Page 131 of Moonlight Hearts

That left me alone with Elias, who was less exuberant than normal.

He bit his lip.“I…should mention I’m not very good with stressful situations.And I forgot to even ask, but are you all right?To think someone made it all the way to your door to take you away…” He shook his head.“I don’t like that, Amory.”

“Ah.”I glanced at my watch.“Well, it was…it wasn’t like last time.”

He looked distraught.“Don’t even remind me of that.I thought…I thought the worst.I was so worried.But Val said it would be fine, except that’s what you say when things really aren’t, isn’t it?Val and Sim try not to lie to me, but I know they don’t tell me everything because they don’t want me to worry.They’d rather worry themselves.”He wiped at his eyes and stood.“Oh, but I’m being dramatic already.Let’s see what we can do about Caecilius, hmm?He’s such a thorn in so many people’s sides.”

I nodded, but I wasn’t even all that worried about Caecilius anymore.Soyer would be fine dealing with him, I didn't doubt my firebird.The witch, though, the witch that had hurt him when all he’d done was eat a few cherries in the middle of the night, the witch who’d enjoyed the pain of someone so innocent…she scared me.

We knew we were in the right spot when we saw the lawyer, phone pressed to his ear, as he walked into the building.It wasn’t all that far away from the Moonlight either, just a stone’s throw, really.

We were in an SUV with tinted windows, Echo and Ambrose in the front, the three of us in the back, and Elias having snuggled up to me.He’d loaned me a coat not dissimilar to his, about as long as Soyer’s, complete with a scarf and gloves.I’d balked at the hat with the reindeer and a pink pom-pom though.That would’ve been too much.

“Right under our fucking noses,” Ambrose said.“I cannot fucking believe this.”

“I donotlike this,” Elias said.

Thaeros nodded.“Seconded.”

My phone dinged again.It was around seven, and I was more than a little anxious.Ben had tried calling me.Soyer had tried calling me.He’d texted.He’d left voice messages.People didn’t normally leave me voice messages.

I bit the inside of my cheek.“What are we going to do now?”

Echo was rocking in the passenger seat, his hands folded in front of his face as if in prayer, though he kept tapping them against his forehead.Maybe it helped him focus.

“We follow the lawyer.I don’t like the lawyer.Let’s make him take us inside.”

I saw a glint from Ambrose.He was grinning, and his teeth had caught the light.“Finally.Kids, out, but stay the fuck behind me.”

Elias’s hold on me tightened.

“I really don’t fucking like this,” Thaeros said.

I looked over my shoulder and carefully opened the door.I thought I was going to have to pull Elias out of the car, but he came willingly, just stuck to my side as if he needed the physical contact.

In my pocket, my phone rang again.I’d set it to vibrate, but Ambrose still turned to me.

“Shut it off.That’s too noisy.”

I nodded, my chin trembling with nerves.I pulled the phone out of my pocket, and on the screen, illuminated, it said Soyer.I wanted to talk to him so badly.I wanted to tell him that it was going to be fine, that this wasn’t like the Black Forest where he’d had to face a witch all by himself.I didn’t know that I had the power to behead one, which he’d told me was necessary, but I’d do anything,anythingto protect him.

Echo got out too, looking right at me.“It’ll be fine.He’s on his way.The Lords Hawthorne as well.Just shut it off.It’ll make his anger burn.”

I nodded, making sure to hit the right buttons.I didn’t want to accept the call and accidentally ruin everything, make this more dangerous for Soyer than it already was.

Ambrose took the lead effortlessly.We fell in behind him, jaywalking recklessly, and I was feeling bad about that.I couldn’t help but worry that we’d get spotted and stopped by a cop.

But we crossed the street okay, and went where the Brit had gone, through an open gate that led to the building proper.I couldn’t see much of it in the darkness.Most of the windows were dark, though some had a warm gleam to them as if heavy curtains were shutting out the light.

Almost as soon as we went through that gate, I felt a heaviness descend on me, like a foreboding feeling but more visceral.Elias clung to me even more tightly, and Thaeros gasped before covering his mouth with his hand.

Ambrose lifted his hand to slow us, and he went into a crouch.It took several more steps before I picked up the Brit’s voice.

“…didn’t see him there, and we have people watching the relevant places.”He paused, taking in the response.“I don’t bloody know.Our man in that court went dark.It could be for any reason, but we need to find Saintclair.At this stage, we’re looking at options C or D, and Caecilius doesn’t like it.You know how he gets when things do not go as planned.”Another pause.“Yes, I will.Call when you have something.”Another pause.“Prick.”

At that, Ambrose moved, though he did so silently.If I hadn’t been looking ahead, I’d have missed it.There wasn’t anything in front of us either, nothing but the sound of a foot stepping on the stone path we were on.

“Clear.Move.”