Disillusioned (The Birthright Series Book 3), page 26
Noah holds my gaze without blinking or flinching. He puts up no struggle when Gregory tranqs him. Twice. But he slumps in his seat, and it takes two Motherless to carry him off the plane. I insist he remain in my car on the way to the hotel.
My phone rings almost the second we reach the car.
“Judica,” I say. “I hope you’re well.”
“You’re alive, so why aren’t you home yet?”
“I’m doing quite well, actually. Thank you for checking in. I’ll be home before you know it. If you could simply hold things down until—”
“I can’t believe you didn’t come straight back. Analessa has not been patient and lately she’s been sending me more and more frequent requests for a visit. I’m running out of reasons to delay her.”
“You’re inventive. Remarkably inventive. Lean into that.”
“You’re Empress,” she hisses. “Not a tourist off to see the big wide world. Get back now.”
“Luckily, as far as anyone knows, I am back.”
“Are you even going to tell me where you’ve gone?”
“I had a pressing matter to deal with,” I say. “But since you need something to contemplate, perhaps I should share the terms of Melisania’s offer. She will surrender control of Lenora to me, but only if I agree to let her have an apartment on Ni’ihau, a permanent place on my Council, and access to me alone on a weekly basis.”
“All of that is completely reasonable,” Judica says eagerly. “Did you agree? Do you have the second ring?”
“She had another large condition, and a bunch of small details I haven’t combed through yet.”
“What was the big condition?” Judica asks.
“Oh, about that. She thought she was talking to you, of course, so this was a hard one. She wants me to agree that you’ll marry one of her sons. She isn’t picky. There are a few among the Motherless of course, and more scattered around in various places. But she’s also more than willing to pop out as many boys as evianly possible to give you options. So many options. A hundred years’ worth of options, in fact.”
Total silence.
“You did spend quite some time reaming me for balking at similar, but more restrictive terms, when Analessa offered me Edam.”
“Are you ordering me to do it?” she asks softly.
Am I? “No.”
“Fine, then. Is it up to me?”
“Not exactly,” I say. “But you and I will have a discussion about it upon my return.”
“Where did you go?” she asks. “What’s so important you had to rush off and leave me here even longer, pretending to be all sweet and sh—um. Shiny.”
“Please tell me you haven’t been swearing. Everyone will know you’re not me.”
“Just tell me where you are,” she says. “I know evasion when I hear it.”
“Speaking of that, I’m going to need an address from you. I could just call Roman and pretend to be you, but I’m guessing that might be awkward. I mean, are you more of a honey-bunches kind of person? Or do you prefer hotter nicknames, like lover?”
“Do not call Roman.”
“Don’t call him what? Honey bunches? I was pretty sure that wasn’t you—”
“Stop,” Judica hisses.
“I will, just as soon as you shoot me the address for Melina’s compound in Austin.”
“Oh my go—”
“We just talked about language.”
“You can’t go see her. She’s unstable. And she killed Mother.”
“You think she killed Mom, and she definitely wants you dead. But so far, she seems not to want to harm me. And one thing that is in extremely short supply around here is answers. If you follow me out here, or send a strike team, or do anything else like unto or related to those themes, I will remove you from my Council and try you for treason when I return.”
“Chancery, this is madness. We have plenty of older sisters who aren’t trying to shoot us,” Judica says. “Let’s pump them for information before we deliver banana nut muffins and a gold-engraved invitation to Melina.”
“Wait, does she like banana nut muffins? Because that kind of insight could really help me right now.”
Judica growls and hangs up, but she texts me an address. I hope it’s the right one, or someone is about to get a very unwelcome amount of evian attention.
“Today has been full of feelings,” Edam says dryly.
“I wish I knew how I felt,” I say.
“Me too.” He slumps against his seat. “I mean, I hate that guy. I’m pissed he’s evian. And maybe a little jealous. But also, I liked having him on our side. He has good ideas.”
I can’t entirely hide my smile.
“What?” Edam frowns.
“You don’t hate him at all.”
“I thought he supported you. That’s it. I don’t like him, but I didn’t hate him as much as I said. When I thought he was human, anyway.”
“Who do you think he works for?” I ask.
Edam shrugs. “Who knows? No family rules China, but doesn’t that make it the perfect place for discarded or banished evians to flee?”
I had never thought about it. They don’t make waves, so it makes sense I wouldn’t have heard, but there’s probably some kind of ‘exiled evian’ organization. If they welcome banished evians. . . they probably take in evians who have half-evian children, which would account for Noah’s progressive views on humans. It also might explain his surprising knowledge of pop culture, and his choice to come to America and train at a human school that includes a lot of half-evian students and staff.
What if he’s related to me, and Alora just didn’t tell me for some bizarre reason? Because I am so not a fan of the Luke and Leia thing. Yeesh.
But thinking about Noah being evian. . . I shove the thought away. The whole thing is such a tangle. At its heart, it all comes down to one question: How can I trust someone when I don’t know who they really are?
“You don’t work for your sister, not anymore, right?” I ask Edam.
He shakes his head. “I only serve you.” His eyes are steady, unafraid, bold even.
