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Dante shook his head slowly. “No…”

My uncle’s eyebrows raised slowly. “No? You’ve been with them all week, and you don’t have more? That seems suspicious, Dante. Tell me, is your cousin leading you astray?”

CHAPTER TEN

AZIEL

Confused,Dante looked at me. I should’ve warned him never to look away from my uncle. It only gave him more ammunition. By looking to me for answers, Dante was proving that he valued my opinion more than my uncle’s.

It happened quick. One minute I was standing next to Dante, the next I was on the ground, Ilus’s fists pounding into my face as other family members kicked at my sides. I knew better than to fight back, but that didn't make it hurt any less. I could barely hear Dante’s confused cries as they hurt me.

“No! No! He’s not! I–”

A loud crack filled the room, and between blows, I saw Dante hit the ground hard. My uncle stood over him, his teeth bared, fury coming off him in waves. He snapped his fingers and the people hurting me stopped on a dime, taking a step back. Ilus grabbed me by my hair and forced me to my knees, jerking my head back as he put a blade to my neck.

“You dare lie to me? I know you’ve been consorting with humans! I knew better than to let that piece of shit raise you without reports!”

Dante shook his head wildly, eyes wide, and his hand on his cheekwhere my uncle had backhanded him. “I don’t know what you’re talking about!”

“No? Then explain this!”

A cascade of photos spilled across the floor in front of Dante. I couldn’t see that well with the way Iluz held me, but one slid close enough for me to see it. The basketball game. Dante was smiling and laughing, blocking the human boy from getting the ball, the older brother in the background with a soft smile on his face. Shit. I knew being near them would only cause them trouble. I should’ve told them to wait for the meeting until I was there. I should’ve warned Dante not to get too close. Now he was on his own. Nothing I could say would change my uncle’s mind. I deserved to die for not protecting them better.

“It’s a ploy!”

I’d closed my eyes, not willing to watch Dante get hurt because I was stupid enough not to explain things better. It was the coward's way out, but it tore at my insides, watching them hurt him, and I didn’t want to lose my control. But my eyes flew open at his response. The whole room was watching him as Dante shoved to his feet, his chin lifted and his fists clenched at his sides.

“Explain,” my uncle demanded.

“Aziel said to pretend to make friends so I could get information. No one would tell me anything if I was mean. That’s how I heard about the girl’s dad. The humans don’t run away from me anymore.”

Disgust crossed my uncle’s face. He didn’t believe in playing nice to get what he wanted. But he didn’t care how I got the information as long as I got it. I taught Dante the way that worked best for me.

Kaiser made an irritated sound, jabbing his finger at the photos. “That boy is not part of a prestigious family. What exactly were you hoping to gain from him?”

Dante didn’t hesitate, glaring at his older brother. “His family works for the big families. They get information all the time. His dad works in the same building as Cesar Perez. The library his mom works at has a book club run by Charlotte Clifton. And his older brother gets all kinds of information from his clients!”

Those were big names. Huge names. He never mentioned anything about that to me. Not that I ever asked. I only made sure he had enoughinformation to make his dad happy. But getting information on those families was like striking gold. And Dante knew that. He stood his ground, his glower in place, even as my uncle seethed at him.

“Getting information through others is the coward's way. How do you know anything you overhear is true?”

“I check for him,” I gritted out, carefully swallowing around the knife at my throat. Iluz pressed harder, cutting into the skin, but he didn’t finish me off. My uncle swung his gaze to me, narrowing his eyes.

“Prove it. Give me information on Perez.”

Luck or divine intervention was the only thing that could explain the fact that I actually had the information he was looking for. Athena told me to protect the white tiger. Apparently, lying to save his life was enough.

“He’s working with the politician you told me to watch. They met twice this week for lunch and discussed an anti-paranormal campaign for the upcoming election. Perez wants to back McMillan and get his agenda on the ballots. They don’t let little kids at the restaurant those two meet at. Dante told me so I could go for him.”

With a furious snarl, my uncle snapped his fingers, and Iluz released me with a shove. I dropped forward, catching myself on my hands, and pushed myself to my feet. My entire body screamed in pain, but I refused to let it show on my face, standing my ground as my uncle stalked back to his stupid throne. Seriously, he had a throne. Like a corrupt king. I hated him so much.

“Fine. If you want to be so pathetic as to follow your cousin’s example, then do it. Get me more information on those families. And Aziel. If he fails, it's you who will face the consequences.”

I bowed my head slightly to acknowledge him. I knew that already. I’d known that from the beginning. And I’d take it as long as they stopped hurting Dante. I waved him closer, putting my hand on his shoulder as I guided him to the back of the room. We weren’t expected to stay. They didn’t want me knowing their plans, so we headed straight outside and I teleported the second we stepped past the gate.

I stumbled when we got to the alley near my apartment. I could feel the blood dripping down my neck from where Iluz cut me, and my body protested the beating. Dante looked worried, hovering beside me, but I waved him off, shaking my head.

“I’m good. Just need rest. Let’s go home.”