“How did the demon find me, Ryder?”
He continued to look out toward the sea. “I don’t know. You must have left them some clue to your whereabouts.”
“I didn’t leave any clues.”
He turned his head and looked at her. “I found you, didn’t I?”
“You’re human. And you have the Realm of Light to help you along.”
His gaze narrowed. “And they’re demons. They have connections even I don’t have. Don’t ever underestimate them.”
“Point taken.”
“Where’s the black diamond, Angie?”
She shook her head, not at all surprised. “That didn’t take long, did it?”
“Did you really expect me to beat around the bush?”
She pulled her knees up to her chest, too tired to do battle with him but knowing it was inevitable. “I guess not.”
“Answer my question.”
“I don’t have it.”
“Obviously. I searched the house last night. So where is it?”
His voice was cold, his tone clipped. She bristled, wishing for the warmth, the patience he had shown her last night. “It’s safe.”
“Where?”
“I can’t tell you.”
“You mean you won’t.”
“No, I won’t.”
He inhaled, then let it out in an audible sigh that spoke of frustration. Tough. She was frustrated, too, and had been for months now. She had questions for which there were no answers; she had been searching endlessly for her sister, with no results. So he could just join her in her disappointment party.
He chose a seat on the chair across from hers, though he wasn’t relaxing. Tension coiled in the way he balanced on the edge of the cushion, as if he expected to leap to his feet at any second. His dark gaze probed her. “Do you remember what happened in Australia?”
She nodded.
“And you still think you can control the black diamond?”
“I’m not controlling it. I’m hiding it.”
Ryder dragged his fingers through his hair, then shook his head. “You can’t hide it from the Sons of Darkness, Angie. They’ll find it. They found you, and it’s only a matter of time before they locate the diamond. We can’t let that happen.”
“They won’t find the diamond. Trust me.”
His response was to snort. Rather loudly. Okay, so he had no reason to trust her, she’d give him that. Still, his attitude hurt.
“Ryder, I have it hidden someplace safe. Somewhere the Sons of Darkness can’t get to.”
“You don’t know that. It’s safer with the Realm of Light.”
“Oh, right. So you can use it, and my sister?”
His frown sharpened. “The Realm of Light doesn’t want to use the black diamond or your sister.”
She looked past him, where the sunlight filtered through the trees. “I can’t be sure of that. I’m the only one who can protect her.”
“Where is Isabelle?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t been able to locate her yet.”
“I’d have thought you’d have been in contact with her.”
“Uh, no.”
“Why not?”
“I have no idea. She doesn’t answer her cell phone. I managed to track her here because she was scheduled to do a dig somewhere in the south of Italy. That’s as far as I’ve gotten. I’ve hunted down every ongoing archaeological dig in the area. No one can confirm she’s on a site.”
“Do you think someone could be covering for her?”
She shrugged. “It’s possible, but I don’t know why she’d hide from me.”
“Maybe she’s hiding from someone else. Does she have enemies?”
Angelique laughed. “Izzy makes a lot of enemies. When you hunt treasure for financial gain, you always manage to piss someone off. I’ve run interference for her in the past, so I know she’s irritated buyers, local
