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Vivian exhaled a patient sigh. “Roll the waist down on your pants and tie your shirt in a knot. Trust me, darling. Jericho won’t even notice your clothes. It’s all in how you work it. Now, let’s find some music.”

Liam swunghis blade up just in time to block Jericho’s attack. Their swords clanged together, and the shock rattled up Liam’s arms.

“You seem a bit rusty, old friend,” Jericho taunted, springing back.

Liam shook out his hand, willing the feeling into his fingers. It wasn’t as if Jericho was holding back. Liam adjusted his grip. “Don’t have much use for one of these while managing a bar. Besides, swords were never my thing. Now you put a well-balanced battle axe in my hands, and I’ll show you who’s rusty.”

Several of Jericho’s prized swords decorated the wall of the oversized barn. Sparring mats covered the floor. The cast-iron stove in the corner heated the frigid space. Still, there was room left for two snowmobiles and a black SUV. Everything a male could need. Toss a bed into the mix, and Liam would call it home.

“Alex is a natural with a sword.” Jericho circled, a predatory gleam in his golden eyes.

Liam knew that gleam. He braced for Jericho’s next attack, scowling. “You’ve been sparring with Alex?”

“You have a problem with her learning a new defensive skill?” Jericho lunged, and Liam met his swinging blade. His shoulder objected to the impact, bone creaking in the socket.

“After I spent years keeping her from anything that might spill her blood, yeah. I’ve got a problem with it.” He swung, and Jericho twisted, dodging his blade.

“You were always too soft where she was concerned.”

“With Alex, maybe, but never with you.” After all, it was Liam who’d taught the male to swing a sword in the first place. He’d also taught him a thing or two about fighting dirty.

Before the male could spring away again, Liam caught his sword arm, slammed his shoulder into Jericho’s chest, and twisted.

Jericho hit the ground. There he stayed, flat on his back, groaning a laugh. “Not so rusty after all.”

Liam chuckled, extended a hand, and pulled his friend onto his feet. Against the wall, he spotted a scarred archery target with a set of throwing knives stuck in the wood. The fact those knives were outside the bull’s-eye said it wasn’t Jericho’s handiwork. “Seems you’re training her for more than a bit of swordplay.”

“I am,” Jericho conceded, his tone guarded.

Liam opened his mouth, promptly closed it, then opened it again. “Don’t you think after all she’s been through, she needs a gentle touch?”

Jericho dusted off his pants. “You saw what she did to Vivian. What she needs is discipline. What she needs is to be ready.”

“For what?”

“Anything,” Jericho answered, expression tight. “Word on the street is something big is on the horizon. Something so big I’m not sure I can protect her from it.”

“I’ve heard the same.” Throughout the underworld, there was a nervous buzzing in the air as though the whole world waited. For what exactly, he wasn’t sure. Whatever it was, he had a bad feeling none of them would be left standing when it was done.

Liam set the borrowed sword back in its place on the wall, then turned to face Jericho. “When that fuckwad fire demon, Dante, had me and Vivian cornered, he flat out admitted to joining Team Zion. You can bet he won’t be the last one either.”

“No, he won’t.” Jericho’s dark brow furrowed. “The Council can’t afford to start a war with the fire demons. Nor do they have the resources to go after Dante with their focus on Zion. Any idea what they wanted with the dagger?”

“Not a clue. What I do know is nothing good can come from Zion getting his hands on an ultimate source of dark energy. Now that Vivian is no longer tied to the damn thing, I’ve got to find a way to destroy it.”

“There is one person I could ask...” Jericho trailed off, waiting for Liam to draw the obvious conclusion.

Liam scowled, grumbling, “Victor Custodis.” Clan Chief of the Eastern Realm. Enforcer of Council law. Royal stick-up-his-ass. Already Liam had spent far too much time in his medical facilities, forced to rely on the clan leader’s goodwill. While Liam was there, laid up with a chest full of bullet holes, Victor took advantage of the situation, blackmailing Alex into working for him.

“Victor is an expert on ancient relics,” Jericho said, his tone neutral. “He may know a way.”

“He may also think it’s his civic duty to take that knowledge straight to the Council Magister,” Liam argued.

Jericho rubbed his chin. “Don’t be so sure about that. Since Tiberius Steele formed his own task force, declared Victor incompetent, and took over the Zion investigation, they’re not on the best of terms.”

“Bet that pinched Victor’s balls.” Liam chuckled. “Alright then, go on and ask him. Just don’t tell Vivian anything until you run it past me first. No sense her getting caught up in this bullshit any more than she already is.”

Jericho set his sword back into its place on the wall, then turned to face Liam, lips pressed tight as though fighting a smile. “When you told me about your issues with the soul sword, you failed to mention the woman at the center of it all wasyour Bride.”