Embrace, Entice, Emblaze (120 page)

asked Zoe, after looking around and making sure we had some privacy.

Zoe hitched a foot onto the seat in front and popped a few

M&M’s, her candy of choice. “Turns out it’s handy to have a lie detector on a mission. The things that boy can find out when he puts his mind to it. Let’s just say, it was a mistake telling him the review of our case had been delayed indefinitely. Romeo found a wicked sense of determination.”

“Mr. Carven?” Spence asked.

Zoe smiled. “My lips are sealed. But…if it did have something

to do with Carven, it probably also involved Ms. Trindle.”

“Oh!” Spence laughed while scrunching his face. “I’m going to

have nightmares for weeks.” He lowered his voice and turned to

me. “Trust me, you don’t want me to paint this picture.”

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“It’s okay. I think I have enough. Bottom line, how long can

you stay?”

Zoe slumped down in her seat and played her thighs like drums.

“With Sall on the case? I’d say we have an open- ended ticket.”

I smiled, looking over at Steph and Sal. They were both beaming.

She was showing him the translations now, speaking animatedly

but in hushed tones, bringing him up to speed.

“So you guys are…?”

Zoe shrugged. “Since Jordan…you know.” She started flicking

her fingernails. “We’re partners. I’ll understand him one day, and till then, we’ve got the important things, like each other’s backs, covered.”
Nyla
had
been
right.

She’d always said they’d figure it out. I remembered the last time I saw her. Vacant— as if her soul really wasn’t with her at all, as if it was completely lost to her.

“Have you seen Nyla?”

Spence went dead still beside me. I knew it had been the hardest thing about not going back. He loved Nyla. She and Rudy had

been the closest thing to a family he’d had.

“The same,” Zoe said.

We left it there and went back to some more Bullshit. That is,

until we figured out Spence was pulling a glamour over half of

his cards.

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chapter
twenty

“A fool’s paradise is a wise man’s hell.”

THOMas FuLLer

Santorini glowed like a crescent moon fll oating in the sea.

We circled the island before landing on the small airstrip, and I wasn’t the only one glued to the window. Th e view was breathtaking. It was the most beautiful place I’d ever laid eyes on. Th e low- level buildings on the cliff scaled the heights, practically on top of each other, and all sparkling white— like snowcaps. In

the dusk, lights shone from the houses, illuminating the island with gold.

Th en I saw a small, dark circle of land in the ocean near the island and I felt something else, not as magical but defi nitely powerful.

Josephine stood up and walked to the front of the cabin, stop-

ping right in front of me, to address us all.

“Look out the window. Th e peak you can see emerging from the

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own name. Palea Kameni and Nea Kameni— the old and the new

burned islands. The latter of the two will be our focus. Nea Kameni has a number of craters but only one we believe has the potential to erupt. Once we get to the hotel, everyone is to stay inside until we head out in the morning. This is not a request. Anything you need until then will be provided within the walls of the hotel. Santorini must be viewed as hostile territory until we have secured favor with the Athenian Grigori and…the Keeper of the island.”

“
That
should be interesting,” Onyx said. Even from halfway down the plane, I could smell the alcohol on his breath.

No one else said anything or asked who this Keeper was, so I

kept my mouth shut.

Santorini looked so beautiful from the air, but I was quite sure, thanks to Josephine’s speech, that once the plane touched down, we would not be welcome in this particular paradise.

Paradise
built
on
top
of
a
volcano!

Whether it was Josephine’s words or just the dark, we all worked quickly to collect our luggage, move through passport control, and find taxis.

Lincoln stayed close to me, though far enough away. I didn’t

tell him to leave me alone or to come closer, despite wanting both.

Griffin had given me an order on that plane: he wanted me to

follow Lincoln’s lead and I was going to respect that. As much as I could, anyway.

I beelined for a taxi. Salvatore and Steph, along with Spence

and Zoe, were slipping into the one in front, while a pair of

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Jessica shirvington

Josephine’s bodyguards were traveling with Onyx and Dapper in

the one behind.

I’d just pulled the door open when I heard the click of high heels behind me.

“Violet, be a dear and ride with me. I have a matter I’d like to discuss with you.”

“Oh,” I said, still holding the taxi door. “I…um…”

“I’m sure Violet would love to travel with you, Josephine,”

Lincoln said, putting a hand on my shoulder and easing me away

from the taxi I was already halfway into. “You won’t mind if I escort her, though? She gets quite sick in the back of cars. We’ve found it safest if I’m nearby to send her some healing if needed.”

He moved between Josephine and me so it was clear it was not

a request. Lincoln rarely challenged other Grigori so forcefully; usually he preferred to bide his time and let things go. I liked this side of him. A lot.

Because
I
really
need
another
side
of
the
guy
to
adore!

Josephine studied him for a minute and then broke into a soft

laugh. “Of course. I was going to ask you to join us anyway. This matter concerns you too, I imagine.”

“We’ll grab the next car,” Kaitlin said, quickly removing her

and Samuel’s luggage from the trunk as one of Josephine’s black-clad ninjas loaded heavy bags on top of ours. When the ninja girl started to get in the front seat, Josephine put up a hand.

