when he nuzzled her and rubbed her under the chin.

His expression cooled a little as he looked at his grandfather. “We need to talk. About a lot of things.”

Guilt clouded Budimir’s face. Ludmila practically hopped from cane to foot next to him, eager to be introduced.

“How about we take this upstairs?” Mae advised hastily, conscious of the curious eyes on them.

They took the elevators to Cortes’s suite. To Mae’s surprise, a serving cart laden with steak and miscellaneous dishes was waiting for them. Brimstone, Hellreaver, Tarang, and the other familiars headed for it.

She turned to Budimir and Ludmila. “Thank you.”

Ludmila shrugged as guzzling sounds erupted and food debris started flying around the cart. “Something told me they’d be famished when they returned.”

“Roman, this is Ludmila Vissarion,” Budimir told his grandson reluctantly. “She’s your maternal great-grandmother.”

“Hello,” Roman said hesitantly.

Ludmila smiled. “You’re a handsome fellow.”

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