Page 84 of White Raven
“Good. It’s time for your next assignment. I feel my offspring is getting close. It’s time to alter the scale.”
“I’m on my way, sir.”
He hung up, and she stood, staring down at the busy traffic so far below. If she did it, would she survive? Would it end this madness, or just leave her to wake in a different part of the nightmare? It wasn’t worth finding out. She turned and hopped off the ledge onto the rooftop and made for the unlocked door to the stairs.
Several days had passed, and Athan had still seemed on edge about something, but Sarah refused to ask…even though it was killing her to know he was keeping something from her. As they stood in line at a coffee shop a block down from Nell’s place, Sarah clutched her arms and got lost in her thoughts, her face glued to the scuff on her boot.
“Almost a week, and you haven’t asked me a single thing about Brent,” Wren cut in, breaking her concentration. “Consider me shocked enough to know there’s something wrong with you.”
Sarah raised her face, meeting Wren’s eye roll and smirk. “I didn’t wanna pry.”
“Oh, bullshit. You were the reason I busted him with his overly friendly doctor at his apartment.”
What?
“I’m sorry—what?” The line moved, and they stepped forward with it as Wren looked over the shoulder of the guy in front of them at the menu. “You’re joking.”
“Nope. She was trying to lay it on him when I walked in, and we had words.”
She knew it. She knew Dr. Ambrose seemed a little too interested for it to be nothing that day at the hospital. That bitch would get it. “What happened?”
“Nah, you want the tea, you gotta spill yours. What’s wrong with you?”
“You’re such a bitch.”
Wren shrugged, smirking again, and the guy in front of them glanced over his shoulder. “You and Athan fighting too?”
“Too? Who else is fighting?” It hit her then. “Oh…Rhaena. Her and Brandon still haven’t worked out their shit?”
“I think so. I haven’t heard much from her since a few days ago. She’s supposed to go to the doctor today.” They moved up another step.
“The doctor? Why, what’s wrong?”
Wren turned toward her, raising an eyebrow. “Did he not—you know what? Last time I overstepped my bounds, you called me a Judas. I’m just gonna stay in my lane.”
Okay, something was going on. Whatever it was had something to do with Athan, and it was probably the reason he had gone back to his quiet, brooding corner.
“Tell me.”
The look on Wren’s face was pained, like it was taking every bit of her restraint to keep it in. “Don’t do this shit. It’s not my business to tell.” They moved up, and the nosy prick glanced back at them again. “Hey, you wanna keep your gourd pointed at your own business, friend?” His face flushed red, and he jerked it back to the counter.
“Is it because of the cabin? Tell me, Wren.” The thought of her blood hurting Rhaena was crawling under her skin like a ravenous parasite, and dread trailed right behind it. Wren looked surprised by the question.
“What? No…” she grabbed her elbow and turned them away to lower her voice. “Rhaena’s fine, dude. That’s not it. She’s—she thinks she might be pregnant…‘kay?”
Holy shit…but why would Athan be so bothered by it? Unless that wasn’t it.
“What’s wrong with that? She’d be fucking adorable. And I feel like Brandon would be a doting daddy.” The other thought gave her pause. “Why…why would he not tell me about it?”
“See, that’s where I feel like I shouldn’t be passing along information. I’m not trying to get in the middle of everybody’s shit. I’ve got enough to deal with trying to navigate the murky waters with Brent.”
“But Athan knows, right?”
Wren moved them up in line and grabbed a bag of chocolate almonds from a basket beside them. “Yeah, he knows. He was there when Rhae was freaking out. He left before I had her pissing on a stick. You know he ain’t gonna stick around for that.”
“Did you?” Sarah asked, turning a mug on one of the shelves to look at the price tag.
“Yeah. She had a couple negs, but it was kinda weird. The rest were unresponsive. Even the pricey ones.” She didn’t even wait to get to the register before she tore the bag open on her almonds and popped a couple in her mouth. “Damn, these are good.”
