Page 269 of Halfblood Deceived

Andreas had the decency to look slightly chastised.

“What’s going on?” asked a familiar feminine voice.

Diana had arrived, along with Aroth. The male looked somber as ever and exhausted, but mildly amused. Diana was paler than Zeydan had ever seen her. Her eyes were swollen and almost as red as her short hair. She still wore the gray scrubs and slippers all criminals were given when they were in holding.

Zeydan ran a hand through his hair. “Haven’t you heard? Aella almost got herself killed, and they—” he pointed at Aylana, Evan, and Andreas “—helped her.”

Diana’s eyes went wide. “What?!”

“Aella figured out that Brittany had used some sort of mind control on you,” Evan explained. “But she needed evidence to exonerate you, and she was afraid Brittany would run. So she decided to turn herself into bait.”

“Bait?” Diana asked, voice cracking with horror.

“Aella thought she was Brittany’s loose end, and she was right,” Aylana interjected. “We put a tracker and microphones in her clothes, and contact lenses with cameras in her eyes. Then she wandered around the park for an hour or so. And as she predicted, Brittany’s accomplices captured her.”

Zeydan growled. The retelling only made it worse. “And then these reckless morons almost let Aella be exsanguinated and abused while she needled her kidnappers to talk,” he snarled. “And even after they arrived, they couldn’t stop that psychotic witch from stabbing Aella with a dagger loaded with gargoyle-killing poison.”

Aylana and Evan winced as one.

Diana’s eyes filled with tears. “Is she—”

Kamilla approached Diana and squeezed her shoulders. “She’s fine. Mari used Zeydan’s blood to heal her after she removed the infected tissue. She’ll be fine. Sore for a few days, but fine.”

Diana whimpered, one hand flying to her chest. “She’s gone through so much already. She shouldn’t have risked her life for me.” Tears fell down her pale, freckled cheeks.

Zeydan almost agreed aloud. Almost. But what kind of a selfish bastard would that make him? And wasn’t he a selfish bastard already for merely thinking about it?

“Aella loves you, Diana,” Aylana said, hazel eyes full of pained compassion. “She thought the risk was worth it, and she asked for our help. But she warned us that if we tried to get in her way, she’d do it by herself.” She half turned to glare at Zeydan.

Diana took a halting breath. “Gods fucking dammit. I wish I could kill that fucking witch.”

“You and me both,” Zeydan said.

“Kerian is interrogating her right now,” Aroth informed them. “The tribunal’s interrogators tried to do it the traditional way. But the witch has infused herself with so much dark magic that she can fend off the effects of even the new truth potion. So Kerian is breaking into her head the old-fashioned way.” His pale, pierced lips tilted in a small but chilling smile. “I shall go back to assist him. It’s been a while since I’ve punished someone. I’ve missed it.”

Evan’s eyes grew very, very wide.

Aroth smiled at Evan and then vanished in a flash of darkness.

“I am not the slightest bit ashamed to admit that he scares the shit out of me,” Evan commented.

Aylana squeezed Evan’s shoulder reassuringly. “Aroth enjoys scaring people, but he doesn’t hurt anyone who isn’t evil.”

“He is still creepy as Hell,” Andreas said.

Zeydan gritted his teeth. He was still tempted to punch the daylights out of the mouthy bastard. But with his head somewhat clearer, he had a pretty good idea of why Andreas had needled him. And the possible reasons made him feel sick with remorse.

He was still enraged with Aylana, Evan, Andreas, and Aella herself, too, however.

And he wasn’t sure that rage would vanish anytime soon.

Before he said something he’d regret, or punch someone again, he left the room, not bothering to acknowledge the looks burning at his nape.

CHAPTER 52

Beep, beep, beep.

The familiar sound crept into Aella’s consciousness slowly, but insidiously.

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