“I believe you.”
“You believe me because my actions support my words.” He gestures around. “Have I not always done whatever you asked, even when it’s hard for me?”
“Noah has, too.”
“He sneaked on your plane right after you were crowned,” Edam says.
“Which saved my life.”
Edam scowls.
“We need to find out what he’ll tell us, and then I can make my decision.” I cross my arms. “He’s the one who pushed me toward this discovery. He wanted me to figure him out.”
“Why?” Edam asks. “Why out himself?”
“Honestly?” I shake my head. “I think he was sick of pretending to be human. But beyond that, there’s something he thinks we can use him for now, here.”
“Like what?”
“He escaped those cells to come with me on the plane.” I think about our setup below the palace. “The question is, how? And why didn’t I investigate that breach sooner?”
“I reviewed the tapes,” Edam says. “But I didn’t conduct a further investigation because he helped you. I figured it was a fluke.”
“What happened?” I drum my fingers on the arm rest in the rented suburban.
“Blake and Kyle were the guards assigned to physically watch the cells.”
I knew that already. “Go on.”
“Usually both of them are required to be present. After all, evians and containment don’t mix. Most of us have been trained to escape in any way possible. Once you provide the required amenities, it becomes too hard to prevent escape for an extended period of time.”
“Right,” I say.
“But Noah was human. We all knew it.”
Except he wasn’t. And if I’m right, he wouldn’t be able to disguise that fact when he slept. His sleeping heart rate drops precipitously, I’m guessing. “And?”
“Kyle hadn’t eaten all day and he was starving.”
I look at the ceiling in frustration.
“And Blake got a phone call.”
“Okay.”
“Then before he knows it, he hears the door to the cell clang, and Kevin is inside, shouting for Blake to let him out.”
“How was that even possible?” I ask. “Did you see him go inside?”
“Clearly someone spliced the feed.”
“But how?” I ask. “Was the date stamp off?”
Edam shakes his head. “I don’t know. I would have pursued it more, but I figured Noah lured Kyle over, insisted on getting the door open and then employed some kind of mad millennial computer skills to cover his tracks.”
“That didn’t concern you?”
Edam shrugs. “Look, everything about him concerned me. But you didn’t want me to pick at him, and when I tried, you got defensive. Ultimately, he could have killed you on that plane, or any of a dozen other times. He seems bizarrely motivated to protect you, and I like things that keep you safe. Plus, how great of a threat did a human really pose?” Edam grunts. “His disguise really bought him a lot of latitude.”
“But,” I say.
“But if we don’t know his long term game. . .”
“We don’t know when his orders might flip, making me dispensable.”
“Exactly,” Edam says. “That’s a real problem.”
“Hey,” I say. “What if the feed wasn’t spliced?”
“Wait, you mean, what if, instead of going to get food like he said, Kyle actually snuck into the cell?”
I shake my head.
“Good. Because you can see him leave on the camera feed.”
“No, I mean, what if it isn’t actually Kyle who Blake released? What did the guys say when you interviewed them?”
“They were as confused as me. Kyle insists he was never even in the cell, and Blake says he let Kyle out. The camera supports Blake’s story, so Kyle ended up being removed from the guards and placed on housekeeping detail for six months’ probation. I assumed he was lying, because he was embarrassed that a human tricked him.”
“Poor Kyle.”
Edam shakes his head. “Don’t feel bad for Kyle. And Blake didn’t get off scot free either. He got a month of scut for being inattentive.”
A smile creeps onto my face, but the idea leaves me uneasy, too. “What if no one left that cell?”
“I don’t understand.”
“What if Kyle didn’t go inside, and Blake inadvertently released Noah, thinking he was Kyle?”
“You mean.” Edam freezes, not moving a single hair.
“We can change our eye color. We can change our skin color and grow our hair out in any color we choose. What did Kyle’s clothing look like when he left the cell?”
Edam closes his eyes and I know he’s going over the memory of the tapes he saw. He swears extensively. “It was Noah. The clothing was the same, only he looked just like Kyle, I swear.”
“So Noah can shift more than his skin and eye color.” I tap my index finger against my lip. “Quickly, too.”
“That can’t be it,” Edam says. “Not just because it’s insane, but also, he couldn’t have changed his hair color. He didn’t have scissors or a knife or anything, and there wasn’t any hair on the ground in the cell.”
“Is that something you even looked for?” I ask. “What if he hid it well enough that the cleaning crew took care of it the next day? Maybe he tossed it in the trash and no one even thought to check? It’s part of their everyday routine to take out the trash.”
“I don’t—”
“I know it sounds far-fetched.”
“It sounds batsh—”
“It sounds crazy, yes. But it also looks like the most likely possibility.”
“And what? Noah pointed you at the notion that he’s evian. . . So he could lead you down the path to discovering that he can shift his features to look like, well, like anyone at all? How would this help you with Melina?”
“If Noah can transform himself into someone she trusts, he can walk me inside himself.”
“You think this is why he hinted that he’s evian?”
“All I know is,” I say, “I never would have figured it out without his nudge. And now we may have a way to engage Melina without anyone dying.”
