“Go ahead. I have him.” I took Kirill's place.
Kirill kissed my cheek before he went to push Lesya. Our daughter squealed as he sent her flying high. Then he scooted over and gave Zariel a push and set her to shrieking too. Kirill is good like that, making sure that no child feels left out. It made me warm and fuzzy to see it; how great a father he is. I pushed Vero gently and soaked in my family. This was perfect; just what I needed. I was glad I'd stayed—
He's up! You've got to stop them! Al shrieked in my mind.
“What?” I went still, my hands hovering in midair before me. Vero bounced back against my belly and jolted me.
“Vhat is it?” Kirill went on alert instantly.
Marduk just got a text! It woke him up. You need to—oh, fuck. Fuck!
Chills rushed down my spine. In my panic, crazy things ran through my mind. Things like; have I ever heard Alaric curse before? And; who is texting Marduk? What would someone text him?Hey, we're going to pizza, you wanna come?
Vervain, Marduk has Trevor!
“Vervain!” Kirill was shaking me.
I blinked and focused on Kirill in horror. “Marduk has Trevor.”
“Vhat!?” Kirill roared.
Then he started running for the palace.
Stop him! Alaric shouted. They're outnumbered! They have to leave Trevor behind.
“Kirill!” I screamed. The sound was so full of pain and panic that Kirill came to a stumbling stop.
The children started to wail.
Sam rushed over to me and pulled Vero out of his swing. “Go! I've got them.” She pushed me toward Kirill as she bounced Vero on her hip. “Shh now, Mama's just got to go do something. Everyone calm down. It's okay.”
I ran over to Kirill, took his hand, and rushed inside the palace with him as I brokenly explained, “Al says they're leaving Trevor behind. They have to. They—”
The men were coming out of the tracing room as we entered the foyer. The looks on their faces were enough to confirm Al's report.
“No,” I sobbed and crumpled against Kirill.
Kirill caught me and held me to his chest as he glared at the men. “You left him?!” he roared. “You just left him?!”
“I'm so sorry, V,” Torrent whispered. “I didn't even know what was happening. I was waiting in the Aether.”
“We didn't have a choice,” Odin said with a stricken expression. “Marduk...” Odin let out a curse and rubbed a hand over his face.
“He was awake when we got there,” Viper said soberly. “As soon as he saw us, he shouted for backup. We were outnumbered in seconds.”
“Your magic is greater than any of zeirs!” Kirill shouted.
“You don't understand,” Azrael said softly. “The first thing Marduk did was grab Trevor with one hand and the Tablet with the other. He threatened to unmake Trevor's future if we didn't leave. He said something about not having to chant when he was holding his target.”
“What?” I whispered as I looked up from Kirill's chest.
My mind was spinning. This wasn't the first time someone had taken Trevor from me, but it was the first time that someone had the power to do far more than kill him. But why?
“Why would he threaten that?” I asked aloud. “Why not simply do it?”
“Trevor was leverage,” Arach snarled. “Marduk used him to force us out.”
“That's not why Marduk grabbed Trevor,” Sin's voice spun us into his direction. He stood within the doorway of the dining hall, looking grim and angry. “He'll use Trevor to get to you, Vervain. You're the one he wants.”
“That motherfucker,” Ninkasi hissed as she stepped up beside Sin. “He won't just use him as leverage, he'll torture Trevor until he gets you.”
“And probably wring him for information on you,” Sin added.
“Trevor won't talk,” Re said firmly. “He'd die before he'd betray us.”
“Which will make it worse for him.” Ninkasi grimaced. “Believe me, I know.”
“What did Marduk mean about not chanting, Sin?” I swung my stare to the Moon God's.
“If Marduk is touching his victim and the Tablet at the same time, he becomes a conduit,” Sin explained. “He doesn't have to activate the Tablet's magic or explain what he wants to it through a chant. The magic flows from the Tablet, through him, taking his intentions with it, and goes straight into the target.”
“You were right to leave him,” Ninkasi said softly. “Marduk could have rewritten Trevor's future in an instant.”
“I will fucking destroy him!” I roared.
All of my beasts echoed within the sound and the entire palace seemed to hold its breath. A second later, the sound of footsteps thundered down the stairs as the Intare came running to my call. As my men stared at me expectantly, my lions gathered around us.
“Tima!” They shouted together.
“Intare, we hunt!” I shouted back.
The Intare roared loud enough to set the palace to trembling around us. It lifted my heart and set my blood to rushing. Claws extended from my fingers, but I couldn't tell what kind they were; dragon, lion, or wolf. I didn't care; any or all of them would do. I was going to get my mate back right now. I started for the tracing room.
Stop! Alaric shouted in my mind.
I didn't even flinch. “No.”
Vervain, Marduk will destroy Trevor before you get within two feet of him!
I stopped. The Intare went still behind me.
If you love Trevor, you will plan this carefully. You can't go storming in to save him. Think, Vervain! Think! Don't just react!
My whole body shook with rage and fear.
“Vervain?” Kirill laid a hand on my shoulder.
“Al says—”
“Vervain!” Ty came running out of the tracing room.
“Ty?” I blinked at my brother-in-law in confusion.
“Some smug asshole just traced to Moonshine and pinned this to our front door with a knife!” Ty held out an envelope and a scrap of cloth. “This smells like my brother, V! What the fuck is going on?
