Page 131 of Surrendering Hope (The Hope Legacy)

She tilts her head, a slow smile breaking out. “You’re welcome. I know it’s only a matter of a day until you get him back.”

I glance over her shoulder. “Can I ask you something personal?”

She narrows her eyes. “Sure.”

“Do you have wings?”

She blinks. “Yes.”

“Can I see them?”

She rolls her shoulders and midnight blue wings that bleed to magnificent gold snap out, spanning a few yards. My mouth drops open and I reach to touch one. I snap my hand back. Who knows what the etiquette for wing touching is?

Emi grabs my hand and plants it on the middle of her wing. “So soft,” I mumble, running my hand down the silky feathers. Muscle ripples under my touch. “They’re awesome.” I think I have wing envy.

“Thank you,” Emi says as they fold to her back and then disappear.

I give her a tight smile. “I need your help.” I’m taking a risk, but if I believed in the advice from the tarot reading then trusting Emi would pay off.

Her eyes tighten. “Okay.”

“I need you to not ask questions. You have to trust me and not tell a soul what I asked of you.”

“Right.”

“You agree?”

“I’m not sure what’s going on. But… if this is the way it needs to be done, then you have my word I won’t tell another soul.”

I huff out a breath. The tension drains from my body. “How good are you at protection shields?”

* * *

After two long hours of training from Emi, we receive a call from Ant, the meet is on, one hour from now. I’ve changed into my badass clothes, I’ve got my blades strapped to my back and I have my protectors surrounding me with their faith and loyalty. The cadre and Emi are waiting in a nearby warehouse as backup. Just one more loose end to tie up.

“Smoothie?” I ask as he stuffs a Panini in his mouth. He looks over to me. “I need to tell you where the Jar is.”

He frowns as he chases a piece of unruly cheese. “Why?”

“I can’t lie, you and only you get to know where the Jar is.”

“Then what?”

“You move it.”

“But you won’t know where it is when you need it.”

“That’s why you’ll move it back to its original hiding place an hour before the ransom exchange.”

He points at me. “Not just a pretty face.”

I roll my eyes. “Zee likes to take first prize for his pretty face.”

Zee twists around from his perch next to Jed on the sofa. “You’re just jealous, you have a better pair of-”

“Nope, not jealous of your face or your moobs.”

“Moobs?” Aaden asks from the dining table, no doubt rechecking every inch of this plan.

---