“Now, I think I have a plan that will get you back to Kiran and get me something that I want in exchange, all right? Assuming that's what you want?” I bribed carefully, watching as he stayed unpacified.

“Yes, I need to get back. There are people counting on me,” he agreed, but I couldn’t help notice he left Kiran's name out.

“I want Avalon, I want to trade you for Avalon,” I said simply and Talbott rolled his eyes at the idea.

“You might as well just kill me now then. Lucan will never give you Avalon.” he snapped, frustrated with me and irritated with his restraints. This side of Talbott proved very entertaining.

“Well, let's just try anyway. Maybe Lucan has changed his mind,” I suggested, playing it cool, despite the exhaustion that was sweeping over me from fighting with the frenzied magic. “Does somebody have a cell phone? I am assuming you have a number to call that will get you in contact with Lucan?” When Talbott didn't answer, I sent him flying backwards in his chair until he slammed into the back wall, “Do you want to go home or not?” I shouted, my nerves getting the best of me.

“I have a direct line to Kiran,” he admitted.

“Fine, that will work. Someone give him a phone,” Te, Caden, Gabriel, Xavier and Bex were charged with guarding Talbott for now and all of them reached into their pockets digging for their phones. I started to believe, I was the only one who left my cell phone at home. I made a mental note to take it with me next time I decided to travel around the world.

“Can I see you outside for a moment?” Jericho asked, pulling on my arm and opening the door.

“Get on the phone with Kiran and find out if Lucan will make the trade,” I commanded before letting Jericho close the door on us.

“I trust you, Eden. But I need to know what the plan is. Lucan is never going to trade Talbott for Avalon, he would rather kill Talbott himself,” Jericho whispered, in hushed, curious tones.

“I know that,” I agreed, “but I have to get to what I want, without making it seem like I'm getting.... what I want,” I explained cryptically. “Listen, I know that Talbott has this thing about protecting Lilly, but if I start with Lilly, I'll never get her. I am trying to get them to offer her to us.”

“You watch too many movies,” Jericho smiled at me, opening the door and allowing me through first.

“You can't have Avalon,” Talbott said as soon as I walked through the door. Gabriel stood next to him, holding his phone to Talbott's ear.

I stared at him for a minute, chewing on my thumbnail, pretending to think it over. “Then I want Ryder Thompson.”

Talbott repeated my demand into the phone, listened for a minute and then shook his head no.

I cleared my throat and tried again, “Then I want the Immortal's that don't have any magic, Ebanks Camera, Oscar Rodriguez, Jett Fisher and Ronan Hannigan.”

Talbott spoke into the phone, repeating my request almost word for word. This time he listened longer, before shaking his head no again.

“All right, Talbott, ask them who I can have then? Seriously, what is your life worth? If they don't come up with an answer soon you can let them know that I will kill you, without hesitation or remorse.” I folded my arms, staring defiantly at Talbott, mentally willing him to figure out my plan on his own.

He repeated my words into the phone and then without hesitation, without waiting for a response on the other end he said with confidence, “You can have Lilly.”

I rocked back on my heels, trying not to smile. I couldn't believe it was that easy, “Fine.”

“He said he will only do the exchange if you come alone, completely by yourself,” when I rolled my eyes, he continued, “he will send only one person to do the exchange, but he wants to be assured that it will be you and only you.”

“I can't trust him, how do I know he will really only send one person?” I asked skeptically.

“You don't,” Talbott answered simply, “but if you don't agree, or bring someone with you, the deal's off.”

“Fine,” I relented, thrilled that I was at least able to save Lilly through this whole mess. I couldn't stop the smile from coming so I turned to leave the room, trusting that Jericho could finish figuring out the details. “But tell him, if he sends Kiran, I will kill him on sight. I will literally rip his head off and send it back to him in a box.”

 Chapter Twenty-Six

I left the room, remembering I made a promise to myself. Grace and Naima still chatted quietly on the couch, so I approached carefully.

“Where is Sebastian?” I asked, smiling at them.

“He is in that room over there,” Naima answered, her head bobbing a little while she talked. “Eden? Are you alright? Gabriel explained how horrific the mission went and I am worried that maybe you need to rest for a bit longer.” Her pink eyes darkened with worry, their jewel-like tones shimmering against the white of her pupils.

“Thank you, but I'm fine, really. I just realized that Sebastian hasn't had a change of clothes for more than a week now and I want to make sure he is treated fairly, that's all,” I explained and Grace immediately stood up.

“There are extra clothes in the back bedroom, I will get him some,” she offered politely and then disappeared down a hallway.

I smiled one more time at Naima and then went to find Sebastian. I knocked softly on the door, expecting him to be asleep, but was surprised to find Titus inside, laughing with him.

“Am I interrupting something?” I asked, noticing how relaxed Sebastian looked.

