“Same person who gave me the map. The Aurelian. She wasn’t happy about it either. Well, maybe a little. Mostly because I didn’t put my sacre through her.”

“And now she knows you’re alive.” Mal frowned. “You trust her? She has no reason to help you.”

“Sure, she does. I threatened to kill her.” Chrysabelle waved the paper. “She cut this page from one of her books. Seems to me like a good sign she’s sincere. Do you trust the ancients?”

“Good point.” He squinted at her. “You look tired.” He lifted her and set her on one of the upturned barrels. “Rest while you can. No arguing.”

“No arguing.” A lot of smiling, though. Mal was definitely back to being his usual, protective self. “I guess we have no choice but to get them there and make them both eat from it. How we’re going to get Tatiana to eat something she thinks is meant to kill Lilith is beyond me.”

Mal leaned against another barrel, but reached over to take her hand. “Leave that to me. I’ll make it happen.”

“What’s our next move, then?”

“You take the plane home, then open your portal there and follow this map. I’ll stall Tatiana and Lilith for a day so you can get there ahead of us, and then I’ll get them through the portal from here and I’ll see you inside the Garden of Eden.” He shook his head as he handed the map back. “There’s a phrase I never thought I’d use.”

“Tell me about it.” She tucked the map into her jacket again. “Assuming I can get into the Garden without a problem, I’ll find a place near the tree to wait.”

“Be safe.”

“I will. I promise.” She slid off the barrel and tucked her hands into her pockets. “And then, when it’s all over, you’ll come back with me through my portal.”

He stood, threading his arms through hers and kissing her forehead. “I can’t wait until we’re home again and all this is behind us.”

“Me too.”

A bottle fell somewhere in the stacks, shattering with a pop. Mal’s eyes silvered and he leaped into action, disappearing in a flash of movement. He returned, a woman struggling in his grasp. “We have a spy.”

Chrysabelle whipped a blade out and shoved it under the woman’s chin. “Who are you?”

“Don’t kill me,” she begged. “I’m just a servant. I heard nothing.”

Mal held her tight. “She’s Kosmina, Tatiana’s head of staff.” He shook his head. “We’ll have to kill her.”

“No, please. I can help you,” Kosmina pleaded.

“Help?” Chrysabelle asked. “How?”

All traces of fear left Kosmina’s eyes. “I am…” She lowered her voice. “Kubai Mata.”

Chapter Thirty-four

And that’s when they arrested me,” Doc finished. He’d given Fi the whole rundown on his evening at Fritz’s, which had turned into a day at the police station answering questions, making a statement, then filling Vernadetto in on what had happened.

Fi shook her head. “Unbelievable. I knew something was up when you didn’t come home and I couldn’t get a hold of you. It was nice of Pete to call me and let me know you were okay.”

“Yeah, Vernadetto’s not a bad guy.”

Fi got a strange look in her eyes. “No, he’s not. He’s a really decent man, actually.” She sighed. “So, any idea who the guy at Fritz’s was?”

“I couldn’t see him. He was average build and average height. Nothing much to go on, except he was varcolai. Jaguar.”

“How many jaguars in the pride?”

He shook his head. “Probably several hundred.”

“Crap,” she muttered.

“Exactly. And when the cops showed up with their flashing lights, I just didn’t get a good enough look.” Whoever it had been, they had not wanted to be identified.

“But you cut him.”

“Yeah, but by now he’d be healed. They weren’t that deep, and it’s been too long.” Doc shrugged. “Vernadetto promised he’d send some guys down to talk to Fritz, see what they can find out. Hopefully we’ll hear something soon.”

She snuggled against his side and turned the holovision on. “I’m glad you’re okay.”

He kissed her head. “Thanks, baby.”

“Did you see Barasa and Omur when you were there?”

A local news station flickered to life. “No. According to Vernadetto, they’ve already taken them to the detention center. The lawyer says they’re charging them with homicide.” He let out a long, unhappy breath. Damn it. Things couldn’t get worse.

“It’ll be okay. We’ll figure something out.” She grabbed the remote and started running through the channels.

He gave her a squeeze but said nothing. They both knew her words were empty. An hour into whatever movie she’d picked that he couldn’t concentrate on anyway, the phone rang. A minute after it stopped ringing, Isaiah came in.

“Excuse me, Maddoc, but that was Police Chief Vernadetto. He’s on his way up.”

Fi turned the holovision off and twisted to face him. “I hope he found out something good from Fritz. Not that Fritz has any reason to help us, but he wouldn’t lie to the police after you tried to help him, would he?”

“No idea. Never got to know the man. He quit a few days after I became pride leader.”