Page 62

His warrior queen.

She looked serene, sitting quietly with Parisa and the boy, her gaze distant as if she was contemplating the mysteries of the universe. He knew what was on her mind, and he wished he could help her, but it was her story to tell, and she needed to figure out how to reveal her true identity to her sisters and when.

How would they react to learning that their long-lost sister hadn't died but instead remained virtually unchanged while decades passed?

Eventually, she would have to tell them about her immortality and their potential to become immortal as well, but it was anyone's guess how they would react to the revelation.

None of them seemed particularly pious or religious to him, and from what he'd seen so far, they all seemed like intelligent women. He wanted to believe that they wouldn't accuse Kyra of witchcraft, or being a demon, or some other superstitious nonsense. In the end, they would have to accept the truth of what she was and what they could be, but until then, they could cause Kyra lots of grief, and he sincerely hoped that wouldn't happen.

She deserved some peace in her life and the simple joy of a loving family.

"You've gone quiet," Parisa said.

"Just thinking," Kyra replied.

"About what you need to tell us?" Parisa guessed.

"Yes," Kyra said. "Later, though. Not now."

Max shifted his gaze from Kyra to Parisa, but there was no judgment in her expression, only curiosity.

Parisa nodded. "I can wait."

The airport appeared in the distance, its control tower rising above the surrounding structures like a sentinel, and as they got closer, Max slowed the van, motioning to Jade to make contact with the rest of their team.

"We are clear for approach," Jade said after a brief exchange. "Nadim's buddies created a diversion on the north side of the terminal to draw security attention away from our entry point."

"What kind of diversion?" Kyra asked.

Jade's lips curved in a rare smile. "A 'diplomatic incident' involving a fictional Russian oligarch and some misplaced caviar."

Kyra laughed. "Trust Nadim and his network to create something both effective and absurd."

"Yeah." Max grimaced. "After all the breaches in security, I'm not so sure I trust Nadim's team. Someone in there was compromised."

"I hope it wasn't Fatima," Kyra said. "She was so nice to us."

"And her baklava was delicious," Max said. "I need to get the recipe."

Parisa snorted. "If you get us safely to America, I'll make you so much baklava that you will get sick of it."

He smiled at her through the rearview mirror. "Challenge accepted."

The guard at the gate barely glanced at them as Jade showed him the fake documentation that had been prepared ahead of time, and within moments, they were through, driving across the tarmac toward a hangar where two private jets waited.

"Did you use your compulsion?" Max asked.

The Kra-ell had an ability that was a cross between thralling and compulsion, but only the strongest among them could use it effectively on humans.

She nodded. "It comes in handy from time to time."

"Everyone, remember the plan," Max said, looking at Parisa and the boys in the rearview mirror. "Stay close, keep your heads down, and don't talk. If anyone asks anything, let Kyra do the talking."

31

KYRA

Relief washed over Kyra when she saw Rana and Soraya standing with Yamanu, Yasmin, and her children spilling out from another van accompanied by Rishba and Asuka.