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No more so than I deserved, and only when she was mad at me.
“Oh, so it’s because you think she’s a monster?”
“I never… Why are you questioning me on my intentions toward your sister so thoroughly?”
She chewed once more. “I’m just checking.”
“My intentions are clear. They always have been. We are to find this book and then secure it. No more.” I looked up, hearing her feet move across the floor. “No less.”
“Hmm, well, that sucks. My sister has been through a lot of bad things. Some of those things I had to help her crawl out of, and I wasn’t always sure she was going to make it. It would be nice to have someone with good intentions in her life.”
Dianna’s words from above drowned out whatever her sister said as she spoke to someone. My teeth ground as I realized who was in the room with her.
“Well, I would not worry about that. It seems the vampire with whom we are staying has plenty of intentions.”
Gabby snickered, and I realized exactly how I sounded. “Drake? Please. If they were going to have sex, it would have been when I first got her back from Novas. She was in a dark place then, very dark. I helped pull her out, but it was a scary time. She and Drake became really close after, but it was always just a friendship, nothing more.”
“You helped her?” Curiosity got the best of me. “What transpired?”
“That is top-secret sister information. Maybe one day, if your intentions change, she will tell you. Or maybe she won’t. All I’m saying is that anyone would be lucky to be cared for by my sister. I never gave up on her, and if you guys are going to be partners in this whole mission, maybe don’t give up on each other.”
“Okay.” A small smile escaped me as I moved to sit on the bed. I reached down and put on one shoe and then the next as Gabby continued to speak.
“Also, here’s a piece of top-secret information while you guys work together. She will never ask for help, trust me. She is headstrong and will go into things without thinking. Dianna thinks she is invincible, so please watch out for that too. She’s hard on herself and thinks she messes up when she doesn’t, which is annoying because I think she’s perfect, but whatever. Also, never tell her I said that. She has this face she makes where she scrunches her nose when someone tells her something sweet. It's hilarious. Oh, and watch her if she gets quiet. Usually, that means she is planning something extreme. She likes to lock herself away in her head. She always has.”
“All of this is very valuable information,” I said with a small smile and stood.
“Listen, I’m just trying to make sure my sister returns to me in one piece.”
“I assure you she will.”
“Good.” She took another bite. “She’s not whatever you or anyone thinks. She’s nice, funny, smart, and kind… well, when she wants to be.”
“Yes, I am… learning.”
“Good.” Another crunch. “Also, don’t tell her we ever had this conversation.”
“I swear I will not.”
“Thanks. You’re not as terrible as she said.”
I grinned and started to respond, but the words died on my lips when I heard what sounded like a sniffle or soft cry. My head snapped back, my gaze locking on the ceiling. I listened intently and heard the rumble of that annoying vampire’s voice. Drake.
“I apologize, but I must go.” I didn’t wait for her to respond before hanging up the phone and rushing upstairs. If he had hurt her, I would skin him alive.
“Samkiel,” Logan said, snapping me from the memory.
“What?”
“The vans are loaded, and everything is ready. We just need to escort them,” he said, gripping the doorjamb with one hand. Logan looked a bit worse for wear. He looked how I felt. His facial hair had grown thicker, along with the hair on his head. It had been three weeks since the destruction in Silver City. Three weeks since Neverra had been missing. Three weeks searching for those Dianna had sworn she would come for, leading me back to Zarall.
I nodded, my gaze straying to the bed again before I said, “I will be down in one moment.”
Logan left the room, his footsteps disappearing down the hall. I sighed and stared at the bed. I should have taken her from here, regardless of those stupid minuscule leads and her trust in the ones she assumed were her friends. We could have returned to the guild and spent more time researching my way. I could have kept her safe, kept her sister safe. Guilt threatened to devour me like a raging, flaming beast.
I turned away from the bed and headed out of the room. My feet were at the edge of the door when I caught her scent, the subtle spiciness of cinnamon. Between one breath and the next, I had portalled from one end of the room to the other, my powers more erratic than ever. My hand trembled slightly as I reached out, picking up the gray garment. I gripped it with both hands, lifting it to my nose and inhaling. With her scent came the memories, images flashing through my mind, one by one. Dianna smiling, laughing, and the sound of that god’s awful whimsical music playing as rides creaked in the background.
I lowered the jacket from my face. It was the one I’d given Dianna that day at the festival when she’d gotten cold. It was a gesture I had seen a mortal man do and one she’d laughed at.
