Page 127 of Moonlight Hearts

I elbowed Elias, who didn’t evade like Soyer would have, but he didn’t really budge or show much of a reaction either.He was a vampire, after all.

I looked at Echo.“Is this why I had to bring my phone?”

He shrugged.“Iamgood at this, but I’m not sure.”

Ambrose turned to me.“Best stay out of this.”

Echo shook his head.“He won’t.He can’t.”He looked at Elias.“I’ll need your help as well, but I know it will be difficult.There is a witch in the city.”

Thaeros turned as white as the walls in this grand house, and Elias’s hold on me tightened.Ambrose’s expression grew tense.

Elias’s voice was small, fragile.“Whatever you want, Echo.I’ll help as best I can.”

Echo shook his head, his eyes meeting mine.“She’s the one from the orchard, and she wants to destroy everything the Black Shuck loves.”

My mouth fell open.I felt warm feathers brush over the skin of my back, the lingering cold I’d felt from the outside vanishing at once.Like a daydream, I could see the night sky, phoenix-beloved, and while there were few things that had the power to harm a phoenix for long, that didn't mean there weren’t creatures that hunted them, creatures that indulged in phoenix meat and phoenix blood.In the pain of a phoenix cry.

I slipped Elias’s arm and took a step toward Echo.“What do I have to do?”

“I’m not sure yet, but someone has to kill it, and we don’t have much time.”

My phone dinged, and I looked at it.

We are done here now, my heart, much sooner than I thought.Just a few last things to wrap up and sort out.We’ll be back soon.I can’t wait to see you.

My fingers were trembling, but I couldn’t help responding.

I’m waiting.I miss you, Soyer.I love you.

I looked up from my phone and right at Echo.“Now what?”

Chapter Thirty-Five

Ambroseclosedandlockedthe door.He looked very calm, but I got the sense that he had a good amount of potential energy, though for what, I didn’t know.

“I do not like this,” Elias said.

Ambrose grunted.“Stating the fucking obvious.”

Echo looked at Elias.“You should be able to help us find where they are.”

“Me?”

“Yeah.You and your computers.”

“Do I need to be here?”Thaeros asked.

It was a good question.They’d done a morning shift then driven us all over town, and while I couldn’t judge what Caecilius would do to someone who randomly got in his way, I had some sense of what he’d been willing to do to me.He’d gotten me shot, and then there’d been that black-eyed kid… I shivered.I wanted to get Thaeros out of harm’s way.

“He has a point,” I said.

Echo sighed.“He also has a brother who’s currently very pissed and looking for someone to vent it on.”

Thaeros paled again.“Oh.”

Echo crooked his finger.“Come on, everyone, we should get to work.”

He made a left, seemingly knowing his way around this house.I finally took a look around the place.It was cavernous and cool past the front door, and the walls were rough, whitewashed, with no other decoration than iron wall sconces and two cabinets framing the door, both made of dark wood and looking antique.