“…from Remiel,” CK finishes his thought and Xane leaps up and snaps at him, “Quiet!”
CK glares at him as I gape. Xane never interacts with the others in my group. He speaks to me and me alone, even if someone asks him a direct question, he doesn’t acknowledge. Things have certainly changed around here.
“I beg your pardon?” CK says.
“Don’t say his name,” Xane says, more calmly now. “It’s a thing.” He looks back to me for confirmation and I nod.
“He’s right. It’s a Demon thing,” I say.
“I thought it was a Spirit thing?” Lincoln says and I ask him to elaborate.
“When you were in the Dark Fae Kingdom, when we called him, he showed up. Thought perhaps he was lurking.”
“Oh, he does lurk,” Xane and I say in unison and we laugh together.
“However,” I continue, “he does seem to know when his name is said.” Much like another Demon I know, I think with a glance at said Demon.
He regards me back closely and then corrects me, “Dragon twice removed.”
I narrow my eyes at him, as how did he know what I was thinking? “Quite particular about that, aren’t you?” I ask archly and he grins.
“I enjoy a sense of accuracy,” he says easily.
“Back to the matter at hand,” CK says with exasperation. “Christ, Aefre, focus.”
“Okaaay,” I say, holding my hands up. Geez, who made him the concentration king?
“Fae Kingdoms,” Sebastian blurts out. “He, now that he is whole, shouldn’t be able to follow you there.”
“No chance,” Cole says. “She is not going anywhere with you.”
“Who said I would be there?” Sebastian asks.
“You live there,” Cole reminds him.
“No, I live here,” Sebastian says, standing up and towering over us sitting on the bed. “I work there.”
I look at Cole with a didn’t-you-once-say-that-to-me gaze and he folds like a cheap suit. He is too weak to argue and that concerns me.
“Regardless,” CK says, “Aefre will not be permitted anywhere near anyone or anything of the male species.”
“That leaves only one place,” Sebastian says then, spreading his hands out in glee.
CK turns his fierce gaze to his charge. “So that is what all of this was about? You spill my secrets to give her what she wants? Can you say ‘Brutus’?”
Wow, harsh. Especially coming from him, who was actually there at the time.
Sebastian flinches and shakes his head. “She is your wife. You should be giving her what she wants.”
I shuffle uncomfortably as this has now turned into a brawl over me again, although I don’t quite follow.
“Very well,” CK says and turns to me. “Aefre. Sebastian seems to think that the only person who can protect you is my sister. I will send a missive and we will travel upon her request.”
I blink at him. “We don’t have to do anything of the sort,” I say. He is really upset over this, but I have no idea why. If I had a sister who was still alive, and not a Vampire, I would be thrilled. Not to mention, I would share it with him. Did we learn nothing over the whole Drake fiasco?
His gaze softens as I give him the out, he so desperately wants, but he reluctantly shakes his head. “He’s right,” he says softly. “I cannot allow the same thing to happen to you as before. Where she lives, he won’t be able to get to you.”
“Where is that?” I ask, dying to know, but trying to stay cool.