Put that way, it made sense to give in to Gavyn’s diabolical plan. “I don’t know, Solaris. Maybe we will. I have to talk to Bran and my grandfather about all this before…” I cleared my throat, refusing to give in to my emotions. I hated Gavyn Llyr.
“So who really won the battle on Jarvis Island?” Solaris asked.
Part of me wanted to blow her off, but another realized the truth would eventually come out. “Bran did, but I helped him during the last fight.”
“So it’s true, the two of you won?” she continued
I shrugged. “Something like that. Let’s go. I have to talk to Jethro’s Neutrals.”
The others started out of the room, but Solaris wasn’t done. “So the demon wasn’t lying. You two are co-rulers, king and queen of the Hermonites.”
“Shut up, Solaris,” her sister snapped from the doorway. “I swear, sometimes I wonder what goes on in your head.”
“We now know why they are after us and we will stop them,” Esras said. He shot Solaris a glance. “Cardinals don’t run or throw their own under the bus, Solaris. We find out the Tribe’s weaknesses, and use them to our advantage.”
“One thing still doesn’t make sense,” Lucien said. “Tribunal means court, right?”
Esras and Lunaris nodded. Solaris didn’t bother to respond. She was probably thinking up another line of attack.
“Why would a demon court decide our fate?” he asked.
Silence followed his question, but with it came another possibility. “If they have a Tribunal who decide their cases, then we probably have one too,” I said. “We could have a rebuttal for the accusations leveled against us.”
“Maybe the Senior Cardinals have answers,” Lunaris said.
“Master Haziel, not the seniors,” I said.
“Then let’s go home. I’d like to know if a Tribunal can really bring people from Tartarus like he claimed,” Solaris added. “It might explain why a Guardian saw Valafar. Maybe their Tribunal brought him back.”
I inhaled, then exhaled slowly. Of all the things Gavyn had said, that worried me the most. No one was supposed to escape from Tartarus, yet he had said their Tribunal could bring demons back.
“We can’t go home yet,” I said. “We must find Bran before Gavyn does.”
Solaris eyes narrowed. “Why?”
“He’s likely to do exactly what you want—sacrifice himself.” To save me.
- 14 -
NO SERVICE, GUARDIANS
“Why didn’t you tell them the truth back there?” Esras asked when we left Jethro’s bar.
“That Jethro joined a demonic faction run by Gavyn and his evil friends?” I shook my head as I led the way back into the alley. “He didn’t. He wouldn’t. Gavyn might act like he has all the answers, but he’s a manipulator.”
“You promised to bring back Jethro and the children Gavyn’s new council kidnapped,” Lucien said.
“We will, Lucien. I always try to think positive.” I stopped when we reached the back of the alley. “There are two places we can search for Bran. There’s a restaurant we usually hang out when we are in town. It is lunchtime now, so if he stopped to eat, he should be there. It is owned by a member of the Brotherhood.”
“Lead the way,” Esras said. He’d become more talkative since the meeting with Gavyn, while Solaris had grown more quiet. I liked it.
I teleported inside Keiran’s office and found him behind his desk, eating. He looked up, violet eyes widening underneath thick lashes. “Lil? What are you doing here?”
“Looking for Bran.” The others appeared beside me. “Lucien, Esras, Lunaris, and Solaris.” I indicated the restaurateur. “Keiran, a member of the Brotherhood. His restaurant is the best in L.A.”
Keiran put his plate down and stood. “I’m sorry we’re meeting under these circumstances, Guardians. I would have loved to welcome you with open arms. Unfortunately, I can’t.”
I blinked. “What?”
“Guardians are officially persona non grata around here.”
“Since when?”
“Since last night.”
Great! The day couldn’t get any worse. “Does that mean Bran hasn’t been here today?”
“Oh, he has…was here. He stopped by for breakfast and said he’d be back for lunch at,” he looked at his watch, “noon. It is five to. If you want to wait for him, sit.” He waved toward the chairs around the room. “I’ll even get you something to eat.”
No one moved.
“But you just said we are not allowed here,” I said.
“In the restaurant. This is my office,” Keiran explained, flashing a lopsided grin. “Besides, I choose my friends, not my leaders.”
I glanced at the others and indicated the chairs. Lucien was the first one to sit, but his fascinated gaze stayed on Kieran. He’d never met a member of the Brotherhood before. Not that they were really different from us. I grabbed a seat, too. Esras and the others had no choice but to sit.
“So? Why can’t we eat here anymore?” I asked.
Kieran perched his butt on the edge of his desk, crossed his arms and legs, and shrugged. “Last night, we got a visit from the senior Cardinals. They brought us the news about the arrival of the Tribe. Our leaders asked the Cardinals if they could offer sanctuary to our young, the Specials, and our elderly until the situation with the Tribe was resolved. We’d hoped they’d take them to Xenith or at the very least, hide them at one of your High Council Headquarters.” He sighed and shook his head.
“They refused?” I asked, even though his scowl answered for him.
“This morning Cardinal Hsia brought us the news. Your leaders in Xenith said no. So as of today, no Cardinal is allowed in our compound or at any business run by a member of the Brotherhood. Officially, we’ve gone back to being neutral. Literally.” He grinned and placed a clairvoyant crystal on his table. “So what would you like to eat?”
I shook my head. “We don’t want you to go against your leaders, Keiran. We can eat at one of the Civilian-run restaurants.”
“No, you can’t. Every restaurant and business run by your Civilian Guardians is closed. They all have Will Re-Open Under New Management signs on their doors. I was going to ask Bran what’s going on.”
“All Civilians were told to head back to Xenith,” I explained.
“Of course.” Keiran waved a hand over the crystal, activating it. “Order something while you wait for Bran. It’s on the house.”
Despite his words, no one moved. I caught the furtive glances between Esras and the twins and focused on them. Their guilt hung thick in the air.
“You knew about the Circle’s refusal to help the Specials,” I said in an accusatory voice. No one answered. “Esras?”
“Yes, we knew about the orders,” he answered.
“And you’re okay with them?”
He shook his head. “We’ve been taught to always follow directives given to us by the CT, Lil. When we heard about this, we knew there was nothing we could do to change things.”
“Besides, you know the Specials on a personal level,” Solaris added. “We don’t, so we’re not really emotionally invested.”
And…the bitch was back. “What about logic, Solaris? Does sealing the portal and leaving behind helpless children make sense to you?”
“Helpless?” Solaris asked. “The Specials have more powers in their little fingers than hundreds of Guardians in Xenith combined. We don’t know where their loyalties lie, and as nature-benders, they might be more useful here than in Xenith.”
“Shut up, Solaris,” I snapped. “Every time you open your mouth, you say something that makes me want to zap you to the last millennium. For starters, the Specials and the Brotherhood are our allies. Maybe not yours, but definitely ours. My grandfather will not bail on them. Second, Keiran said there are Brotherhood children and the elderly who need shelter, too.”