“I want a full debrief concerning the events from the security detail last night. Jake, you have command here. Is there anything that needs my attention before I leave?”
Jake rubbed his neck while he looked at the other men in the room. “No, boss. All is quiet for the moment. But when you have news of Steel, the men would appreciate an update.”
Marcus glanced at the squad at the computer stations, attempting to look busy, and he nodded. For morale, letting the men know how their boss fared was vital.
“As soon as I do, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, I want you to replay the security footage from yesterday, and let me know if you see anything unusual. Get Bear to call the lab and chase up the results of the autopsy. I want to know as soon as they’re ready. One last thing. Do a roll call on all the guests. It’s early, but I want to make sure everyone is accounted for. We don’t want any more surprises.”
“Right on it, sir.”
Happy he had covered everything, he switched to face Huron. The solid man pushed off from the table he had been leaning against and rubbed his neck. Height wise, they were the same, but the guard was broader. He dressed in loose pants and a long-sleeved cotton smock with a belt tied at the waist, which held a long sword. Marcus motioned for him to lead the way, and followed close on his heels as they strode outside. They walked down the hallway and Huron pressed the button for the elevator. Beneath the magnificent sprawling coastal mansion lay a labyrinth of rooms, including a large shooting range, an arsenal of weapons, several interrogation rooms, a small operating theater, medical center, a state-of-the-art laboratory, and a fully equipped gym. The square footage of the lower level exceeded the footprint of the upper levels twice over.
“How long have you been an Assembly guard?”
“Centuries, my lord.”
Huron’s stony façade didn’t betray any outward emotion. Marcus surmised he would make a good recruit.
“It’s Drayton. My team has other names for me as well, but that is the one I will answer to.”
Huron nodded, and once they reached the basement, he continued to lead the way. Marcus studied the other man, who did not attempt to strike up a conversation. They walked past the holding room, and he watched as the guard pressed the five-digit code into the security pad that opened the door to the medical facility. He wondered for a moment why the man had the access code, and glanced at him sideways as he stopped to hold the door for him. He stepped inside the warm room, but turned before Huron followed him inside.
“Do you mind waiting out here? I won’t be long. After, I want a detailed account of the evening’s proceedings.”
“I have already given my testimony to Meadows, and Lady Tenille.”
He didn’t care who he had spoken to; he needed to hear right from his lips what had happened last night and this morning. Annoyance filled him, but he spoke calmly. “Once more for good measure won’t do any harm.”
The man nodded and did as instructed.
Marcus closed the door and made a mental note to change all the security codes. Damn it. They had become too complacent about security. He would need to review the safety protocols with all the staff immediately. His boss, the only patient in the medical facility, lay still in the bed directly opposite him, surrounded by electronic machines that beeped as they recorded his vitals, and an infusion for fluids. A small plastic tube had been secured in his nose to deliver oxygen. Doctor Davies leaned over, taking blood, and she nodded as soon as he approached the bed.
“I’m sending more blood off. So far, I haven’t been able to determine anything that would cause his loss of consciousness. The oxygen is there because his saturations were a little low, but nothing dangerous. Of course, if that changes and he cannot manage to breathe on his own, we will have to intubate and the machine will take over.”
The young doctor always appeared calm and controlled. She pushed her brown glasses up her nose and moved away with several blood bottles, shaking them as she moved.
Marcus glanced at the sleeping woman stretched out on the recliner next to the bed. “How long has Raine been here?”
“Not long.”
“I’m not asleep. I am trying to reach Steel.” Raine sat forward. Her bright-emerald eyes flashed wide.
Marcus didn’t know the story between her and Steel, but he knew they had been close—once. “And?”
The pretty witch flicked her long wavy locks over her shoulder and lifted Steel’s hand, kissing the top. The heart rate on the monitor jumped and beat faster.
“Well, I can tell you the loss of consciousness is down to magic. I can smell it all over him. Zephra is on her way to see if together we can break the spell. But it’s powerful dark magic. I’ve told Steel we will find a way to bring him home. The problem is he isn’t aware of any danger. He’s living in a dream world, and the longer he’s there, the less reason he has to come home. I’m going to stay and talk to him. But if we cannot break the spell, we need whoever cast it.”
Marcus shifted his gaze from Raine to the doctor, who shrugged. “Medically, as I say, there’s nothing wrong with him. He should be awake, and I support what Raine says. If you look at Steel’s brain waves, and observe his rapid eye movement, he is dreaming.”
He rubbed his temple. Marcus wasn’t sure what he expected. Examining the man who had been his mentor and his boss, he knew if the roles were reversed, Steel would be quick to put
