Page 48 of Whispers of Wisteria (The Garden of Eternal Flowers #5)

A sharpness coiled deep in my chest, a warning that raged through our connection. I’d only felt it so strongly on one other occasion: when Damen was near death a few years prior.

I jerked as the dampened energy opened.

She was hurt, fading fast. And, like before, we never would have even noticed.

Damen POV

We gathered in Titus’s conference room while a preliminary search led by Declan—too furious to be around Bryce—was already underway. They’d found nothing at the graveyard, and the search at the warehouse had come up empty. Further plans from our side had to wait until we reviewed the details.

Gregory sat at the head of the table, with Lee Sao rigid beside him.

It was rare to see the older onmyoji on the job, but Cécile was his shikigami.

Julian and Joe sat farther down, their focus fixed on Gregory.

Bryce was slouched across from me, Finn and Brayden beside him, and Miles beside me.

The air between us was tense with unspoken questions.

“Now that we’re reconvened—” Gregory started. His voice was controlled, but an unmistakable undercurrent of disappointment was rooted beneath it.

I didn’t need him to tell me why. I knew.

This was my failure, and if something were to happen to Bianca, it would be my fault.

“—let’s summarize.” Gregory looked around the room.

“Gloria, Bianca, and Dr. Sartore left to locate Cécile. Mr. Lee reports that Gloria confronted Dr. Duff, who tried to force information I’d already denied him.

During that time, his Guild role was exposed by an ill-timed notification from his new subordinates, and the women were taken.

“Meanwhile, Dr. Ducharme and Miss Maria went to meet a Guild defector, Albert Yates. They were captured as well. Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t alarm me, but Dr. Duff knows Dr. Ducharme’s games, so this was almost certainly a trap.”

I inhaled slowly through my nose.

“Five of us are gone,” Gregory continued, voice sharp. “We don’t know where the Guild is headquartered. Additionally, Bianca and Dr. Ducharme’s whereabouts are not monitored.”

Gregory’s attention shifted to Julian. “The Quintet Bond between the Xing has been restored, and it’s been revealed that Bianca is in active physical distress—we do not know the full extent or reason.”

The heat was rising to my head. I clenched my fists in an attempt to control it.

“We can assume that Dr. Duff will become aware of Bianca’s identity. He’s too intelligent to be fooled for long,” Gregory added.

I glared at the table. I knew that—I’d known it from the beginning. But I’d been avoiding facing it.

I could feel Gregory’s attention heavy on me.

“The Guild cannot have both Bianca and Dr. Ducharme. It would be catastrophic.”

I locked my jaw.

There was no way for Titus to get out of this. Not with Jameson involved. And Bianca must be so scared.

I should have said no.

“There are three Officers with them,” Brayden offered. “The Guild recruits rogue wolves. Maria and Ada can fight, but they shouldn’t need to. Gloria is there.”

“Gloria is but one—” Gregory began, voice slightly off, and my attention jumped to him.

“Yeah, but,” Brayden interrupted, waving his hand, “she’s an Alpha. That gives them an advantage. Between three shifters, one of whom is a wolf, and Titus, they have a chance.”

I might not have noticed before, but right now, every nerve in my body was on high alert. Gregory’s shoulders had tightened, and he, Joe, and Lee glanced at each other.

“Assume that Gloria is unable to fight,” Joe said.

Julian froze as his attention narrowed on his grandfather.

So he’d noticed too.

My heart began to pound.

I’d never thought about it before—never cared. But…

“Why did Gloria have Cécile?”

Everyone looked at me, but I kept my attention on the Elder Tongjun.

Lee, in return, frowned. “That’s not relevant—”

No. It was.

Gregory’s earlier words rang in my head: ‘It’s not the shikigami that concerns me.’

“Onmyoji do not keep their shikigami on their shifters,” I told him. “Instead, yours has been condensed into something physical, like a pet. I always thought it was just something weird you guys did, but you’re protecting her. Why?”

Lee looked away and my dread intensified.

“Well?” Something was wrong.

“Gloria cannot shift,” Gregory answered, and my stomach sank. “She will not be able to subjugate the other wolves.”

