Chapter 23
Kyle didn’t change his mind. Not that I was entirely surprised. As Order members, we were practically bred to keep our mouths shut if we were captured by the enemy.
And to Kyle, we were the enemy.
So, we were going to have to make him talk, like we had with Marlon, and that wasn’t exactly something I was looking forward to. Even if Kyle was a giant prick who needed a healthy dose of karma.
Since it was only a matter of time before our little showdown along the interstate would be seen by some unsuspecting person with terrible luck, we had to get off the road and someplace safe where we could question Kyle and find out how they knew we’d been heading to San Diego.
Who was left of our group piled into the SUV, including a tied up and gagged Kyle. We made it to some creepy-ass roadside motel where I normally wouldn’t even think twice about staying, but they had vacancies and looked like the type of place that was used to hearing screams in the middle of the night.
We paid cash for three rooms and stuck Kyle in the middle one, gagged and bound to one of those uncomfortable desk chairs. It was just Ren and I in the room with him. We figured having any of the fae there wouldn’t entice him to play nice.
Besides, Kalen was out there somewhere dumping our damaged vehicles and getting us new rides, and Faye was resting so her arm would heal. I guessed Kalen was going to glamour someone into handing over their keys, and I really didn’t have the brain space to decide if that was right or wrong.
Ren stood directly in front of him, arms folded over his chest. “I’m about to remove that gag and I’m hoping you’re smart enough to not make a lot of noise.”
Kyle glared up at Ren, and I had no idea if he was going to be smart enough or not.
“We want to talk to you and we need you to listen,” Ren said, stepping closer. “We’re on the same side.”
A moment passed and then Kyle nodded. Ren removed the gag, and the first thing out of the older man’s mouth was, “We aren’t on the same side, boy. We stopped being on the same side the moment you realized what she was and you didn’t put her down.”
I arched a brow. “This is going to be a lovely conversation.”
Kyle’s dark gaze shot to me. “Should’ve listened to my gut the first time I met you. Hearing stories of you fighting the Prince and surviving? Bullshit.”
“Contrary to what you believe, I did fight the Prince and I did survive. Not only that, I was then kidnapped against my will, and I still survived.” I held his gaze. “I didn’t know I was the Halfling.”
He sneered. “Like that matters.”
“I guess it doesn’t,” I mused, “because I’m sure you put down a lot of halflings in your day, people who had no idea what they were or why you were killing them.”
“Why don’t you ask him how many he killed before he met you?”
Ren stiffened in front of me.
“He didn’t have the balls to take out Noah. Or you, apparently.” Kyle smiled. “But he’s killed—”
“Shut up,” I spat.
“Thought you wanted me to talk?” He leaned forward as far as the rope Ren found God knows where would let him. “How does it make you feel knowing that the very reason he came to New Orleans was to put a bullet between the eyes of the Halfling—to kill you. But I guess you’ve got a golden pussy, because—”
Ren moved so fast I barely saw his fist connect with Kyle’s face, knocking his head back and the chair up on two legs. Ren’s jaw was so hard it could crack stone as he stood there, staring down at Kyle.
I stepped forward. “Just so you know, I like the idea of my vagina being golden. That’s not an insult.”
“Yeah, you wouldn’t.” Kyle spit out a mouthful of blood. “The lighting is shit in here, but I see you.”
I had a feeling I knew what he meant and I realized I didn’t care. It hit me like a speeding train, but it was what it was. I knew I looked different. I knew what it meant, and I didn’t care. “I don’t give a shit what you see.”
“How? How did you hide what you really looked like?” he demanded. “Because I know damn well if Daniel saw you for what you really are, he still wouldn’t be defending you.”
My head cocked to the side as Ren glanced back at me. “Daniel is defending me?”
For a moment, I didn’t think Kyle was going to answer. “He didn’t want to believe you betrayed the Order. Obviously, he was wrong.”
“I didn’t betray the Order.” I paused. Daniel still believing in me was surprisingly great news. My lips pursed. “Well, killing those Order members who attacked us probably ranks up there in the betrayal department, but we were defending ourselves.”
Kyle stared at me. His left eye was swelling, an injury I guessed had occurred out by the cars. “You look like a goddamn fae. You’re disgusting.”
Striking like lightning once more, Ren’s fist connected with Kyle’s stomach. The contact echoed throughout the room. He caught Kyle by the shoulder, stopping the chair from toppling backward. “I think you meant to say she’s beautiful, but I understand. Words were never your forte.”
“Doing your duty was never yours.” Kyle looked up at Ren and laughed. “Now was it?”
They were eye to eye. “You know damn well I did my duty over and fucking over.”
“But not when it counts.”
