“I know, and I wouldn’t recommend it if I didn’t truly believe Azara was worth it.”
My heart flip-flopped at his unexpected words.
“Besides being powerful, she could be our way in to finally dismantling Delacroix’s hold at Darkblood Prison. He seems to be working with Thax, and if we can eliminate the warlord’s assistance from the outside, the hellus demon would be ousted as reigning mob boss.”
“What does she have to do with it?” Again, that laser sharp gaze bored into me, evacuating all the air from my lungs.
“The Gargoyle Guardian Council is working on the connection, and the guys and I are assisting where we can from the inside.”
“Good.” He pointed his thick finger at Talon. “Maintaining your cover is of the utmost importance. Don’t you forget that. We’ve come too far to start over now.”
“Yes, sir.” Talon folded his arms across his chest, and I had to suppress the urge to lean into him. My legs felt like jelly after the dragon flight, and this guy hadn’t even offered us a seat.
“You mentioned you believed Azara was innocent of the crimes charged against her?”
Talon nodded, his eyes glued to the floor.
He really thinks I’m innocent? That was news.
“Very well, Talon. I’ll take your word on it and hope your gut is correct. One more thing before we submit Azara through the preliminary interview.”
Interview? I gulped, and my fingernails dug into my palms.
“What’s that?”
“I heard about Vander, of course.”
Talon tensed beside me. The tendon in his jaw locked, and every muscle in his body tightened. Not only could I feel it, but I could actually see the strain in his neck and shoulders. “Yes, great news,” he mumbled.
He leaned against the desk and steepled his fingers, sitting forward. “I know how close you two are, and I can only imagine your desire to see him back home safe. However, I trust you will follow the appropriate protocols and not jeopardize everything we’ve worked for in one rash moment.”
“Of course not, sir,” he gritted out.
“Good.” Maxim straightened and pivoted his dark gaze to me. “Now, little demon, let’s see what we can do with you.”
“How’d it go?” Talon sat on a bench outside the interrogation room when I finished. Luckily, scary AF Maxim hadn’t conducted the interview. Some other mousey SIA agent had asked me a couple questions, but it was all very informal. Too easy, if you asked me. All that practicing of Garrix’s spell seemed to be for nothing.
“It was fine. The girl said we could go and that the director would be in touch for the next step.”
He rose and pointed me in the direction of what I assumed was the exit. “Good. Like I said, this was preliminary. They’ll probably run a background check since you grew up in the human world. That’ll be easy enough.”
“Right.” Thanks to Garrix for fudging my identity. “Thank you for standing up for me back there with the director. I guess I haven’t said it, but I do appreciate what you’re doing and for finally believing in me.”
His brows furrowed, and his gaze dipped to the floor. “Azara, I said those things because I don’t believe you belong behind bars, but don’t misunderstand me, I still don’t trust you.”
A stab pierced my heart and my throat tightened, a huge lump blocking my airway.
“I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “I want to be honest with you. You deserve at least that.”
I hated that he could likely feel the hurt coursing through my insides. That he knew the effect his words had on me. We passed a door marked restroom, and I ducked inside. “Bathroom,” I shouted over my shoulder as hot tears filled my eyes.
Dragon dickhead! I stared at my miserable reflection in the mirror and dragged a hand through my hair. I couldn’t believe I actually thanked him. Just when I thought he was being decent, he’d do something like this. That was it. I was done with Talon. Screw the blood bond.
When I emerged from the ladies’ room a few minutes later, Talon was leaning against the wall talking to a blonde female. One of the biggest smiles I’d ever seen split the irritable dragon’s lips. The girl had her back to me and was giggling away, her platinum head bobbing back and forth. Judging by her long legs, lithe frame, and pointy ears, she was definitely a noble Fae, unlike my cute lesser Fae friend, Flix.
I cleared my throat and stomped toward the overly friendly pair, but neither batted an eye in my direction. “Ready when you are,” I called out a little too cheerily.
The blonde finally turned, and my jaw almost hit the floor.
“Azara?” Her eyes were as wide as mine must have been.
What in the world was my Fae cousin doing at SIA headquarters? She could not be the Ella whose clothes I was currently wearing, could she?
Talon glanced over at Ella, and with his attention diverted, I shook my head like a madwoman at my cousin. “You know my prisoner?” he asked.
The look of shock which surely mirrored my own vanished, and an expressionless mask slipped in its place. “No, of course not. You must have mentioned her name or maybe the director did.”
Talon’s dark brows furrowed as he glanced back and forth between the two of us. My gaze dropped to the floor, hoping to evade those scrutinizing silver orbs.
I’d only met Ella once when we’d visited my mom’s half-sisters who ruled Spring Court like ten years ago. But thanks to social media between the realms, I’d recognize her anywhere. Still, what was she doing here?
My cousin eyed me, her unusual lilac eyes skimming over me. “I’m glad the clothes fit.”
“Oh, right. Thanks for that.” I stretched my hand out and forced what I hoped was a convincing smile. “Ella, right?”
She nodded but avoided my out-stretched hand. “Talon’s told me a lot about you. I’m eager to see your powers in action.”
“All good things, I hope.”
Talon quirked a brow, and I remembered I was supposed to be mad at him. I slipped my hand in my pocket, and my fingers grazed the cold metal of my prison cuff. Perfect. “Um, Talon. I think I left my cuff in the interrogation room. Can you go check?”
“I’m not your maid, one thir—Azara . We can go together to look for it.”
Ella’s hand lifted to Talon’s shoulder and glided down his arm. An unexpected pang of jealousy lit up my insides. “I’ll watch her, T. It’ll be faster if you go alone so you can avoid the security checks again.”
“I guess.” He jabbed a thick finger into my chest. “Stay put and behave, got it?”
I shot him a good eye roll. “I’m not some disobedient child.”
He grunted and rolled his eyes right back at me. “Ella, you have my permission to zap her with your magic if she tries anything.”
“I got it, no worries, T.”
Talon’s earlier conversation with the SIA director flitted back to the surface. He’d told Maxim he thought my powers were greater than Ella’s. Interesting. My cousin’s mom was Garrix’s daughter so Ella must have inherited some of his abilities. Maybe not his warlock ones though… And her father was the Winter Court prince before he married into Spring. King Drake and my mom had gone to Darkhen Academy together too. Sometimes my family tree was too convoluted for even me to untangle.