Ash and Lyre’s overnight search hadn’t turned up any useful information. Their efforts had been cut short, well before dawn, when another party of Hades assassins had ambushed them in an alley. Seiya had needed to heal a nasty gash on Lyre’s arm once they’d returned to the clock tower. Searching the city had become far too dangerous.
Piper examined the building before her. It didn’t look like a stronghold. The elegant structure rose fifteen stories and was surrounded by carved stone walls with wrought-iron fencing along the top—a pretty design with purposeful spikes that would make it hard to climb over. She doubted anyone would be dumb enough to try, though, because the chances of the grounds being unguarded were pretty much zero.
The gates in front of them were also wrought iron. Piper took another deep breath and, doing her best to ignore the throbbing pain in her head, stepped up to the intercom panel. She felt eyes watching her, though the place looked deserted. She pressed the red button beneath the speaker. A moment of silence.
“Welcome to the Ra embassy.” The female voice crackled through the speaker, as perfectly pleasant and robotic as a recording. “How may I assist you?”
“My name is Piper Griffiths. I’m here to see Miysis.”
“Do you have an appointment?”
“Uh, no.”
“What was your name again, sorry?”
“Piper Griffiths.”
A long pause. “One moment please.”
Piper glanced questioningly at Ash.
“You’re dead, remember?” he said.
She sighed. “I hope they believe me or this will be a really short trip.”
They stood in front of the gates for nearly five minutes before the speaker crackled again.
“Thank you for your patience,” the woman said. “Please proceed.”
The hum of a small motor made Piper jump as the gates began to open by themselves. With another glance at Ash, she started forward down the stone pathway. She stared in bemusement at the fountain in the center of the lawn, which featured a detailed sculpture of the mythological griffin—a half cat, half eagle—about to take flight with its wings spread wide. The lion-like face of the creature perfectly captured the regal indifference so typical of cats—and Ra princes—but otherwise, the sculpture looked as much like an actual griffin daemon as draconians looked like dragons.
She stopped in front of the double doors, blinking at her reflection in the polished wood. Her gaze moved to Ash’s reflection beside hers.
“You should wait here,” she said. “It’s too dangerous for you to go inside—”
“I’m coming, Piper.”
She scowled. No wonder Seiya was so worried about him taking stupid risks. Ra daemons killed Hades daemons—and to them, Ash was a Hades daemon. And after their last encounter, Miysis had even more reasons to want Ash dead. He was walking straight into the viper’s nest.
“They won’t kill me,” he added as he reached for the door. “Not while I’m the only one who knows where the Sahar is.”
He walked in, leaving her standing on the front step. Clenching her hands, she strode in after him. Stupid, overconfident draconian. She wasn’t nearly as convinced of his safety. He hadn’t seen Miysis’s reaction after he’d lost the Sahar.
The foyer was everything Piper had expected from the elegant exterior. Marble floors, a curved front desk, leather furniture. The center of the building was completely hollow, with unbroken rows of balconies rising over a dozen stories to a glass ceiling high above, through which sunlight streamed in. The back wall was a modern waterfall two stories tall with a glistening marble backdrop.
The building was more than just an embassy. It was also the headquarters for the majority of the businesses the Ra family ran on Earth—legitimate and illegitimate. Piper also suspected that the Ra family had a larger chunk of their military hidden in the building than was strictly allowed. Anyone who thought the empty foyer meant the building was security-free was a fool.
The receptionist—or possibly security guard—smiled pleasantly as Piper approached the desk. Her blond hair had been swept into a simple bun, not a single strand out of place, and her green eyes were bright, accented with touches of makeup. A nameplate identified her as Sara.
“Welcome,” Sara greeted her. “Since you do not have an appointment, I’ll have to record some basic information.” Her gaze dropped to her keyboard. “Please state your name.”
Since Piper was watching for it, she saw Sara’s eyes darken. Definitely a Ra. She was checking the truthfulness of their answers. Before Piper could reply, Ash stepped up to the desk and leaned toward the woman.