“We will see you at the hotel, Morgan.”

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for something or not. I imagined it was a pretty tough job keeping up with all of her games. Josephine flicked her hand out. “Away.” Once we were moving, Josephine rolled down her window,

letting some night air into the car. I did the same on my side

for equilibrium. Lincoln had strategically placed himself in the awkward middle seat, a gesture I was sure wasn’t lost on Josephine.

She sat up straight, knees together, a black patent briefcase that caught the moon’s reflection resting on her lap. “This is only a short drive, so I will get to the point. I mentioned earlier that Santorini has a keeper of sorts. The Grigori from the mainland tried and

failed many times to keep their people stationed on the Cyclades Islands, but they were always found, usually washed up. One exile, very old, very powerful, claimed ownership of the islands. He made it clear to the Grigori that our type were not welcome but struck a deal: in return for us staying off the islands, he agreed to ensure exiles would not be permitted here either.”

“Is he killing?” Lincoln asked.

“Perhaps. We can never know for sure, but nothing significant

enough to create anarchy.”

I was horrified.

“Yes, Miss Eden, I can see the look you are giving me, but when you are ready to get off your high horse, you might consider that Grigori numbers are not endless and exiles have populated Greece for so long without a strong force of resistance that their numbers have grown to potentially devastating levels. This agreement keeps the islands free of roaming exiles in dangerous numbers. It is not 233

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Jessica shirvington

perfect, but the Keeper has always stayed true to his word and

Santorini continues to have one of the lowest crime rates in Greece, with violent acts almost unheard of.”

“That doesn’t mean they aren’t happening,” I said stubbornly.

“No, but the Keeper, though dangerous and motivated by

intense greed, of course, leads us to believe he is not prone to malicious brutality like most exiles. His attentions delve…elsewhere.”

“How so?” Lincoln asked flatly.

Josephine seemed to deliberate for a moment before smiling

secretively, making it clear she was not going to say any more.

Lincoln remained calm as if nothing she had— or
hadn’t
— said upset him. “We can’t be on the island,” he concluded.

“Correct. That is also why Griffin has gone to Athens. The

Grigori there will be upset we are breaking the terms of the truce.

But I intend to settle this problem tonight.” She peered around Lincoln’s broad shoulders at me. “With a little help.”

“You want us to return him?” I asked, but Lincoln wasn’t

nodding or chatting now. He was dead still.

“No. That, I’m afraid, is not an option. But the Keeper has

particular weaknesses and very particular…tastes.” She opened her briefcase and turned it so its contents faced Lincoln and me.

“Jewelry?” I asked.

The case held a number of stunning pieces, mostly diamonds.

In the center lay a necklace so big it looked like any normal person would collapse under its weight, then a number of bracelets, all dripping with pea- sized diamonds but also the occasional colored 234

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stone. Finally, there were the rings: six of them, all made of silver inlaid with solitary gems— three diamonds and the others red,

yellow, and emerald. Seeing the stones made me nervous.

“Are these some kind of payment?”

“Yes,” Josephine said, admiring the bounty.

“Is there…” My mouth had gone dry and I licked my lips. “I

can’t see any sapphires in there.”

Josephine laughed. “I can tell Magda’s antics have left a mark

on you all. No, there are certainly no sapphires or any other stone that could potentially cause Grigori any trouble. That, you can be certain, is not on my agenda.”

Great
to
know
you
have
an
agenda
at
all, lady!

“What do you want us to do, Josephine?” Lincoln asked, taking

back the conversation.

She sighed and closed the briefcase. “I would do it myself, or ask another if I believed it could work, but unfortunately, the Keeper has very specific prerequisites. If we are to present him with this payment, it will have to be by someone to his liking, and his
liking
is young with long, dark hair, substantial…” She looked at my bust then changed her tack. “And with a power that intrigues him and, believe me, he has seen a lot.”

“No,” Lincoln said.

I had clammed up completely and couldn’t speak. The only

thing going through my mind was,
Please
don’t make me do this.

“We will find another way,” he carried on. He emphasized his

point without raising his voice and was all the more forceful for it.

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“And yet, there is no other option. Since Phoenix has the

Scripture…” she said, tilting her head so we both understood her meaning—
Since
Violet
gave
Phoenix
the
Scripture
— “we must expect that he will be on his way to the island by tomorrow, if not already.

This is our only chance to gain the upper hand.” She pouted, a

show of false pity. “I’m sure Violet understands that, Lincoln, and while I appreciate you’re protective of your partner for…various reasons, we must put the cause first tonight. Naturally, I do not expect Violet to be unescorted. You will be with her the entire time, and she will only be expected to deliver the jewels and allow the Keeper to take possession of them.”

I watched Lincoln’s jaw clench so hard it looked like his temples would explode. I turned my attention to the window and focused

on the night outside.

“No,” he said again.

I closed my eyes momentarily and tried to push everything else

aside. I had to be strong, not give in.
Not
run.