“Very well,” he says and waves the messenger off.
“What is it?” Devon asks candidly. Drake doesn’t like that about him. He is far too nosey and intrusive.
“None of your business,” Drake replies shortly and places the letter down in front of him. “Now, where were we?”
In the moment of silence, Drake sees Devon’s nimble fingers reach out and quickly pinch the letter out right from under him. He is a second too late as he slams his fist down; the letter is already in Devon’s hands.
“Used to be a damn fine pickpocket,” Devon says with a smug smile and opens the letter.
“How noble,” Drake drawls and snatches the letter back off him, but not before Devon has had a read of it. It is short and to the point.
“Shit!” he yells, standing up. “We have to tell Lizzie about this right now.”
“Not a chance,” Drake says, shoving him back down in his seat. “She has enough to worry about and to prepare for. She doesn’t need to know this.”
> “Know what?” Lincoln asks, leaning forward.
“Tiamat has taken Cole,” Devon says quickly. “We have to tell her.”
“No!” Drake says. “Not a word of this gets back to Aeval.”
“But Tiamat will kill him,” Devon says, the blood draining from his face.
“I doubt it,” Drake says, not really caring either way.
“She wants Delinda in exchange for Cole,” Devon presses and it is getting on Drake’s last nerve.
“And She isn’t going to get her. End of story,” Drake says and is pleased to see Constantine agree with him.
“Aefre has been through enough today,” Constantine says. “I say we leave it for now and make a plan amongst ourselves to try and rescue him.”
Devon snorts and Drake has to prevent himself from doing the same. It is clear in both his expression and demeanor that Constantine has no desire to rescue his wife’s former husband.
“You would just leave him there,” Devon accuses. “You know when Lizzie finds out she will never forgive you for this.”
“I said we would rescue him, didn’t I?” Constantine asks. “But this stays between us for now. Agreed?”
“No!” Devon says.
“Yes,” Lincoln says at the same time. “She has been through enough; she doesn’t need this added worry and dilemma on her hands. If you say we will try and rescue him, then I will agree to keep this from her for now.”
Drake nods approvingly. The Wolf has just gone up in his estimations. He has a political head on his shoulders and Drake can appreciate that above all else.
“I will speak to Tia,” Drake says with finality. “She is only doing this as a last-ditch effort.”
He hears his wife clear her throat and he pauses for a second. Maurelle hates Tiamat more than anything and he knows that she doesn’t want him to go to Her, but he has no choice. Over his dead body will Delinda be used as a negotiating tool, and She will have to pry the child out of his cold, dead hands before he lets her anywhere near Tiamat again. Delinda is his heir, his blood. It is unfortunate that she was created the way she was, but it is done. Now they must move forward with their plan to pass her off as Kalen’s.
“Now that is settled,” he says.
“It hasn’t been settled!” Devon exclaims.
“Yes, it has,” Drake replies and gives him a menacing stare. “If I find out that you told Aeval about this, I will start with your toes and work my way up your body, extracting every single body part as I go. Are we clear?”
He sees Devon swallow at the very real threat and after a moment he nods ungraciously and sits back down.
“Right,” Drake says with a thump to the table. “Will somebody go and find that girl and bring her back here by whatever means necessary?” His irritation at this whole situation is growing and he wants this resolved once and for all.
The Dark Fae Kingdom, September 2014 - Aefre