“In other words, we can’t lose our cool,” Tristan said as his hand landed on my knee and gave me a squeeze.
“Okay, I got it. You’d better tell the rest of our team, though,” I said, thinking specifically about Vanessa.
“We have, darling. They all understand what is at risk.”
I sat back against Tristan and crossed my legs. “So checkpoints and traps and no flashing.”
“Flash if you must,” Mom said, “but be prepared for problems if you do. I’d recommend good old Norman transportation as much as possible. It may be slower, but it’s safer and helps you blend in.”
“Understood. Anything else we need to know about?” I asked.
Mom and Rina exchanged a look, but Mom shook her head.
“That’s all we know at this time,” she said. “We do have people listening and watching, trying to gather more intel. But for now, all I can say is to be careful, honey. And remember your purpose—to protect the Amadis and all of humanity, even when they’re being difficult.”
“Listen to their minds, Alexis,” Rina said. “Find out who they serve. If your lives are in danger, do what you must. I know you will make the right decisions, whatever you may face. You are ready for this.”
Mom stood and went over to Rina’s desk, opened a drawer and pulled out a bag of what looked like weed. At least, what I’d seen in pictures and on TV, since I had no experience with it myself.
“And don’t forget,” she said, “we still need another daughter. Blossom will ensure you drink the tea.”
She tossed the bag into my lap, and I wrinkled my nose when I recognized the herbal leaves. “Blech. The nasty tea I spit out all over the floor?”
I tried not to gag at the memory of drinking the concoction that tasted like gasoline.
“It will help your body prepare for pregnancy,” she said. “It worked for me, so hopefully it will work for you.”
I nodded with resignation, knowing they expected another daughter. I still wasn’t sure we needed one—I still wanted to believe Dorian could lead the Amadis one day—but I would certainly try my damnedest to produce one. I felt as though a daughter would complete our family . . . although I struggled with the idea of bringing a baby into this world. She would bring a whole lot of hope to the Amadis, though, and hope was always a good thing.
“Anything else?” Tristan asked. “Or can we begin our mission?”
“The rest of your team is being prepped,” Mom said, “but you should be able to leave tonight.”
“We do have an addition to your team,” Rina said, and I suppressed a groan, expecting Julia to walk in at any moment. But she didn’t. Nobody did. “He is also being prepared.”
My brow lifted. “
“Jaxon, the were-crocodile from Australia.” She smiled when my jaw dropped. “You must have made quite an impression on him, darling. We had not heard from him directly for decades, and not only has he traveled all the way here, but he has specifically requested to be assigned to your guard.”
Tristan looked at me with a smirk as he shook his head. “Yeah, quite the impression,” he murmured.
“Do not worry, Tristan,” Rina said. “His intentions are noble. I made certain of it. However, Blossom, the dear, may have caught his eye.”
“Really?” I asked.
“I believe so. They crossed paths only briefly in front of my office door, but his thoughts about her came quite clearly. And loudly.”
“I can only imagine,” I muttered.
This could become very interesting . . . or a problem. Blossom needed a distraction from her breakup with the vampire-barista on Captiva, and she deserved a good guy like Jax. But none of us needed either of them to be distracted from our missions with a budding romance—or worse, a disastrous one. I shook my head at myself. Rina hadn’t said anything about Blossom having similar thoughts, so there may have been nothing to worry about.
Besides, love was not something to worry about anyway. We had real problems to conquer.
Mom explained that Jax would make an excellent guard. His species—the saltwater crocodile—was the biggest and most dangerous form of reptile in existence today, making him a perfect soldier against other were- animals and vampires. The power of his jaw could hold any creature captive without tearing it to pieces . . . unless that was the goal.
“He is a perfect addition to your team,” Rina added before dismissing us. I could tell she’d already had a strenuous day and hoped she’d be able to catch a nap.
A few hours after the sun slid behind the horizon, she announced in all of our heads that the jet was ready and waiting for us.
I immediately jumped to my feet from the couch in Mom’s office, dumping Sasha onto the floor. The lykora let out a snuff of annoyance as she glared at me. She’d been in my lap while I poured over a list of names of Normans who could help us if we needed it, while Mom studied reports at her desk, mumbling to herself about how first-graders would do a better job than the idiots in political office. Listening to her confirmed my thought— and Rina’s opinion—that I didn’t belong here, doing their kind of work. I belonged in the field, and it was finally time to go.
“I wonder if we should leave you here where it’s safe,” I said aloud to Sasha, and she cocked her dog-like head to the side.
Tristan, who’d been sitting with me, rose to his feet. “There’s a reason I gave you the nickname I did. Like you, a lykora isn’t meant to be tucked away in a safe place. She’s meant to defend, to fight.”
Mom came around from behind her desk to accompany us to the airstrip. “Let her serve her purpose, Alexis. She’s stronger and more resilient than you can imagine, and she wants nothing more than to be at her master’s side. She’s probably aching to find Dorian as much as you are.”
I scooped her up and gave her a pat on the head. “I guess that’s settled then. You come with us.”
Her blue tongue swiped over my hand in agreement.
Before flashing to the airstrip, we stopped by Rina’s office to say goodbye. I wrapped my arms around her frail little body, hoping she was wrong about not getting any better. She’d once said she believed I’d gone through the
“Thank you,” I murmured into her ear, “for letting us find our son. I promise if there’s anything we can do for the others, we will.”
“I know, darling. I know you will be the leader you are meant to be.”
I pulled back slightly to look at her. “I love you, Rina.”
Tears glistened in her eyes. “And I love you.”
“We’ll see you soon, right?”
She pulled me into a hug and whispered, “I hope so, dear. But that is in God’s and the Angels’ hands.”
Sadness welled up in my chest and constricted my throat as we held each other for a moment longer.
“Go now, darling,” she said as she pulled away from me. “Go find your son.”
We flashed from Rina’s office to the airstrip where my team began to gather.
“Don’t forget your main purpose,” Mom reminded me as we strode over to the others.
“I know. Protect humanity. Convert everyone we can. Build our army.”
She slipped her arm around me and pulled me closer to her. She whispered into my ear, “And have lots of sex.”
“Mother!”
She chuckled. “What? We need a baby girl. At least one of your missions is fun.”
I shook my head, then was suddenly saddened by Mom’s still single status. “Have you met anyone on the Island?”
“Hmph. Those who live on the Island aren’t exactly my type.”
I understood. Most of the Island residents were Amadis who weren’t strong fighters for one reason or another. They lived here because it provided a place of refuge. They wouldn’t know how to handle Mom, and she’d get frustrated, needing someone strong and adventurous.
“Don’t worry about me, though,” Mom said. “Time with my true love may have been short, but it was more
