Malachi was behind her, holding on to her arm while the others argued in the background. His softly spoken endearment snapped her back to her senses.
Canim.
“I loved it when you called me that.”
He bent down, and the arm that held her wrapped around her waist as he bent down and whispered in her ear.
“Then I will call you that every day, canim. But do not leave this place without me.”
“Do you know?” she asked, turning in his arms. “Do you know who Brage is? What he did?”
“He is the one who killed me, yes?”
She nodded.
“Then I have a debt to repay,” he said. “Don’t I?”
He glanced over Ava’s shoulder at the group of arguing Irin who were all debating how to attack the building.
“He’s waiting for me,” Ava whispered. “For us.”
“What does he want?”
“For me to go with him.”
Malachi’s eyes narrowed. “Do you want to?”
She blinked, shocked that he had picked up on the dark compulsion. “A part of me wants to. I don’t understand why.”
His eyes narrowed, then he bent to brush his lips across hers before he said, “He cannot have you. You’re mine.”
Ava looked over her shoulder. Sari and Lang were arguing while Rhys tried to referee. Damien was rubbing his temple, clearly aggravated. Maxim and Renata, Leo and the others waited with impatient expressions.
“They’re sleeping right now,” Sari hissed. “It doesn’t matter how many there are. We go in—quietly—and we will wipe out the house within minutes.”
“You’re right,” Lang said, “so there is no need for you, Ava, or Renata to come into the fight.”
“You are really arguing this with her?” Damien asked.
“I know she’s capable. But there are few Irina left. There are thousands of Irin. It makes no sense to risk the few when they are so—”
“If you say precious or dear or rare or anything of the sort,” Rhys said, “you know she will rip out your throat.”
“Then rip it out,” Lang said. “This is battle. Not politics.”
Renata broke in. “This is useless! We need to go. Now! If Ava can hear Brage, then he is awake. If he is awake, he will wake the others and our advantage will be gone.”
Ava spoke under her breath. “But he’s not waking them. He’s waiting.”
“For you?” Malachi asked.
“Yes.”
Malachi looked over her head, then down the dark alley where they were hiding. Fog hung low to the ground, and no stars shone overhead. He looked back toward Damien, then at her. Ava felt his grip on her hand tighten a moment before he tugged them away and into the night.
“Do you have your staff?” he asked, once they had slipped away.
“No. Do you have a knife I could borrow?”
He didn’t answer, just slapped a heavy hunting knife into her hand as they continued jogging. She didn’t hear anyone coming after them but knew the others would be loath to draw attention to themselves by shouting after them.
“Can you track him?”
Ava forced him to stop, then closed her eyes and searched for it. It was still there. Distant. Fainter than it had been. Brage’s voice was moving.
“He’s moving.”
“Can you track him, Ava?”
“Yes.” She pointed in the direction of the Grigori voice and opened her eyes. “That way.”
She was pointing at the side of a brick building, but Malachi only nodded and urged her forward. When they came to the end of the alley, he stopped again.
“Which way?”
It was easier to find now that she recognized it.
“There.” They ran to the left.
Ava and Malachi continued to thread their way through the narrow alleys and streets of the waterfront. Sometimes climbing over fences, a few times dodging humans or dogs they encountered.
“He’s moving away from the others,” she said.
“He wants to get you alone.”
“How did he know I would follow him?”
“I don’t know.”
“If he wants to get us alone, we’re playing right into his hands.”
Malachi grunted. “We’ll manage. Is it still only him you hear?”
“Yes. He’s alone.”
They continued to follow, Ava listening for the Grigori’s harsh whisper, leading Malachi in what felt like circles. Every street looked the same in the darkness.
“We’re heading back,” Malachi said. “He’s going back to the house.”
Ava nodded, her breath catching in a panic. “And he’s not alone anymore.”
Malachi stopped and grabbed her shoulders. “There are more?”
“He’s heading back to the house,” she said. “And the others. They’re awake.”