“But what do we do with Noah?” Edam asks.
I still have no idea.
22
I do not rush things when we settle into our hotel. Judica’s in a hurry, but I won’t jump the gun on this and die, or worse, let the world end because I’m not there to save it. I’m doing this the right way. It’s time I get some answers on what Melina thinks, and why she left, and if she knows anything about our father, I’d like that information, too. Plus, she needs to learn that Judica’s my greatest supporter.
Or at least, I really hope she is.
“Gregory and Ibrahim,” I say.
“Yes?” They both turn around in a snap and answer in unison. It’s a little creepy, honestly.
“Can the two of you do a little surveillance for me? I need information on Melina’s operation. Specifically, who’s important, who looks like they’re issuing orders, and who’s following them. If my guess is right, we’re going to need photos and images, the best quality we can get, as soon as possible.”
They both nod.
“This is dangerous,” I say.
“Would you say it’s more or less dangerous than, say, leaping on top of a grenade?” Ibrahim asks.
The other Motherless all groan, but I think he’s kind of funny. Like an overeager puppy that can’t stop scratching his ear. “Pick a few others to help you and go.”
After they leave, it’s time to wake Noah.
Which I am longing to do and dreading at the same time. I check my watch. I should have another half hour at the dosage he received, but usually they can be poked awake earlier. I have Edam lay him on a bed, and ask everyone but him to leave.
The Motherless do not approve.
“You should keep us in here,” Voron says. “You need protection.” He eyes Noah. “He’s not a human. He lied.”
I put my hand on his beefy arm. “I appreciate your sentiment, but he slept in my room the other night, ostensibly to keep me safe. I passed out first. He didn’t do a thing, so I doubt he’ll suddenly become homicidal.”
“We should be here in case he does.” Günter’s face is set, his jaw locked.
“You may leave two men, no more, no less, just outside the door. The others will only be a room away. These aren’t evian rooms, so I’m sure you’ll be here quickly if he causes any trouble.”
After a lot of huffs and grumbles, they go.
“Did any of them pay attention when Melina attacked in Hong Kong?” Edam asks. “I did all the work there, and I’m not leaving.”
“In their defense, they just witnessed you and Noah rolling around on the floor like brothers, with neither of you coming out on top.” I smirk. “Maybe they’re worried about your dedication.”
Edam’s eyes flash. “If I think you’re in danger, ever, I won’t hesitate. Surely you know that.”
I cross the room until he’s only inches away. “I do. That’s why I sent them away.” The heat from his body radiates, like he’s a tiny walking furnace. It also draws me toward him one more step.
“Things have changed,” Edam says softly, his breath blowing over my lips.
“They have,” I say.
“But my feelings for you remain the same.” His head lowers over mine.
And just like our first kiss, I’m drawn to him in a way I can’t explain. My lips set fire. My belly burns. My right hand curls up, my nails biting into my palm. Because I want Edam. In so many ways, he’s exactly what I want. Generous, supportive, kind, ferocious, talented, brilliant, exceptional, and of course, handsome.
Plus there’s a heat between us like a raging inferno.
When he kisses me, my knees go weak and my brain melts into my head.
He pulls back to say, “I’m glad you kicked those Motherless out. I’ve been dying to do this for longer than you can know. And this time, Noah’s not coming out of the shower.”
Oh my goodness. Noah. I force myself to stumble backward.
Edam swears. “He did it again. Except this time, I’m the one who mentioned him.”
“We need to wake him up and interrogate him,” I say. “I can’t be making out with you right now.”
Edam smiles. “But you wanted to.”
I always want to. That thought floods my cheeks with color, which is a distraction I can’t afford. I walk across the room to stand in front of the other bed and shake Noah gently. “Hey, wake up.”
“You don’t have to treat him like he’s broken anymore. He’s evian, remember?”
Edam strides across the room and yanks out a dagger.
“Whoa.” I grab his arm. “Let’s take things back a few levels.”
Edam rolls his eyes and jabs Noah in the thigh. At least he doesn’t slice through the clothing or worse, into his skin. Just because we can heal doesn’t mean we should have to do it.
Noah bolts upright and his eyes fly open. “Where am I?”
Edam brandishes the dagger. “We’re in Austin, friend, and we have a few questions for you.”
Noah scowls. “Why’s he waving a knife at me?”
“To make sure you don’t attack our dear princess. You’ve always been far too perceptive, and I let it slide because, hey, Noah’s harmless. But now that I know you’re a counteragent, I mean to find out who you’re working for.”
“Hello pot. I’m kettle, but I like to pretend I’m not exactly the same as you.” Noah winks at Edam.
I kick him. “Both of you, quit. And Edam, go sit down. I’ll be asking the questions.”
“I like this arrangement much better,” Noah says. “It’s always good to let the bad cop scowl a little, but good cop is the one who gets the results. Skip right to that.” Noah shifts and swings his feet over the side of the bed. He pats the space next to him. “Now what did you want to know? I’ll warn you, there are quite a few things I’m not allowed to say.”
“Fine, then question one, why aren’t you allowed to say so many things?”
