Don’t nag me, Azriel.
Someone has to. His mental tones were grim.
“I’m gathering,” Ilianna said, her voice dry, “that given the silence and your sudden, somewhat annoyed expression, you and Azriel are having a telepathic spat.”
“Sorry, Ilianna,” I said immediately. “And yeah, we were.”
She smiled. “Tell him I’m on his side.”
“Hey,” I said, feigning hurt, “you’re my friend, not his.”
“Yeah, but if he’s telling you off, it probably has something to do with you not eating or looking after yourself. And that’s good, because you don’t.”
“Thanks, friend,” I muttered.
“No problem at all.” Her smile faded. “You’ll keep me updated on any progress?”
“As much as I can, Ilianna.”
She nodded and hung up. I rang the local pizza place, ordered a large with everything, then shoved my phone away and said, “Happy?”
“When you actually eat it, yes I will be.”
I got out some cash and handed it to him. “I’m going for a shower. If the delivery guy gets here before I’m done, give him this.”>There was little I could say to that. Revenge might be a dangerous desire, but it was one I could totally understand.
The main cavern was still empty of everything but hellhound blood and gore. I stopped underneath the hole in the concrete, and looked up. What I was looking for I had no idea. It wasn’t like Lauren would suddenly appear, thereby making our hunt a whole lot easier.
“What do we do now?” I asked, after a moment.
“You need to rest —”
“I haven’t got the time, Azriel. Mirri’s life —”
“May well depend on you being strong enough to complete the task ahead.” His voice held an edge that was an odd mix of concern and frustration. “You run yourself into the ground, Risa, and that is not good for anyone.”
Not for the hunt, not for those you seek to save, and not for our son. The words echoed through me and made me smile. And yet a vague sense of irritation stirred. He wasn’t telling me what I didn’t already know.
Wasn’t saying what I really wanted to hear.
“I know, and I will rest, I promise, when Mirri is safe.”
“Then at least let us return to your apartment so you can get something to eat.”
“That I can do.” I wrapped my arms around his neck, then, as his arms came around my waist and drew me even closer, added, “Home please, James.”
“Another ridiculous Earth saying, given my name is hardly James,” he said, as his energy snapped us home in no time flat. As we reappeared in the stinking blackened ruins of the living room, he added, “Nor do I actually think I look like a James.”
I grinned. “Agreed. You need a name more befitting of your bright and sunny nature.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “I believe that is what you would term sarcasm.”
“I believe you could be right.”
My phone rang, the tone telling me it was Ilianna. The noise was sharp in the dark and smoky silence. Tao, I realized suddenly, wasn’t here.
Concern surged. I swung around, noting the front door was wide open as I dug the vid-phone out of my bag and hit the Answer button.
“Is everything okay?” I said, the minute Ilianna’s image appeared on the screen. “Is Mirri okay?”