“We come from right here, asshole.” Bhandi jammed her finger on the table. “That’s why we do what we do. To protect this world from everything else. Like you.”
L’zar grimaced in distaste. “I assure you, if I wanted to destroy this world, I could very easily do so, and I am not the greatest danger we still face.”
“Oh, yeah?” Tate folded his arms and sat back in his chair. “What’s worse than you?”
Rhynehart cleared his throat and pointed at the wall of windows overlooking the backyard as he stared at the tattooed troll. “That. What we saw out there is worse than L’zar Verdys. Worse than him breaking out of Chateau D’rahl, worse than him leading us on a wild fucking goose chase. Whatever has to happen to make sure that doesn’t repeat itself, I’m all for it.”
Every magical around the table stared at the human FRoE agent and his sudden change of heart.
Cheyenne raised her eyebrows. “Gotta admit, man, that’s not what I expected you to say.”
He met her gaze and looked quickly down at the table, his nostrils flaring. “That makes two of us.”
Bhandi narrowed her eyes at the team leader and leaned toward Tate, sitting beside her, to mutter, “You see him get hit in the head by any of those flying rocks?”
“Nope.”
“Huh. Doesn’t mean it didn’t happen.”
L’zar turned his golden eyes to Rhynehart and grinned. “This is a pleasure, though. Hearing those words from an operative of the FRoE. And a human.” The drow thief wiggled his eyebrows, and Rhynehart glared at him. “I’m also glad you mentioned that wonderfully hospitable prison you people insist on believing you run.”
Rhynehart stared at the drow thief. “Whatever.”
“Not quite.” L’zar rapped his knuckles on the table and leaned forward, peering at the odd collection of magicals with narrowed eyes. “I’m feeling rather generous today. One might even say my eyes have been opened to a larger, grander plan. Or perhaps I’m still riding the high of finally pulling something useful out of my head.” He gave Cheyenne a pointed look. “Whatever the reason, I’ll let all of you in on this next part of the plan.”
“Oh, good.” Tate nodded. “There’s a plan.”
L’zar stared at Rhynehart, the corner of his mouth twitching up in a sneer. “You’re the one running this little Earthbound band of agents,if that’s what you want to call yourselves, so let me make this perfectly clear. I will kill you if you try to stop us.”
Cheyenne sat up straighter in the chair. “Wait a minute. L’zar.”
“On the other hand,” L’zar continued, “this might be an opportunity for you to make yourselves useful. I do hope you take it.”
Rhynehart glared at the drow thief. “I’ll make that decision when you quit playing games and tell us whatever the fuck you brought us here to say.”
“Hmm.” L’zar’s lips parted in a lazy, crooked smile. “I always play games, human. I thought you knew that by now.”
“Seriously, L’zar.” Cheyenne shook her head. “Just spit it out already, huh?”
The drow thief grinned. “There’s a certain—”
The rattle of dishes accompanied the swinging door on the southeast side of the house opening, and Eleanor bustled into the sitting area with a breakfast-laden silver tray. “Well, Cheyenne, since you never came to tell me you were leaving, I assumed I might as well make breakfast.”
The housekeeper stopped when she saw thirteen magicals and one human staring at her from various places around the table.
Her mouth opened and closed silently until someone cleared their throat and snapped her out of it. “I’ll just go make more breakfast, then.” She spun and took the entire tray with her as she returned to the kitchen.
Cheyenne called, “Eleanor, you really don’t have to.”
“Carry on without me,” the woman cried shrilly, then the kitchen door muffled her voice as it swung back and forth behind her.
Ember caught Cheyenne’s gaze and leaned in to whisper, “She’s not really gonna make breakfast for fourteen people, is she?”
“I mean, the kitchen was built for it.” Ember gave her a sharp look, and Cheyenne shook her head. “No, Em. She won’t kick us out, but she’s not cooking for everybody.” Especially L’zar and the first FRoE agent to turn on me and try blackmail-via-Bianca on for size. Fairly sure Eleanor hates both of them.
“Well.” L’zar chuckled and laced his fingers behind his head. “Minor disruptions aside—”
“Okay, now I’m getting fed up with your posturing,” Corian grumbled. “You’ve had your fun.”
“Oh, see, that’s just it.” L’zar grinned at his Nós Aní with an extra flash of warning in his golden eyes. “The fun’s just beginning because the agents at this table are going to help us break another inmate out of Chateau D’rahl.”
Chapter Sixty-Seven
Rhynehart jolted in his chair and leaned forward to stare at the grinning drow thief. “You’re out of your damn mind.”
“Naturally.”
Corian frowned and stroked his tawny-furred chin. “Who is it?”
“Venga.”
The nightstalker’s mouth opened, but no words came out. Instead, he shut his mouth again and turned to Maleshi. The general raised both hands and slowly shook her head.
“That’s the kinda reaction nobody likes to get.” Bhandi shook a finger at the nightstalkers. “Especially from two—whatever the hell you are.”
“Nightstalkers, dumbass.” Tate scowled at her. “Seriously, only an idiot would fuck around like you are right now.”
“You know what? I should’ve let that gang in Virginia Beach gut you like a fish.”
Corian closed his eyes. “I swear, two arguing goblins were already more than enough. Now I have to deal with trolls too.”
“I’ll take care of them foryou, vae shra’ni.” Maleshi grinned at Tate and Bhandi and extended her claws from all five fingers with a metallic shring. “I have no history with them.”
Tate lifted a finger. “Okay, wait a minute.”
“Everybody needs to wait a minute,” Cheyenne cut in. “For real. My mom’s in some kinda magical coma upstairs, and we need to figure out our next steps right now. Save the bullshit for when no one cares about you wasting everyone’s
