“If you’ve had dealings with Malphas before, you have my sympathies,” Julian said. He walked over to a liquor cabinet and poured himself a glass of bloodwine. “I suppose it’s too early to offer you a glass of scotch.”

“Hell, no. I haven’t been to bed. Man, it’s late for me.”

With a chuckle, he splashed some scotch into a tumbler and walked it over to the other man. “I don’t know how much you know of what happened.”

“Tatiana filled me in on the bare bones.” Nodding his thanks, he sipped his scotch.

“So you know that Justine kidnapped Melly.”

“Yeah. That’s fucked up.”

“Malphas agreed to help Justine without an exchange of favors. He transported me to where she was holding Melly captive. He did it to retaliate for some things that have happened here recently.” Julian tossed back his bloodwine. “We forced him into a bargain with Soren as a witness, and I don’t think he took too kindly to it.”

“But Malphas is a pariah,” Graydon said slowly. “How do you know he’ll honor that?”

Julian’s eyes narrowed. Graydon seemed to be listening intently for his reply. Something about Julian’s answer mattered a great deal to the other man.

“He’ll keep this bargain. Malphas believes that Soren is in possession of information that could be damaging to his interests. Xavier has a new attendant who used to work for Malphas. Tess gave Soren a sealed envelope. If anything happens to her, or to anyone in the Nightkind demesne for sheltering her, Soren opens the envelope and distributes the contents to all the gaming commissions in the world.”

Julian shook his head as he remembered how Tess had bluffed with both Djinn. With a sleight of hand and a little misdirection, she had slipped a blank sheet of paper in the envelope and sealed it, while retaining the real information on another piece of paper. It had been an insanely gutsy move.

Slowly, Graydon lowered his glass. The sentinel’s normally good-humored expression had turned sharp and cold. He said, “I would very much like to know what that information was.”

Julian cocked his head. Sometimes you had to work for years to get a little payback. And sometimes the opportunity for payback fell in your lap out of a bright blue sky.

“Tess can never talk about the contents of the envelope she gave to Soren,” he told the other man. “That was her side of the bargain. But I might have in my possession some other information about him, if you’re interested.”

“I am very much interested.”

He warned, “If I give it to you, it can’t be traced back to the Nightkind demesne. Malphas can’t get the idea that Tess betrayed her end of the bargain. The threat of exposure is the only thing keeping her alive.”

“That’s a weighty decision,” Graydon said. “I can understand why it would make you pause. All I can say from my end is I would never betray a confidence that put someone else in danger of retaliation, especially from Malphas.”

Julian smiled at the unmistakable ring of truth in the other man’s voice. Graydon had a decency that went bone deep. “I know you wouldn’t.”

Quick, light footsteps sounded. Both men turned as Melly came into the room. She wore soft, fleecy clothes and slippers, the dove gray outfit loose and comfortable. As soon as she caught sight of Graydon, a smile wreathed her face. She walked over to hug him.

She told him, “Thank you so much for coming to help look for me.”

As a smile lit his rugged features, the sentinel patted her back. “It was nothing. I’m just glad to see you’re all right.”

“It was so totally not nothing.” Melly smiled up at him. “And if there is anything I can ever do for you, please let me know.”

The Wyr’s expression gentled. “I’m not like the Djinn. I didn’t help to collect favors.”

“I know.” Melly touched the back of his hand. “But I still mean it anyway. If you ever need anything.”

Graydon said, “Thank you.”

“That goes for me too,” Julian said. As Graydon’s gaze touched on him, he added telepathically, I’ll get you the intel by the end of the day.

Something hard, ruthless and eager flashed in the other man’s eyes. It was there only for a moment. If Julian hadn’t been looking directly at him, he would have missed it entirely. Within an eye blink, Graydon looked as affable and good-natured as he ever did.

Yeah, Julian thought. I bet people underestimate you a lot, yet there’s a reason why Dragos made you his First among all his sentinels.

Gregoire appeared and unobtrusively added a few bottles of bloodwine to the liquor cabinet. Telepathically, he said, Mister Xavier will be arriving within the half hour, sir.

Will he? Displeased, Julian frowned. Xavier was supposed to be on his estate, recuperating from the effects of the brodifacoum poisoning.

He mentioned something about updating you on the citywide search. As quietly as he had arrived, Gregoire slipped out again.

Melly said to Julian, “Bailey texted. She’ll be here in about an hour.” She paused. “Did I forget to tell you Mom is sending me twenty troops?”

At the mention of her twin, her smile had faded and the skin around her eyes had grown tense.

“You’re both very busy, and that’s my cue to leave.” Graydon bent to kiss Melly’s cheek, scooped up his jean jacket in one hand and nodded to Julian. “I’ll look to hear from you later about what we discussed.”

“Count on it,” said Julian.

“Good hunting.”

As he watched the other man leave, he said softly, “You can count on that too.”

Fifteen

H

e turned his attention back to Melly. Her expression was calm and self-contained, but she had wrapped her arms around her middle again. Her stance was so defensive, it made his chest ache just to look at her.

He thought of the laughter and closeness they had achieved in the bedroom for such a brief time, and he ground his teeth.

“I can’t believe I’m going to say this,” he muttered.

She looked at him. “Say what?”

Walking over to her, he tilted up her chin and kissed her. “Come sit with me.”

She followed him as he walked to one of the sofas and sprawled at one end. “You’re not mad about the troops, are you?”