Page 166 of Love & Heart Braking

I did the same again.

“Someone get a siren here. She wants to tell us about the magic,” Acribus snarled. “And send for my daughter to take my post. I have an appointment to attend.”

Ouch. Brutal. Passing the buck to her daughter. I nearly smirked at how easily she’d seized the opportunity to get away though.

The healer dashed for the phone like the kiss-ass he was, and Acribus wasted no time sweeping from the lab.

“The cameras have no sound capabilities,” Lerome said, barely moving his lips. “Did you get the email? Keep your movements small.”

He thought I was mute.

“I did.” I tried not to move my lips too much either. “We have the contents. Are you okay?”

“Been better. I enjoy pushing their buttons.”

I let my lips twitch. “The wedding.”

“They’ll parade both of us around, Austin said.”

“Devereaux will come for us,” I answered, keeping one eye on the healer over Lerome’s shoulder. “We need to get Austin out of here too. He can’t marry Smolder. His family is in a tower that’s weakening their fire.”

“Yes, and I’ve realized the Cinereses can’t be using a charm. Phoenix flame is impervious to magic.”

Devereaux told me that once too. “That’s why water mages and elementals are useless against them. How are they freezing the Lanarays then?”

“I can hear a hum from my cell. Took me a while to understand it was a huge amount of electricity. I have a feeling they’ve turned the tower into a giant freezer.”

I blinked. “So if we stopped the electricity to the tower.”

“Exactly.”

The healer hung up the phone, then dialed again. We didn’t have much time. “I’m not sure I can watch you be tortured, Lerome.”

“Don’t worry. My threat is wearing thin anyway. They’ll kill me soon.”

“No. It’s working. None of them want to face the social consequences from the rest of the twelve for being the one to unleash the audio to the public by killing you. Keep going,” I urged.

Surprise slackened his expression. “How can you tell?”

“Watch their flames if they show them. Their fire reacts to their mood.”

He grunted. “Thanks. I will. How are Gug and Maligni?”

The healer hung up the phone.

I quickly said, “Pretend I can’t talk.” It was handy.

Mr. Churnt joined us, glaring for all he was worth. “A siren is on the way. Don’t get comfortable.”

Another healer poked her head in. “Smolder Cineres can’t come. She said to proceed as you see fit without her.”

Ha! Smolder wasn’t as stupid as she was shallow. Maybe mother dearest had dropped her in the poop before.

“What could be more important than this?” the healer dared to voice his exasperation.

The woman flushed. “Something big has happened in Nepos today.”

Lerome and I tensed, and the healer—particularly attuned to bodies, if not possessing a sound moral compass to guide the treatment of them—turned to us. “Tell me,” he said to the woman. “Not in here.” He strode out of the lab.

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