“You know who we are,” he said, his voice making Piper shiver. “And you know who we’re here to see. Go get him.”
Piper blinked at him. So much for niceties.
Sara paled but managed to keep her composure. She cleared her throat. “Please have a seat and help yourself to refreshments.”
Ash smiled coolly and stepped away from the desk. As soon as they sat down, Piper pressed her hands between her knees, wishing for a distraction from her relentless headache. Nervousness was a slow burn in her belly. The embassy was trying really hard to look like a posh business office, but everything was strategically arranged to be defensible. Dealing with Miysis on neutral ground was dangerous enough. Going head to head with him in his own territory was frightening. He had every advantage and they had none.
“Miss Griffiths?” the receptionist called. “He’s ready to see you now.”
She jumped up. Ash followed at a more relaxed pace, by all appearances unconcerned with the danger. Sara gestured toward the other end of the foyer, where shiny elevator doors waited.
“Please take the elevator to the top floor. Miysis will be waiting for you.” She smiled professionally. “If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Right, thanks,” Piper said distractedly. Top floor again? She was developing a serious phobia of heights.
They crossed to the elevator and Piper punched the call button. The doors responded immediately, silently sliding open. This elevator was a thousand times better than the one at the Gaians’ building. She stepped inside, betting it wouldn’t rattle and groan as if it would break apart at any moment.
She tapped the button for the top floor and the doors slid closed, leaving her with a final glance of Sara picking up her phone to call someone. The elevator drifted upward so smoothly she couldn’t tell how fast it was ascending.
“Well, this is it,” she said, turning to Ash. “Do you think—Ash?”
His eyes were closed and his arms were wrapped around himself, rigid with tension. She glanced around sharply; it wasn’t a large elevator. Ash wasn’t afraid of heights, but he hated enclosed spaces.
Fear prickled in her stomach. Trapped in an elevator with a draconian on the verge of a panic attack—a draconian with dangerous control issues—was not good. And, of course, being the smart person that she was, instead of getting as far away from him as possible, she stepped closer and touched his arm.
“It’ll be over in a minute,” she said softly. “This isn’t like the cellar. You can blast the top off this thing any time you want, right?”
He didn’t open his eyes. “It’s not that,” he said, his voice slightly hoarse. “This thing looks like ...”
She glanced around. White walls, steel doors. A normal elevator. His hand crept up and gripped his neck—where the collar had been locked two months before. That was it. The interior of the elevator looked like a smaller version of his prison cell in Asphodel.
Her heart squeezed. Without thinking, she took his wrist and pulled his arm away from his neck. Then she stepped up to him and wrapped her arms around him. He stiffened for a moment, but then hesitantly placed his hands on her waist. He wasn’t hugging her back, but he wasn’t pushing her away either.
“This isn’t that place,” she murmured, laying her cheek on his shoulder. She could feel the tautness of his muscles, locked down
against the drag of terrible memories. Some of his tension slipped out of him as he let out a long breath. She looked over her shoulder to check the display; they had to be close to the top floor. How long did it take to—
With a screech of metal, the elevator ground to a jarring halt. That was all it took to shatter Ash’s fragile control.
She felt the rush of his magic as the lights went out, plunging the elevator into darkness. The dim emergency light flickered on an instant later, and Piper met Ash’s black eyes, framed by the line of black scales that edged his cheekbones. He’d lost his glamour. His breathing came fast as he fought to control his panic. The elevator creaked, swaying on its cable, but she’d worry about plunging to her death later. She had bigger problems to contend with.
Her arms were still around his neck. His hands on her waist were like painful vices and his claws pricked her through her shirt. She couldn’t back away. She couldn’t move a single step. Shit shit shit.
His wings flared, thumping into the sides of the elevator as his gaze swung across the tiny space. Fighting for calm, she rubbed the back of his neck, gently trying to recapture his attention.
