Page 35 of Tested
I surprise myself with that blast of words, but they’re all true. The idea that she’s been missing for over two years makes me sick. “All I have to do is tell the Morrigan she’s been found. Nowhere in our agreement did we specify that I’d be delivering the Princess anywhere to anyone.”
Kowalski doesn’t respond, but the wheels in his head are turning. I give him a minute, then continue. “The thing I can’t figure out is why Ananda Pendragon cares about your Princess. It doesn’t seem like they’d travel in the same circles.”
Kowalski opens his mouth like he’s going to answer, then closes it again. Opens. Closes. “The Lady Tatiana,” he says finally, “has…unusual tastes. She crossed paths with the Morrigan in her search for…satisfaction.”
I’m doing my best to keep my expression neutral, but it’s hard. “So you think—”
“The Morrigan is a god, and what’s normal for a god would be quite extreme for you or me. We have tapped every resource, human and supernatural, in our search for the Princess, and no one has found her. Our assumption was that the Morrigan had hidden her away, but your statement disproves that. Unless you’re not telling me the truth.”
He’s still got that gun, and I’m still ready to dive out of the way, but his aura is calming down. “You’ve trusted me with information I didn’t already have, and I have every intention of proving myself worthy of that trust.”
Kowalski nods once, then pockets his pistol. He scoops up a messenger bag, one I hadn’t noticed, and pulls out a folder. Handing it to me, he says, “This is what we’ve shared with the Securitas and the FBI. There’s a few photos of Lady Tatiana, along with a listing of her last known activities, addresses, and contact information for her close friends. We want our Princess to come home, Connor MacPherson.”
I take the packet, figuring a lot of it will duplicate what Poole’s sending or what’s already in my files, saved on a secure server. Still, there might be something new, and adding the Morrigan to the mix might refocus things.
Kowalski stands, so I do too. I’ve got some chicken to finish and the bill to clear. “I’ll do whatever I can to find the Lady Tatiana. You have my word.”
We shake hands and the elf with the bronze aura leaves. While I eat, I flip through the packet. The photos show a familiar figure, one with a delicately pretty face with golden-brown eyes. There’s also a list of contacts, most of whom I’ve already talked to, two years ago, anyway.
I finish my dinner…or is it breakfast? Whatever meal it is, I finish and pay the bill. It’s about one in the morning, still a while before sunrise, and I have a sudden need to see Trajan and David. The two of them mean more to me than anything else in my life.
The only thing stronger than my feelings for them is the fear that I’ll ruin everything if Trajan finds out I’m working with the Securitas. I leave the diner, chased to my rental car by the hot, dry wind, the kind that makes your eyes burn and turns your spit to paste.
I’m in sight of the car with the keys in my hand when I notice something. There’s a glow in the back seat, silver and green, an aura that really shouldn’t be there. Someone’s in my car. I slow my steps, narrowing my gaze.
Brodie.What the hell does he want?
I hit the keyfob and open the driver’s side door. “You’ve got ten seconds to get out of my car or I’m going to start shooting.” No, I don’t have a gun, but he doesn’t know that.
He believes me, though. He pops up from where he’s been crouched in the rear seat. “Don’t shoot, Mack. It’s just me.”
“I know it’s you, Brodie. Now get out of my car. You’re getting on my nerves.”
His foolish grin broadens. “I just want to talk to you.”
“About what? And this better be good because I can still shoot you.” Not really, but…
“Remember that time in Paris?”
“What?”
“Paris, when we raided that guy who was trying to make zombies.”
I slow blink. “Yes. I remember Paris.” We’d come close to getting snuffed, and only the fact that we knew each other well enough hear the truth under the lies had saved us. “It was a tough one.”
Something sincere crosses his eyes. “We’re a good team.”
“Wewere, yeah.” The Elites didn’t have formal partners. Poole paired guys up based on the skills they possessed and the job at hand. Even so, Brodie and I had worked together more than once.
“I was just thinking maybe you might want some help on this princess thing.” Flickers of rose – vulnerability – flash through his aura and then disappear.
“Brodie, man.” I don’t know what else to say. Doing this job already has me twisted up. Adding a partner to the mix feels like a giant step too far.
Besides, the guy’s part djinn. He’ll probably drop by the house and introduce himself to Trajan just for kicks.
“Look, I appreciate the offer, but I gotta work this one on my own.”
Brodie climbs out of the car. “Figured you’d say that, but I had to offer.”
“Why?”
He knocks me in the shoulder with his fist. “You’re a pain in the ass, Mack, but you’re our pain in the ass. The guys and I decided one of us should volunteer to help, and I lost.”
His aura says he’s lying, but I jerk my thumb in the direction of the street. “Get outta here.”
“Cowboy.”
“Go!” Maybe I should start carrying a gun.
Brodie leaves, muttering various insults and threatening me with…I’m not even sure what. I let him go, hoping his number will get called and he’ll have better things to do than harass me. Time to get home to my men.
