Page 60 of Seducing Jenny
“I most certainly won’t tell herthat.”
Abyss giggled. It was an eerie sound. Familiar but lacking the fullness of a living laugh. “I think I understand what you mean, Tiger. If you told her properly, she might thank you. Just don’t open with the elder woman bit.”
He chuckled. “I won’t be telling her any of it. Discord Scrylock is not the kind of woman you want to be on shaky ground with, and I know I’d say it wrong.”
I turned to Abys, “Now that the faith has been deemed treason, what is it exactly that you and the other conduits do, since arriving on Halla?”
“You mean since Justice had us all beheaded?”
I swallowed hard at the memory of the conduit beheadings. “Yes.”
“As things stand now, we protect our queen. In whatever form that takes.”
I spoke a thought out loud. “If Justice were to lead an army across Halla—”
She didn’t flinch. “We would fight to the last of us.”
“Good.” I nodded once, firmly. “Because once he discovers what’s been happening here and with what we’ve been doing, it could come to that.”
Her gaze sharpened. “Would you tell him what you’ve been doing? What you’ve seen?”
I scoffed. “Even if I weren’t a willing participant in a number of crimes against the state, I would not turn in the people who have helped me, nor would I turn in their associates.”
“Not even if it would save your own neck?” Her voice was calm, but I didn’t miss the weight behind the question.
I looked her square in the eyes. “Abyss, I have walked side by side with death for over a decade. It does not scare me. The only thing that scares me now is a life without Tiger or Jenny.”
Her eyes flickered with something I couldn’t fully decipher. “Glad to hear it.”
“But you weren’t asking forthem.”
“No.” She clearly understood what I meant and it made her smile. “I protect my queen. If that means I must eliminate herassociates, then,” she shrugged and smiled wider. “Whatever it takes.”
She has killed before.I suspected it when I had first met Abyss. There was always a certain air someone gives off when they’ve taken a life. A grim confidence. I knew it well. “I can respect that, Abyss. And it goes both ways.”
“I’m glad we understand each other.”
“Well, I don’t understand it,” Tiger cut in. “You’re both okay with killing people whomightbe a threat?”
Abyss glanced at him. “The best way to eliminate a problem is before it becomes a problem.”
He frowned, eyeing Abyss cautiously. “But that doesn’t make it right.”
“I know you’re not the type to fight or kill, Tiger, but that’s why you have me,” I told him. “I’ll protect you and Jenny to the best of my ability.”
His lips pressed together. “Okay, it sounds nice when you say it like that, but I don’t want you to kill anyone because you think theymightbe a problem, okay? Not for me.”
My sweet, soft-hearted boyfriend. Gods help me. I didn’t want to lie, but I wasn’t about to make promises I couldn’t keep. “I swear to make sure I’m right first.”
He exhaled a breath and gestured ahead. “We’re here.”
We drove through the gates of Sorellamore, not even pausing this time since they were expecting us. Once at the manor, we parked in front again.
I stood up. “I’m going to get Jenny…I mean, Jade,” I said, remembering she was still in Ladrian form to remain incognito until we arrived back at my place. “She’ll want to see Sarah one more time before we take off for my estate.”
“See you outside,” Tiger said, and escorted Abyss out ofCheesecake.
I quietly walked into Jade’s quarters. Inside, the lights were low in her room, giving me just enough illumination to see her on the bed beneath the covers, facing me.