“You’re wrong. When it counts, I’m doing the right thing.” Ren stepped back as the chair righted itself. “We’re not here to talk about what I was supposed to do. How did you know where we were?”
Kyle spit out more blood. “Go fuck yourself.”
“Language,” Ren murmured, letting his arms hang at his sides.
The leader of the Elite laughed, and it sounded wet. “What information do you think you’re going to get from me? You and I both know how this is going to end.”
I glanced between the two. “How is this going to end?”
Kyle’s upper lip curled. “He’s going to kill me.”
Looking at Ren, I waited for him to answer and when he didn’t, I decided it was time to step in. “Okay. Let’s get this train back on track. Do you know the Prince has found another halfling?”
A muscle flexed along Kyle’s rapidly bruising jaw. “No shit.”
“So, did it ever occur to you that if the Prince was en route to San Diego for another halfling, that maybe I wasn’t on board with getting pregnant and ushering in the end of the world as we know it?”
Another moment passed. “Doesn’t change what you are or the danger you present.”
I exhaled noisily. “Okay. I’ll give you that. But why do you think we are heading to San Diego? Don’t you dare say to join up and meet with the Prince, because I might just punch you, and guess what? I hit a hell of a lot harder than Ren does.”
“You’re traveling with a bunch of fae,” he replied. “Pretty sure it’s obvious.”
“We’re trying to stop him, you dumb son of a bitch.” Ren moved to stand behind Kyle’s chair. “But you kind of got in the way, delaying us. You better hope he hasn’t found her.”
“The Order in San Diego has been watching for him. We aren’t stupid.”
Ren clapped his hands down on Kyle’s shoulders, causing him to jump. “That’s up for discussion.”
A little bit of hope that we weren’t too late sparked in my chest. “They haven’t seen the Prince yet?”
Kyle said nothing.
“That doesn’t mean the Prince isn’t there, that he hasn’t already found her.” Ren’s hands curled, digging into the man’s shoulders. “And while you’re here barking up the wrong damn tree, he’s getting exactly what he wants.”
“You know we have almost no time to stop him from succeeding,” I tried again to reason with the man. “You don’t have to like what I am. You can think whatever you want, but by now you have to have realized we’re not working for the Prince.”
“But you’re working with the fae.”
“And this isn’t the first time the Order has worked with the fae.” Ren smiled when Kyle winced. “You want to talk about that?”
Kyle fell silent.
“That’s the interesting thing about all of this.” Ren’s hands slipped off his shoulders, nearing the man’s throat. “You talk to me about duty, but you all are a bunch of damn liars. Did you ever think one of us wouldn’t cross paths with the Summer Court and learn about how the Order and the Elite worked alongside them? How they helped close the gateways? How they don’t kill humans or feed off them?”
Well, except for the royals. They fed, but I thought it was best we kept that to ourselves at the moment.
His eyes flashed. “You all were trained to kill, not to ask questions with the fae while you share tea and biscuits.”
My brows lifted. “The Order lied to us—all of us—and continue to do so, because they thought none of us would ever talk and listen to one of the Summer fae?”
“Worked so far.”
I stared at him a moment, dumbfounded. “That is absolutely stupid.”
Kyle gave me a bloody smirk. “Order members were never trained to talk and listen to the fae. You were trained to strike first. Always.”
“Again,” I said. “That is stupid and sloppy.”
“You know what’s stupid? You thinking you’re going to make it out of this alive.”
“Shaking in my boots.” I rolled my eyes. “I’m guessing you put a bulletin out on us, and we were spotted. That’s why you found us.”
“Probably in Texas,” Ren agreed, sliding one hand around Kyle’s neck. “When we stopped to grab food. I’m also guessing the sect in Southern California is going to be looking out for us.”
The man visibly swallowed. He may act like he was tough shit, but he was scared.
Kyle dragged in a deep breath as Ren let go and stepped back. “I’ve got nothing to say to you all.”
“It’s okay.” I smiled. “Because you did tell us something we can use.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “I haven’t told you shit.”
“Oh, you did.” I laughed softly as Ren’s gaze lifted to mine. “You told me exactly who we need to contact. Daniel.”
His gaze widened with understanding.
“So . . .” I lifted my hand, extending my middle finger. “Thanks for that.”
There were no words to describe the satisfaction I felt when his face paled. “Go ahead and kill me.”
“I’d love to do that for you.” Ren walked past him, smacking him on the back of the head in the process. “But what does that do but prove you right that we’re the enemy?”
I looked at him sharply, but managed to stay quiet. Based on the look on Kyle’s face, he was just as surprised as I was.
Ren smiled down at Kyle. “Leaving you alive will hopefully get through that thick skull of yours that we’re on the same side. I won’t have your blood on my hands. Neither will Ivy.”