Page 31 of The Seer

Draven’s smirk was annoying as fuck. “Your girlfriend called.”

“She’s not.”

“I’ll let Creed know. I believe he’s interested if you aren’t.”

“Sure, and I’ll rip his head from those freakishly broad shoulders and spit down his windpipe if he so much as looks at her.”

Draven chuckled. “I’ll be sure to inform him of your penchant for violence.”

“Aye. You do that, ya scut.” Fintan refocused on Odessa’s Victorian house and noted the similarities to Taryn’s family home. Perhaps his original distaste stemmed from knowing what lay behind the doors of the one across the street. “My cousin’s in there. Trapped.”

“Narissa’s trapped?” Draven’s tone sharpened, and he stepped forward as if to get a better look. “Creed didn’t mention that little tidbit. He only said she was gone a long while.”

Fintan tapped his temple. “Uncle Peter.”

“What else did Uncle Peter tell you?”

“Odessa is a mad cow, and she’s after bigger fish, like Damian, you, and me,” he replied grimly.

“Did he say how we’re supposed to retrieve Narissa?”

“No. Only that the ley lines created a cage. I was conversin’ with him when you frightened years off me feckin’ life.” Fintan shot him a wry glance before returning his gaze to the house. “I’ve forgotten my ring, but now that you’re here, you can try the link to Narissa, yeah?”

“Here.” Draven slid the tanzanite ring off his pinky and handed it over. “Don’t say I never gave you anythin’,cher.”

“Ah, the feckin’ gift I’ve always wanted, it is. Where are you goin’?”

“To retrieve yours. Where is it?”

“My bedroom. Ask Brenna to find it.”

Draven gave a single nod. “Don’t do anything stupid while I’m gone. Rescuing one of you is challenging enough.”

“Aye. I’ll wait unless Narissa’s injured. I’ll not be leavin’ her to Odessa’s mercy.”

“Fair enough,cher. I’ll let the others know.”

Fintan latched onto his wrist. “Not Taryn. I’ll thank you to send her home, Masters. She’s stubborn and after insertin’ herself in the fray, but I’ll not have her hurt because she’s weaker than us.”

“She can decide for herself, Fin. I’m not about to tell a capable female what to do or not to.”

The rebuke in his friend’s tone was telling, and he didn’t love sounding like a sexist bastard. Yet the idea of Taryn being injured didn’t bear thinking about.

“Draven?”

“Yes?”

“Be sure to cloak when you’re comin’ and goin’. It’s better to keep Odessa guessin’ about our numbers.”

“Well, look at you, considerin’ all the angles instead of chargin’ in with fists at the ready!” Draven drawled.

“Sure, and you can feck all the way off,” Fintan growled.

“For the record, your woman believed you’d take the intelligent route and think things through.”

Warmth filled him, and he paused his surveillance to look at Draven. “She did?”

“Yes. Said you’d want a carefully crafted plan before going in. Looks like she knows you better than anyone, hm?”

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