Page 21 of Iridian

“Isn’t this a surprise,” said Helen, as she stood in the middle of the room with the rest of the Council and my grandmother at her side. They’d created a wall in front of me, separating me from the newcomers, but I could still see them just fine.

Radock Tivoux stepped forward with his chin raised and a gleaming in his dark eyes, not an ounce of fear or hesitation anywhere on his body. “Maybe to you. I suppose it came as a shock to you to find out that you’ve been lied to and spied on for years.”

“Whoareyou?” said Ferid, shaking his head, pretending to be disgusted while he looked everyone over, but then Aurelia stepped forward, too.

“I think you know who we are, Mr. Nagi,” she said to him. “Just as we know whoyouare.”

“One little thing youdidn’tknow, though, was that David Hill was one of ours.” This from Zachary, who slowly crossed his arms in front of his chest, and I saw it because he was standing next to Taland.

Taland who hadn’t once looked away from me yet.

“True,” said Natasha. “Very true—we had no idea that he was screwing us over.” She flinched. “Andyouhad no idea that he was screwingyouover as well.”

“Enough,” Helen said. “We all know who we’re talking to here, and we’ve all been blindsided by a man we trusted—the same man.”

“Agreed,” Radock said with a nod, his eyes boring into Helen with such intensity I could have sworn she looked a bit nervous. “David Hill brought us together, as strange as that may sound. He’s not our guy and he’s not your guy—he’s nobody’s guy, apparently, and right now the only thing that matters is that he’s stopped.” He stepped closer. “I assume Rosabel has already told you everything that happened in Silver Spring.”

“And my guard told me that you know how to find David,” Madeline said, her voice ice-cold, so fucking terrifying—or maybe just to me.

“More importantly—we were told you have the bracelet,” said Nicholas.

Aurelia looked behind her—at Taland.

Taland stepped forward, pulling the left sleeve of his jacket up to reveal the bracelet around his wrist.

My eyes closed for a moment, chasing out the tears that had gathered in them.Goddess, thank you.He had the bracelet. He could survive if the Council turned on him. He could survive.

“I don’t just have it,” Taland said, and his voice raised every inch of my skin in goose bumps. He sounded calm, as certain of his every word as always. “I can use it, too.”

“Show us,” said Helen.

We all looked at Taland’s hand, and we all expected him to start chanting, when…

“No.” Once more, everyone in the room held their breath. “I’ve also memorized the Script of Perria that Alejandro Ammiz sent me to steal from your Vault. I imagine Hill has already taken it and has left behind no records. You will need that as well, to find him.”

He said all of it with such ease, you’d think he was talking about something as ordinary as the fucking weather.

Are you out of your fucking mind?!I wanted to shout at him, and I hoped he looked at me now so I could show him with my eyes how fucking absurd he was being, but he didn’t. His eyes remained on Helen—who was already livid.

“Howdareyou? What do—” she started, but Taland didn’t even let her finish.

“Rosabel,” he said, and he raised his hand toward me.

Fuck, the way I wanted to run, to jump, to fuckingflyuntil my hand was in his.

But Madeline stepped forward, closer to Taland, and told him, “Rosabel is not going anywhere.”

Taland didn’t even look at her at all, like she didn’t exist. “I have the Script of Perria in my mind, and the only way any of you is going to have it isifRosabel is by my side right now and she tells me to give it to you.”

Damn it, Taland!

A smile spread on my face—silly, I know. I couldn’t help it becausethis guy.This fucking guy came here just as I was about to die and saved me, once again, and looked the fucking Council in their eyes and told them that. Said those words.

This fucking guy.

“My granddaughter will—” Madeline started again, but this time, I didn’t let her finish.

Becausefuck you, Madeline.Fuck her and the Council and Hill and everyone.

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