“Ash,” she said softly. “Ash, look at me.”
His stare snapped onto her, too intense, barely controlled savagery.
“Hey,” she whispered. “You’re safe, Ash. I’m here. We’re safe. The power’s just gone out. It’ll be back on at any moment.”
He wasn’t listening. She knew that even before his attention darted away, searching for an escape. His hands tightened, claws piercing her skin as he forgot his strength, forgot he was holding her in his desperation to get out.
Heart pounding, she slid her hands from the back of his neck to the sides of his face and pulled gently. His fingers flexed, claws digging in a little deeper. She held her breath and firmly turned his head until their eyes met again.
“Ash,” she said, keeping her tone even. “You need to calm down.”
His eyes came into focus for the first time since the elevator screeched to a halt. His hands abruptly loosened their painful grip.
“Are you listening to me now?” she asked.
“Maybe,” he said hoarsely.
“Good.”
His face was an inch away, his eyes still black as night, his skin warm under her hands. She licked her lips, her thoughts drifting away from the danger and on to ... other things. To the way he felt against her, their bodies pressed close. His lips so close to hers. His dark eyes locked on hers like he couldn’t look away even if he tried.
His form suddenly shimmered, magic sparking against her body wherever she touched him as he slid back into glamour.
“That was stupid,” he said quietly.
“What was?”
“You should have gotten away from me.”
“You were holding on to me.”
He closed his mouth on whatever he’d been about to say. He tensed, stepping away from her as his nostrils flared. His eyes went black again. “Shit.”
“What?”
He took a step toward her—and his legs buckled.
“Ash!”
He caught himself before he fell and leaned back into the elevator wall. His eyes had lightened back to grey but had gone out of focus.
“Shit,” he said again.
“What is it?” She grabbed his arm. “What’s happening?”
“Drugs in the air,” he muttered.
“What?” She looked around. “I feel fine.”
“Must be daemon-specific. The room is spinning.”
Her eyes widened. “Oh no. They’re making sure you won’t be a threat.”
He grunted his agreement.
The main lights flashed back on. With the drone of motors, the elevator lurched into motion, ascending the last few floors to the top. Piper held on to Ash’s arm, muscles tense. Damn it. She should have known Miysis would never let Ash just walk into his home base without taking certain precautions. Ash was too dangerous. She hoped whatever drugs they were pumping into the elevator’s ventilation would wear off fast, and that Miysis wasn’t planning something more permanent to incapacitate Ash.
The elevator dinged as it slid to a smooth stop. Piper looped her arm through Ash’s. She had two daggers hidden in her knee-high boots, but she didn’t dare draw them yet. Not until she knew the extent of the danger they were in.
As the doors slid open, sunlight burst in, nearly blinding her. She tensed, expecting to face a small army of Ra soldiers waiting to take them prisoner. Instead, an empty marble-floored foyer greeted her, brightly lit by sunlight streaming in through the glass ceiling. Matching glass floors let the sunlight continue straight down to the other floors and offered a dizzying view of the foyer far below. Glancing warily around, she pulled Ash into motion, guiding him out of the elevator. He leaned on her with every step, his eyes glazed over from the drugs. The “power failure” had definitely been deliberate, intended to give the drugs enough time to enter Ash’s system.
She glanced back at the elevator, wondering whether they should leave. But she knew Miysis wouldn’t allow it, not when Ash knew where the Sahar was.
At the other end of the foyer was a glass wall and door. On the other side, greenery flourished. A greenhouse on the top floor?
“Ash?” she whispered. “How are you doing?”
He made an incoherent sound, shaking his head. He looked as though he were trying hard to keep his stomach down. Little tremors ran through his limbs.
Since there was nowhere else to go, she pulled Ash to the greenhouse door and tried the handle. It opened. She pulled Ash inside and stopped, staring at their surroundings.
