“It was good to see you,” Styx murmured. “My door is always open.”
Some undefinable emotion darkened the pale eyes. Then, with a sharp shake of his head, Locke stepped back and disappeared behind the illusion.
“Goodbye…brother.”
Styx turned to leave.
He still needed answers. And he wasn’t going to find them standing around.
* * * *
Xi flattened against the wall as he came to the end of the tunnel. So far, he hadn’t discovered anything that might require guards to keep it protected. Of course, if there was some sort of magical artifact, or if it was hidden behind an illusion, he wouldn’t be able to sense it.
Now, however, he’d at last found something of interest. Peering through the opening at the end of the tunnel, he could see a wide octagon with a ladder in the center of the cement floor. Above the ladder was a large grate that offered an access point for human workers.
Standing in the center of the space was a large mongrel female. She was the size of a troll with broad shoulders, but her features were oddly delicate, as if she had some fey blood. She was dressed in black from head to toe. Was she hoping to fade into the shadows? Good luck with that. As Xi watched, the creature turned when a female male vampire entered the open space.
Maryam.
Xi tightened his power around himself, ensuring that his presence was hidden. This was a perfect opportunity to discover what the female was plotting.
“Have you seen Roban?” Maryam demanded as she came to a halt in front of the ladder. Like the mongrel, she was dressed completely in black, with her blond hair pulled into a tight braid. “He was supposed to meet me here as soon as the sun set.”
“He said he had something to take care of.”
The temperature dropped as Maryam struggled to contain her temper. Xi silently watched the ice crawl across the floor, creating fractures in the cement. Damn. The female vampire was more powerful than he’d expected.
He needed to warn Styx.
“One of these days, I’m going to wring that dog’s neck,” the vampire muttered.
The larger female took a careful step to the side to avoid the layer of ice. Clearly, she was accustomed to dealing with Maryam’s temper.
“Do you want to delay the evacuation?”
“No.” Maryam planted her hands on her hips, tapping a polished nail against her belt. “We need to get started. Tell the first group that’s headed to the airport to be ready to leave by midnight. They should all have their tickets. I staggered the flights depending on where their target is located, but I want them all at the terminal. The next group needs to wait thirty minutes before they leave. Once those who are flying to their destination are gone, I want the first group of drivers to start leaving. The cars I rented are parked in the empty warehouse near the wharf, with the keys under the seats. Those who will remain on foot will be the last to leave.”
The larger female made a sound of impatience. “Is it really necessary to stagger all the groups? It’s going to take hours to get everyone out.”
Another layer of ice formed, creating more fractures in the cement. Xi stepped back. He didn’t want to be close to enough to get trapped in a cave-in.
“We’ve been over this plan a dozen times,” Maryam snapped.
“Yes, but…”
“You don’t think the Anasso or one of his goons is going to notice if a couple hundred demons come streaming out of the tunnels at the same time?”
The mongrel hunched her shoulders. “It’s too late for him to do anything about it.”
“Only an idiot would underestimate Styx,” Maryam snapped. “A dead idiot. Follow the plan, or I’ll find someone who will.”
The mongrel offered a hasty bow. She might be six inches taller and a hundred pounds heavier, but she was no match for a vampire.
“Yes, master.”
Maryam whirled on her heel and retraced her steps back to the tunnel. Xi watched her disappear from view, debating whether to follow her. If he could destroy the female now, it might halt the rebellion.
Then he shook his head. The evacuation had already been ordered. He didn’t know what that meant, but he was certain it couldn’t be good. Besides, there was a weird urgency to return to Brigette that was gnawing at him. It was like an itch he couldn’t scratch.
Turning, he silently made his way back down the tunnel, sensing Brigette’s absence before he reached the spot where he’d left her. Confused, he halted, testing the air. A growl rumbled in his throat at the scent of male dog.
Roban had been here. Standing close to Brigette.
So where had they gone?
Grasping the hilt of his dagger, he yanked it from the leather sheath and followed the fading trail. He ignored the distant sound of footsteps and the scent of various demons leaving their private spaces. He didn’t care who happened to appear in the tunnel. Keeping his presence hidden was no longer a concern. All that mattered was finding Brigette.
Turning into a narrow passage, Xi picked up his pace. He was getting closer. He could feel Brigette’s heat. Which meant that she was still alive.
The tightness in his chest eased, but his pace never slowed. The urgency to reach her continued to thunder through him. A primitive pulse that came from deep inside him.
He swerved into the secondary passage, bending over to avoid thumping his head against the low ceiling. It was barely more than a narrow channel that had recently been carved through the earth. He was guessing it had been done by the demons, not the humans.
Not that it mattered. His only interest was in the glint of the silver bars he could see just ahead. Slowing his pace, he peered through the darkness. He wouldn’t be able to help Brigette if he ran headfirst into a trap.
When he was sure that Roban wasn’t hidden in the shadows and that he hadn’t left behind any dangers, he cautiously moved to stand in front of the cell built inside a shallow alcove.
“Brigette.”
There was a soft rustle, and Brigette appeared behind the bars. She looked flushed with anger, and there were streaks of dust on her lovely face, but she was unharmed.
“Xi.”
“What happened?”
Her jaw tightened. “Roban showed up just after you headed into the passage. I thought I could let him lead me into his trap without getting caught.” Heat prickled in the air. “Obviously, I’m not as smart as I thought I was.”
Roban. Xi swallowed a growl. He was going to take great pleasure in skinning that varmint when he got his hands on him.
“We’ll deal with him later. For now—” He stepped forward.