Page 61 of Dance of the Phoenix
Luceras’s eyes, which were usually cold and unfeeling, seemed a bit less so. In fact, Ragnor noted that while he appeared relaxed and emotionless, there was tension in him that wasn’t usually there.
“I came to collect a favor you owe me,” Luceras said.
Ragnor had dreaded this moment ever since he used Luceras to find out the location of the Jinn’s headquarters a couple of months ago. And yet he didn’t expect for the Malachi to come and collect the favor so soon. “Tell me.”
Luceras’s eyes sharpened. “When you reach Houston tomorrow, go to a motel called Alby’s, room 204,” he said with a sense of urgency Ragnor scarcely ever heard from him. “You’ll find there a certain someone you know.”
Ragnor didn’t have to guess, and his hands curled into fists. “Eliza?”
Luceras nodded. “You are to take her to the Hecatomb and protect her until this ordeal is over with,” he said in a commanding tone that ruffled Ragnor’s imaginary feathers in the wrong way. “Then you are to bring her to your League for protection until further notice.”
Ragnor took two things from Luceras’s words: One, Eliza, for whatever reason, was in hot water and in need of rescue and protection, meaning she couldn’t use any of her various connections to protect her. And two, that Luceras was going against the Malachi’s wishes.
Ragnor had hosted Eliza in his town house a few weeks ago, after she’d done something to enrage a Seraph, one of the Malachi top dogs, though what it was that she had done, Ragnor didn’t know.
But after they fought over Aileen’s fate, and Eliza’s threat to end Aileen’s life if she dared to overstep the boundaries reserved for theChildren of Kahil—the followers of the Morrow Gods—Eliza left, and Ragnor had not heard from her since.
Ragnor knew that Eliza could protect herself from the Malachi—even from a powerful Seraph like the one she’d messed with. But the fact that Luceras was telling him now that she needed help told him it wasn’t simply the Malachi who were after her.
Meaning that, for whatever reason, Eliza could not use any of her connections, not even the one entity she directly served, to save her.
And while their relationship wasn’t what it used to be after they did not see eye to eye when it came to Aileen, Ragnor couldn’t ignore the fact that one of his very few friends was in danger, even without it being a favor for Luceras.
“I’ll do it,” Ragnor said and couldn’t help but add, “though not because you asked me to.”
Luceras visibly relaxed. “Good,” he said, “then I’ll leave her in your care. Consider it one of two favors done.”
Ragnor did not like the reminder that he had yet another favor he owed Luceras, but for now, he put it at the back of his mind and said, “I accept.”
Part V
Chapter 32
Aileen
I looked outside the airplane window at the green view of the United States’ countryside as we made our way to Houston, Texas, for the Hecatomb.
The entire airplane was reserved for the Rayne League participants and spectators, along with the two Lieutenants and the Lord, of course. I’d asked Ragnor before we boarded who was left in charge of the League while all the higher-ups were gone, and Ragnor replied that since the Hecatomb only took three days in total, it wasn’t a long enough time to appoint someone as temporary Lord, or to leave the Lieutenants there.
He did say he left heavy security behind, though.
Now, Ragnor was sitting at the front of the plane with his two Lieutenants. The business cabin was reserved for the Hecatomb participants, while the spectators were sitting in the economy cabin. Every Hecatomb participating pair sat next to one another.
Meaning Logan was sitting right next to me.
After our physical fight a couple days ago, it seemed like we had made a silent agreement to only interact when absolutely necessary. Our training sessions since then had been about going through mock battles silently and without needless chatter.
That was fine with me, to be honest. I was sick and tired of having every conversation with him turn into either a verbal or physical fight. Thankfully, our mutual silent treatment seemed to appease Margarita as well, since she hadn’t tried to threaten me since that last time.
Unfortunately, I had almost five hours of flight time to spend next to Logan until we reached Houston.
Not so unfortunately, Logan seemed to be asleep.
At least until an hour later, when the plane wobbled a tad too violently for my liking, waking Logan up from his slumber.
Once the plane settled, Logan stretched and glanced at me. Before I could look away, our eyes met.
He scowled and snapped quietly, “What?”