A tropical paradise filled the space, a rainforest arching two stories overhead. The entire thing was filled with birdsongs. Not a greenhouse, but an aviary. As she watched, a bright red parrot with a sweeping tail whooshed by. It landed on a branch of a nearby tree, cocked its head toward her, and let out a whistling call.
“Close the door.”
Piper’s head jerked around. She couldn’t see him through the forest, but she recognized that melodic voice. She swung the door closed and checked that it was latched, then she led Ash down the curving path.
Around the bend was the center of the aviary: a large, circular space, paved with stones like an outdoor garden. Six carved benches with cushions formed a circle within the space, and outdoor lampposts sat between each bench to light the space at night. Dappled sunlight streamed down through the foliage. If Piper hadn’t been so tense, she would have been in awe of the beautiful, peaceful paradise.
Sitting on the bench at the far end of the space was Miysis. He reclined casually, a glass of red wine in his hand and his golden hair tousled like a magazine model’s. He smiled when she appeared, his intense yellow-green eyes appraising her like laser beams.
Clenching her teeth at the sight of him, so cool after trapping them in an elevator and drugging Ash, she helped Ash to the nearest bench. His head hung forward and he was breathing hard. He barely seemed aware of his surroundings and didn’t appear to notice Miysis at all. Giving his shoulder a squeeze, she turned to face the Ra daemon. He looked only too sophisticated in dark slacks and a white dress shirt, the sleeves rolled partway up. He was still smiling, looking far more pleased than the last time she’d seen him. This time, of course, everything he wanted was almost within reach.
Reluctantly, she stepped away from Ash. The thick greenery of the artificial rainforest was likely hiding a number of guards, but for now it seemed as though their meeting would be amiable. Miysis was deceptive like that. He would look serene right up until his assassin slipped a blade between her shoulder blades.
“Don’t look so suspicious,” Miysis told her, gesturing for her to sit on the bench beside him. “I don’t have archers in the trees.”
“Only in the bushes, right?” she retorted. She didn’t want to sit beside him, so she dropped down on the bench nearest his. “You didn’t have to drug Ash. We came here peacefully.”
>
Miysis shrugged. “One can never be too careful.” He rolled his wine in its glass. “I confess I am very surprised to see you. By all accounts, you died in the Consulate bombing. Why on earth haven’t you told anyone you weren’t there? Not even your father ...” He shook his head, his disapproval clear.
She folded her arms. “Don’t lecture me, Miysis. I was in the Consulate when it exploded, but I haven’t been able to find my father to tell him yet.”
He leaned forward. “Did you find out who’s behind the attacks?”
“Let’s not get off topic. That’s not what I came here to discuss.”
His eyebrows rose at her tone. He leaned back again. “Ah. Straight to business then.” He tipped his wine glass toward her, inviting her to speak.
“It’s pretty simple. I need you to find Vejovis for me.”
“The healer?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Does it matter?”
“Are you ill? I have many talented healers. You need only ask.”
She hesitated. “I’m pretty sure it needs to be Vejovis.”
“Why?” he asked again.
She bit her lip, considering her options. She could downplay the seriousness of her situation so Miysis wouldn’t know how desperate she was for his help, but anything that treaded close to dishonesty was hazardous when it came to Ra daemons. She could tell him the truth and hope it motivated him to help, especially since she was potentially useful to him. Or she could refuse to elaborate at all, but she didn’t see him being very cooperative in that scenario.
When it came to Ra daemons, the truth was always the safest bet.
“My hybrid magic was sealed away when I was a child, but the seal ... broke ... and my magic will kill me if it isn’t resealed.”
His eyes widened slightly. “How did the seal break?”
“Long story. But Vejovis is more than likely the daemon who sealed my magic in the first place, and I need him to seal it again. I doubt that’s the kind of thing any healer can do.”
“It’s certainly not within the skillsets of my healers. Applying spells to a mind is simple enough. Working within the mind, however, is nearly impossible. Most cannot do it.”