Page 350 of Commanding Scythe and Sky

Time to fall on the damn blade. “I’m here to ask for your aid, Reyna of Bellaton. Set aside who and what she is to me. A loyal woman—a Christian woman—who dedicated herself to protecting those incapable of protecting themselves has been brutally tortured so Moros can turn a tool the prophecy promised into a weapon for his arsenal. I’m sure we can agree that power of this magnitude cannot remain in his hands, especially with this new intel. You, of all people, should understand the urgency of locating and extracting her.” If the bitch had emotions, the flash of heat in those callous eyes might’ve been betrayal as she glared between me and my sister.

“So, you don’t even have a location,” she deadpanned.

“We have shadows narrowing it down as we speak.”

“I’m a busy woman, Mr. Porter. I don’t appreciate havin’ my time wasted.”

Irritation burned white-hot in my chest. “I wasn’t aware I was wasting your time.”

“A half-baked plan is not a plan.”

“I didn’t say I was presenting a plan, Mrs. Gwyne. I said I’m asking for your help.” Because it had to be her idea. For Reyna to run this gambit, she had to believe she was calling the shots.

“You best get real specific then, because I’m failin’ to see where I fit into the equation of a rogue agent fightin’ for the enemy.”

“You’re the best the resistance has on extraction.”

“Flattery won’t getcha nowhere, Mr. Porter.”

“If I wanted to blow smoke up your skirt, Reyna, I would’ve told you how terrifying you look in that silver armor, or how much my sister raves about your gardens. I would not jeopardize a mission my mate’s life depends on. A mission Dr. Briar’s life depends on. I know you haven’t always approved of my tactics⁠—”

“Evil is evil no matter who wields it.”

“You’re right.” I nodded. “And I don’t know a single good man who wouldn’t stoop to evil deeds to protect a woman he loves, much less a mate. Your husband gave his life to keep your hierarchy safe, did he not?”

“Tread very carefully,” she warned.

I nodded, running a hand through my hair as I wrestled with the words. “What I mean is, you know the pain I’ve been in these last six months—you know the agony of losing the person you love most.” I resisted the need to explain that it was… exponentially worse. I’d loved Layla. But that love was a candle beside an inferno poised to consume the world compared to what I felt for Alvara. Reyna knew grief. But... “You don’t know what it’s like to feel them being torn apart until the pain overwhelms their senses enough for a monster to sink his claws into their consciousness. You don’t know what it is to hear their name disparaged, watch their image corroded. But I’m betting you can imagine it, because you’ve hurt in your lifetimes more than anyone should. So I am asking you to do what you do best: prepare a team you’d trust with your own mate, so that when I have coordinates in hand, we can get mine back.”

Reyna leaned back in her chair, arms tight across her chest as she stared me down. She had me by the balls, and she fucking knew it. But we’d prepared for this moment, so it was no shock when she said, “I want Kade out.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“I will not tolerate dark magic bein’ around my flyers. He’s out, or I am.”

I turned, glancing up at a stone-faced Cyrus, then to Freya, whose lip was curled in disgust.

“Fine,” I agreed.

“And I want Grayshell on point.”

“Fine.”

“Paladins split between the diversion and false infiltration. Keep them focused on the threat while my girls slip through a secondary breach silently.”

“Fine,” I ground out, like she wasn’t perfectly describing what I’d discussed with Freya and Cyrus yesterday. Sometimes you had to give an old dog a bone.

“As for you, can you cast a storm without a physical manifestation on your person?”

I smiled as lightning flashed outside her window, the sky darkening in answer. She held my eyes, nodding in apparent satisfaction.

“You’re gonna want to start building up your power, Mr. Porter. I’m going to need you to crack the sky open while we smuggle you inside. Do we have a man about your stature we can use as a lure?”

“A decoy?” When she nodded tightly, I said, “You’ll have to consult Mr. Carter.”

“Very well. Your bloodlust might be justified, but you’ll have to temper it until we get you to wherever they’re keeping Alvara. You’ll take Montague so we can maintain communication. Once we confirm both targets have been acquired, how do you feel about bringing House Balaskas to the ground?”

For the first time, my smile was genuine, “Pretty fucking great.”