Theron’s brow dropped. “What do you mean by reckless?”
“I...”
Cerek squeezed her hand again, and she took a deep breath. He knew what was coming. They’d talked about Talisa’s rebellious streak. She squeezed back once more, though she knew in a second he wouldn’t be quite so supportive.
“She crossed into the human realm.”
Theron dropped his arms from her shoulders. “She what?”
“There’s a club there. One that caters to otherworldly clientele. Max and I both knew she’d gone there before. She’d made us promise not to tell anyone.”
Theron’s jaw clenched so hard, Elysia was suddenly worried it might shatter.
“I... I know we should have come and told all of you then, but...” She glanced toward Max’s father.
“But what?” Zander asked.
“But we didn’t want her to get into trouble. So...” She looked once at her own father then at Cerek. “So we went after her.”
Cerek immediately tensed and released her hand. And behind Zander, Demetrius said, “Hold on. Let me get this straight. All three of you crossed into the human realm, unprotected and without approval?”
Yeah, this is what she’d been afraid of. They were all in deep shit now, though at the moment that was the least of her worries.
She twisted her hands together and forced herself to go on, that sickness rising in her throat. “The plan was just to go there, get her, and come right back. When we got to the club, I waited near the doors while Max went inside. He was only gone a few minutes before the music died down and everything got quiet. I rushed inside and arrived just in time to see...”
“See what?” Zander asked.
The words felt like ash in her mouth, but she pushed them out. “See Max get hit. By some kind of energy blast. It picked him up and blew him back at least ten feet.”
Zander’s eyes turned to swirling hurricanes she knew were about to completely consume him.
“From what?” Theron demanded.
“Not from what,” she answered, looking toward the leader of the Argonauts. “From whom. He was using some kind of glamour. I think Max must have seen through it right away, which is why everything got quiet.”
“Who?” Theron asked.
She pursed her lips, then said, “Zagreus.”
No one spoke. But Theron tensed everywhere, and in a very low voice said, “And where was Talisa during all of this?”
Elysia’s stomach dropped. “Standing next to him. She didn’t know who he was until the glamour faded.”
“Then what happened?” Elysia’s father asked, looking toward Theron warily then back to her. He was thankful she was unharmed. She could see it in his eyes. But worried for the other two.
She turned to look for Cerek, but he wasn’t anywhere near her anymore. Her mate was pacing several steps away, unable to look at her anymore.
She’d been so stupid to think she could play hero. She knew that now. But the only thing that mattered was helping Max and Talisa.
She drew up her courage and faced the Argonauts once more, determined to get the rest of it out. “Talisa threw him into the wall. It crumbled. I went to Max to try to help him up. He was disoriented and injured, and his powers weren’t working. Talisa put herself between us and Zagreus, but he easily overpowered her and put some kind of spell on her that blocked her from using her strength. I-I think he recognized who Max was—or he recognized the Argonaut markings on his arms—because he acted as if he was going to take Max with him, but then... Then a group of satyrs spilled into the bar, and all hell broke loose.”
Zander stepped back and rubbed a hand over his mouth, tense as shit and ready to explode. One glance at Theron told Elysia he was on the edge as well and that she needed to hurry this along.
“Zagreus poofed out of the club with Talisa in a plume of smoke. I don’t know where he took her. I tried to get Max on his feet, but he wouldn’t let me. He told me to go back and get help. He opened a portal and pushed me through. I came right here to find you all.”
“Her coordinates will be logged at the portal in the Gatehouse where she came back,” Zander said to Theron.
The two were out the door faster than Elysia could draw a breath.
When she glanced up, Elysia saw the horrified look on her mother’s face, where she must have been standing the entire time, listening. Elysia had completely forgotten the queen was still in the room. Guilt swamped her all over again.
Her father turned toward her mother, and the two spoke quietly. Looking back at Elysia, he frowned. “We’ll definitely be talking about how reckless and dangerous this was when I get back.” But instead of rushing out the door after the others, he pulled her in and hugged her tight. And very quietly, he said, “Right now, I’m just relieved you’re all right.”
When he kissed the top of her head, she no longer cared if the tears spilled down her cheeks.
“That doesn’t mean I’m not angry, though.”
He released her, and she swiped at her cheeks. “I know. And I’m sorry. You have no idea how sorry I am.”
He lifted a hand to her cheek and brushed a tear away then looked over her head. “I’m getting the others. Meet me at the Gatehouse.”
Cerek didn’t answer, but Elysia knew he was still behind her. She could all but feel his anger crackling in the air between them.
Her father released her then glanced once more at her mother before leaving.
In the silence, her mother looked between Cerek and Elysia, then stepped close and hugged Elysia, too. “Your father’s right. We’re both thankful you’re okay. But we’ll discuss the rest of it later. I need to find my sisters.”
Her sisters. Callia, Max’s mother, and Casey, Talisa’s mother.
Elysia’s stomach pitched all over again.
Isadora released Elysia and rushed out of the room.
Knowing she was out of options, Elysia turned and faced her mate.
She’d been right. He was standing at least ten feet away, no longer looking at her with warmth and adoration, but staring at the couch where he’d been sitting earlier. Unable to meet her gaze, a bundle of coiled strength and steaming fury she knew he was barely holding back.
Disappointing her father was one thing—he might get angry with her from time to time, but he always forgave her. Disappointing her mate was an altogether different matter because she never wanted to hurt him.
And she had hurt him. She’d hurt him by being stupid. By thinking she was invincible. And by not telling him where she was going.
“I-I know you’re mad. I was stupid and careless, and...”
He stopped pacing but didn’t turn to look at her.
Her stomach pitched. “And I shouldn’t have crossed into the human realm without telling you. I just... I couldn’t let Max go alone, and he wouldn’t wait. He was too worried Talisa was going to do something stupid. You know how she can be. She doesn’t listen to anyone. You and my father weren’t back from your patrol yet, and Max wouldn’t go find any of the other Argonauts because he didn’t want to get Talisa in trouble, so I had to make a decision.”
He turned and stalked toward her, and she tensed because with one look she knew she’d been wrong. He wasn’t just mad, he was livid.