Adrian shot back.
Lily started forward, coming close to swinging on him, but Nathaniel grabbed her arm. “Everyone has been sworn to silence. The knowledge that there is a traitor will not leave the circle, nor will the knowledge of why you have been suspended.”
Danyal snorted. “There’re so many reasons why you’d finally be suspended, Lily. They will assume it’s any number of things. All anyone knows now is that you and Micah got into it.”
“Shut up,” she seethed, wanting to plant her fist in his face.
Nathaniel’s grip tightened. “All of you leave now. This is over.”
With Nathaniel’s patience at an end, and her temper near explosive levels, the other Nephilim left with the exception of Luke. She turned to Nathaniel, her hurt clearly visible for him to see. “You said—”
“It doesn’t matter,” he cut her off, dropping her arm. “The moment Micah told Adrian what happened, there was nothing I could do to halt this meeting. The only reason you weren’t suspended yesterday was because I had hoped this wouldn’t blow up. Stop looking at me like I’ve kicked your puppy into oncoming traffic, Lily! For far too long, I have let my fondness for you get in the way, and your behavior has increasingly gotten out of hand.”
“My behavior?” she demanded in a low voice. She was quite curious what he was referring to that was so bad.
He raised his hand, cutting off anything else she would have said. “Your suspension is more for your benefit than it is anyone else’s.”
She looked at him like he had grown fifteen heads. “How is this for my benefit?”
Nathaniel took a step forward, causing Luke to immediately move closer to her. “They don’t trust you, Lily. What do you think will happen if you are out there hunting and get cornered or you have to call for help? Do you think they’ll come to your aid?”
“Nate, come on.” Luke’s displeasure was rolling off him in waves.
“No, she needs to hear this. She needs to know how badly she has screwed up. She will be out there on her own, and you can’t be with her every second.”
Lily stared aghast, unwilling to believe that. “The others will help me.”
Nathaniel barked harsh laughter. “The others will follow their lead. Lily, I cannot have you out there and be unprotected if something goes wrong. Not until this is cleared up.”
She stepped back. His words felt like a slap in the face. She turned before they could see how strongly affected she was. “I assume you don’t expect me to finish training Michael today?”
“No. You may leave. Get whatever you need from your room. I won’t require anyone to go with you. Report back here Monday for training.”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She started to walk off, but Nathaniel stopped her.
“Lily, they wanted you locked up, but I couldn’t allow that. I don’t think it’s you,” he said, and for the first time his voice reflected the heaviness weighing on him. “At least, I don’t think you know it is. I don’t know if he has manipulated you, or you’re under some sort of compulsion, but until we find out for sure, this is the only way.”
Her eyes shut, and she drew in a deep breath. She didn’t know what hurt her more. The fact he couldn’t trust her, or that after all these years, he really didn’t know her at all.
“Lily?” Luke called out to her.
She forced a smile and faced them. “It’s okay. Be safe out there.” She glanced at Nathaniel, her heart in her throat. “You, too,” she added. And before she broke down in front of them, she turned and raced back into the building.
Chapter Twenty-four
Lily had hopped on the metro and rode it to the Gallery. She made it that far without breaking down or calling Julian, but once she stepped inside her apartment, she had dialed him. He had answered on the second ring. All she could ask was if he could come by her apartment. He hung up without responding, and she felt a chill race down her spine and the air behind her stirred.
Whirling, she found Julian standing before her. Startled, she clutched her throat. “I’ll never get used to you doing that.”
He pulled her against him and kissed her. “What’s wrong?”
She bit down on her lip. Calling him was probably foolish, since he was the main reason she’d been suspended, but who else could she go to? “I’ve kind of had one of those days…”
His gaze fell upon her arm as he guided her to the couch. “Why is your arm bruised?” He grabbed her hand, holding up her arm.
“Long story,” she murmured, “but not the problem, Julian.”
He didn’t seem to like her answer. “What’s happened?”
She hoped she hadn’t interrupted anything important. God only knows what his day actually consisted of, but she told him everything that had gone on that day.
He listened quietly and didn’t pass over any of the important stuff. When she got to the point of Nathaniel demanding that she answer whether or not they had slept together, his lips thinned to a tight line.
“I’ve been suspended from hunting and given restricted access to the Sanctuary. Apparently, I’m supposed to feel lucky I wasn’t locked up in one of the cells, and that I am still allowed to train.” She forced a laugh. “Lucky me.”
His entire body stiffened. “Let me get this straight. They’ve suspended you because of your relationship with me, and they suspect you of betraying the Sanctuary?”
“Yes.” She smoothed her hand down the cushion.
“Did they at least give you an option of not seeing me to avoid suspension?”
Odd question. “Kinda…they asked if I would, but my answer didn’t guarantee that I wouldn’t be suspended.”
“Well…how did you answer?”
“Um, I said they couldn’t tell me who I could see.” She felt his gaze on her as she stared at her hands. “I lost my temper, and the way Nathaniel was yelling at me…” She trailed off as she felt his fingers curve around her lowered chin, turning her head toward his. “What?”
“I’m surprised you admitted it. That is the second time you have risked yourself for me.”
She shrugged self-consciously. She wanted to tell him she thought he was worth it but couldn’t work up the nerve to do so.
“You could have told them you wouldn’t see me. That probably would have gotten you out of the suspension and back into their good graces, but you chose not to.”
She stared into his bright eyes. “Yeah, I chose not to.”
He seemed to think about something for a second but then kissed her softly. “You risked everything for me. I’m…honored.”
She felt herself flush again as her eyes darted away from his. “It is what it is.”
He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “So what do you do now?”
“I don’t know. Find out who is betraying them, clear my name, and all that stuff.”
“You’re kidding, right?” he asked, a small smile playing over his lips. “We could leave. You know that. They’ve turned against you, Lily.”
She winced at the reminder. “Julian, I have to find out who is betraying them, and not just to clear my name. Someone is betraying them, and they’re not even looking anymore.”
“So?” he demanded. “Let them dig their own graves. It should no longer be your concern.”
“It is my concern.”
“Why?” Julian stood, prowling the length of her living room like a caged animal. “Why would you even care, Lily? You can’t tell me you aren’t hurt by Nathaniel or how quickly all of them turned on you.”
She understood his anger, but it was for her benefit. “It does hurt, especially Nathaniel, but I can’t turn my back on them because they have.”