“No, sorry, I was just um, guarding Sebastian,” Titus stood up, unnecessarily coming to attention. It dawned on me that Titus and Sebastian were becoming friends. I knew that I should be more worried about that, but I was having a hard time believing Sebastian would ever be a threat again, I couldn't really blame Titus for thinking the same thoughts.

“It's all right; I just need to talk to him for a second, that's all.” I smiled at Titus, waving at him to sit back down. “Sebastian, do you know that we have Talbott in the other room?”

“I think the whole city knows,” he laughed, rolling his eyes.

“Well, I've decided to trade him for one of their prisoners,” I explained, gauging his reaction. When nothing in his face changed, I continued, “Lucan agreed to the exchange, but only if I meet his man alone, like completely alone.” I paused for a moment, letting my words sink in.

“Lucan agreed to the exchange?” he asked, skeptically.

“Yes, but like I said he wants me to go alone. I need to know if this is a trap. Either way, I don't mind going alone, I'm certainly not afraid of anything that Lucan would send, and I would feel a large number of Titans miles away, but I want to know what I'm getting into.”

Sebastian sat thoughtfully for a moment before answering, “If Lucan agreed to the exchange, then I have to believe he will hold to the terms of the agreement.”

The door opened behind me and Grace walked through, carrying fresh clothes for Sebastian. “Jericho asked if he could speak with you when you get a free moment,” she mentioned sweetly to me, handing the clothes over.

“Thank you,” I said, “tell him I'll be there in a second.”

She left the room and I turned back to Sebastian, tossing the clothes on his lap.

“What's this?” he asked, his face involuntarily lighting up.

“I thought you might want to shower and change, sorry I've been neglectful about it,” I smiled at him, genuinely apologetic I let him suffer even this small amount. My heart broke again for Avalon, remembering him in that prison cell, beaten and bloodied. I was desperate to figure out a way to rescue him, a foolproof plan this time, one that could guarantee success.

“That's Ok,” Sebastian waved off my apology, “I think you've only showered and changed like once this whole time.” Titus let out short barking laughter that I shot down quickly with an annoyed glance. Sebastian stood up, holding his clothes to his chest, “Eden, this is very unlike Lucan to even entertain the idea of a prisoner exchange.”

“So you do think it's a trap?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.

“No, I don't. I am just saying, this doesn't really sound like him.” Sebastian shrugged his shoulders and then left the room, leaving Titus and I alone.

“What are you guys now? Bff's?” I joked and Titus rolled his eyes

“He's actually, kind of cool.” He shrugged and then changed his story, “I mean, not cool, but he's, he's just not that bad, I mean, for a prisoner he's all right?”

“Not that bad?” It was my turn to roll my eyes. Sebastian was like a terminally ill, but naughty pet. Everyone hated him when I first brought him home, but now people were growing attached to him. Eventually, he was going to have to be put down; I just hoped it didn't upset too many people when that finally happened.

I left the room in search of Jericho and found him in the kitchen, dishing up a bowl of hot soup. He turned around when I entered the room and gestured to a splintered, old table to the right of the stove. He set the bowl of steaming stew in front of me and then returned to a large, cast iron pot that simmered with the delicious spices only India had to offer.

“So, we're taking advice from prisoners now?” Jericho sat down across from me and stared at me from over his steaming bowl of Indian stew. I felt like a small child about to be scolded.

“I just wanted to know what I was getting into. Sebastian has offered his help in return for mine and I needed to know if I could trust the terms of Lucan's arrangement or not, that's all,” I explained, blowing on a hot, soupy potato before devouring it. The stew was scrumptious, abundantly flavorful, and a little spicy and it helped that I couldn't even remember the last time I sat down to eat a meal.

“And do you think that you can?” Jericho asked, narrowing his eyes intensely at me from where he sat.

“Honestly, I still don't know. However, I'm willing to risk it. As I told Sebastian, if he has a trap waiting for me, I'll be able to feel it from miles away. If he is sincere, then I will have Lilly back.” I shrugged as if the task was as simple as the words.

“I don't like it,” he mumbled, staring down at his soup.

“Do you ever like it when I'm in possible danger?” I smiled at him, and his tanned cheeks blushed with embarrassment.

“Eden, I'm serious; this could so easily be a trap,” Jericho reached out his hand, took mine and held it gently; his thumb moved back and forth across my palm and I couldn't help but stop eating to give him my full attention.

“You're right, it could be. But, we can't keep Talbott here much longer, you said so yourself. At least this way, we get something out of it.” I gazed into his eyes, getting lost in their soulfulness. “Besides, because it's Lilly, I know I can trust Talbott to behave until the exchange. He wants her out of there as badly as I do.”

“You really think Kiran's personal Titan bodyguard is in love with a Shape-shifter?” Jericho questioned skeptically, laughing a little at the idea.

“Yes, I do,” but I couldn't help but laugh too, “Jericho, this is a new age we are ushering in. When we win this war, they can finally be together!” I squealed, excited for Lilly and the idea that her feelings for Talbott had never gone away.

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