“What?” Brayden blinked. “Since when?”

“The majority of her life,” Gregory responded. “She was cursed as a child. We haven’t been successful in breaking it.”

“And you didn’t think we needed to know?” I asked.

“Hardly anyone knew. Plus”—Gregory narrowed his eyes—“Gloria has proven herself many times over throughout the years.”

“That’s not what I mean,” I interrupted. I wasn’t going to blame someone for something that wasn’t their fault. “It’s the secrecy. I never would have let Bianca go alone.”

“That’s why I’d forbidden it,” Gregory rebutted. “Gloria cannot defend herself, let alone Bianca.”

“But you let Mother study with her!” Bryce protested.

“Alyssa had chaperones,” Gregory replied evenly. “And Gloria’s more than capable, so long as the situation doesn’t require shifting. Bianca does not have that same level of protection. That is the most likely reason Gloria allowed Dr. Sartore to be present.”

“It doesn’t matter,” Lee said. “Even if she could shift, none of them can stand against Jameson.”

Bryce looked ready to explode.

“Let us agree that there have been multiple oversights,” Joe interrupted. He sat back in his seat. “We need to focus on a solution.”

“Does Jameson know about Gloria?” I asked.

“No,” Gregory replied. “Despite what he might believe, Dr. Duff is not required to know everything.”

I looked back at the table, pondering.

“I think,” I said finally, “that could be a good thing.”

“How so?” Gregory asked.

“Gloria was an Elder long before he became a Paragon. He’s used to how she works. He’s going to underestimate her.”

“That does not change the fact that she cannot shift,” Gregory pointed out.

“We’re at a disadvantage,” I continued, and Gregory fell silent. “We have no idea where they are, and there’s no hint of a location. Even the shikigami are blocked. There’s only one way out—from the inside.”

“How is that—”

“Bianca is there,” I interrupted, looking up. I met Finn’s eyes. “You said she’s reckless. She’s not the sort to sit idly by. Even if all the shifters are incapacitated, she’ll move.”

Gregory’s response was stone. “She is hurt.”

“She is Mu,” I rebutted. “If anyone can figure it out, she can. They’ll miscalculate what it’ll take to contain Gloria.

I assume that Titus and Bianca will be separated.

Once he realizes who she is, Jameson wouldn’t put her near him, especially if she’s hurt.

Jameson’s focus will be on Titus. Bianca will get them out. ”

“Again, Gloria cannot—”

“Bianca will figure it out,” I said. I believed in her.

I couldn’t even consider the alternative.

Gregory’s voice was low when he spoke. “You think she’s going to break Gloria’s curse?”

“I know she is.”

She could. She’d broken Daniel Cole’s spell, outmaneuvered me with James Cole, and had even given me a new, but very disturbing, way to dispose of Bryce.

Hell, she’d created that ugly dragon through sheer willpower alone.

“Your faith is inspirational,” Gregory said. “But we’ve been working on this curse for half a century.”

“None of you think the way she does,” I told him. “She’ll see something you missed.”

“She shouldn’t have to,” Julian cut in. His arms were crossed, and he studied me in a way that highlighted his displeasure. “She’s hurt, and she’s been taken captive. It’s not up to her to save herself.”

I frowned at him. “That’s not what I’m saying.”

Why didn’t he see it?

“That’s exactly what you’re saying,” Julian responded. “You’re putting the pressure of their escape on her, and she doesn’t even know it. That is not a plan.”

“That’s not it,” I replied stiffly. I didn’t like what he was implying. “My point is, I know she will do something unexpected, so we need to be prepared to meet her when she does.”

“How?”

I smirked. “We’ll position ourselves to take over the second there’s an opening. Put eyes on the places we’ve been watching. The moment we get a hint of where they are, we move.”

Julian narrowed his eyes. “And what if we don’t? What if she can’t match your unrealistic expectations?”

The fire started to move through my veins. But I couldn’t let them see.

She couldn’t be taken. She couldn’t die.

But if that were to happen…

“Then I’ll destroy it all before the Guild even has a chance,” I told him.