Page 307

Wreg made an acknowledging gesture with his hand, then motioned him forward. “Show us. We can discuss that end of things after.”

Loki sighed, nodding.

Jon saw the flash in Loki’saleimi. The image hit Jon’s light, a crystalline snapshot of the imprint Loki referenced to show them.

Within it, Jon saw the specific look on Revik’s face, the flavor in his light that Loki noticed, the fleeting impressions of his thoughts, even as he suppressed them, likely in part to keep them out of view inside the construct.

Jon was still turning over what he’d seen and felt, frowning as he tried to think through the implications drawn by Loki in those few seconds, wondering if he’d interpreted it the way Loki meant him to… when Wreg swore from where he stood next to him.

He swore in Mandarin, which he usually only did when he forgot where he was.

Jon glanced at him, pursing his lips. Then, realizing he’d been fighting not to see the truth, he returned his gaze to Loki.

“Revik thinks they’re walking into a trap?” He frowned, looking between the two men. “Why the fuck would he do it, if he thought that?”

Loki shrugged, expressionless.

Even so, his words were matter-of-fact, as if he were pointing out something with the obviousness of the weather.

“They threatened his wife,” he said simply.

Jon’s frown deepened, right before he looked at his own mate.

Wreg looked angry. More than that, he looked powerless, despite the clear understanding in his dark eyes. From what Jon felt, Wreg had seen more in that brief flash of Revik’s light than even Loki had?and moreover, he didn’t want to share what he’d seen, not even with Jon.

“What, Wreg?” Jon said, hearing his own edge.

Wreg looked at him, scowling.

“What,Wreg?” Jon repeated.

“He doesn’t just think they’re walking into a trap,” Wreg said, his voice darker. “That fucker thinks he can use it. He thinks he can turn that trap back on him… after he uses Terian and his wife to draw him out in the open.”

Jon squinted at him, feeling another annoyed frown pull at his mouth. Placing his hands on his hips, he fought to think, shuffling his booted feet in the sand.

“What does that mean?” he said finally.

Wreg gave him a flat look, his black eyes dense. “What do you think it means, brother? He’s going after Menlim. You remember him at those goddamned Towers. He’s going to try and kill that fucker before he can kill his wife… or take his daughter again. He thinks as long as Menlim is alive, his family will never be safe.”

Thinking about Wreg’s words, Jon felt understanding leak through his light, even as he realized the Chinese seer was probably right.

If Revik had any chance to kill Menlim, he would take it.

He would take it, even if it might get him killed.

He might even do it without telling Allie.

Chapter57

The Open Door

The fairy lights ended altogether about a dozen yards from the doors leading into the boathouse.

The warehouse-like building loomed over us now, blocking most of our view of the Gulf and throwing a deep shadow on the white stone path. Water lapped the sides of what might have been stilts, or another flotation mechanism from the inlet to our left. I didn’t see any boats, but a row of dinghies were tied to one side of the structure. The only sound was that lapping of water and the occasional thunk of metal on metal or metal on wood.

The walls and roof glowed faintly through my light, even without me reaching out.

With that much organic material, advanced AI?even sentient AI?was a good possibility.