Page 63 of Forbidden

Storm nodded in agreement.

Xyra carded her fingers through blood-streaked blue hair. “I’ll stay. Someone’s got to let the clean-up crew in to deal with these bodies. I’ll tell her you all scattered after the prophet was taken.”

“Thanks, we appreciate the help,” Malachi said, giving her a fist bump.

“I’ll text the paladins from Ira’s list,” Alex said. “Maybe they can at least give us an update on how he is. I don’t think they’ll hurt him. He’s too valuable.”

It was meant as a reassurance, but the knowledge made Wolf rage internally nonetheless. He was valuable, so they wouldn’t want to let him go. How long would they hold him?

“Good.” Shadrach clapped his hands. “I’ll see you all there soon, then.”

He disappeared before Wolf could say anything else, and he could only hope Shadrach meant what he’d said about making sure nothing happened to Ira. He didn’t know what he’d do if he lost him now. Maybe he’d just let Lilith kill him. Anything would be better than an eternity without Ira.

Chapter 17

Hours passedbefore Ira saw another soul. He tried to sleep, laying on the cot with his eyes closed, but he struggled to relax his body, muscles winding tight every time he remembered his current predicament. Sleep was a fantasy when his future was so uncertain.

The door squealed open for the second time, and Ira pushed himself to a sitting position, wondering if Sloan and Rousseau were back to tell him his fate. It was just as well. He’d take anything over the deafening silence of his own anxiety.

But it was Isaac Morrow who came to a stop in front of his cell, stuffing his hands in his khaki cargo pockets. The ugly fluorescent lighting gave his red hair a sickly, pale tinge and threw his freckled skin into garish relief, but he was still a more welcome sight than plenty of other paladins Ira could think of. Better the psychopath you knew, after all.

Isaactsked. “Poor little Ira,” he said coolly. “You had a taste of freedom, but the bird’s been caged once more, haven’t you?”

“What are they going to do with me?” he asked, cutting to the chase. Isaac was a strange one, and Ira didn’t have time for games.

“They don’t know yet.” Isaac reached for one of the bars, scraping his thumbnail through the gritty salt stuck to the iron. “Nate’s been in with Sloan for,” he blew out a breath, “three hours maybe? It’s not technically his place, as a paladin captain, but he’s been arguing your case. I got bored with waiting, thought I’d come and see if you were awake.” He nodded at the pills on the paper plate. “Those are ibuprofen, by the way. I saw Maxwell take them out of the bottle and put them there.”

Ira didn’t need them, but Isaac didn’t know that. He picked up the pills and swallowed both with a sip of water, wincing as they went down. It was a display of trust, too—one Isaac didn’t miss, if the gleam of his cold green eyes was any indication. He trusted Isaac’s word, and he wanted him to know it.

Isaac threaded one arm through the bars, leaning his elbow on the crossbar, and said, “Is it true you’ve turned on the guild like the others?”

Ira scowled. “I don’t really consider it ‘turning on the guild,’ and neither did Hawk and Morgan.” He studied Isaac’s mirthful expression and belatedly realized he’d been baited. “But you know that.”

“Of course I do. I’m just repeating the party line. That’s what we’re meant to do, isn’t it?” Darkness filled Isaac’s green eyes, like a midnight forest. “They never really wanted us to think for ourselves. Go, fight, and keep your mouth shut.”

“It doesn’t have to be like that,” Ira said, pushing himself to his feet.

Isaac gave a sarcastic, scandalized gasp. “Are you trying totemptme, Ira Faer?” he asked, his voice throaty and low.

“Maybe.” He was trapped anyway. Might as well throw caution to the wind. “You’ve been meeting with Nate and the others. I know you don’t like the direction things are going. You don’t have to stay.”

Isaac’s cool expression didn’t waver. He’d always been an impossible one to read. “Anyone who sticks out is likely to get the hammer these days.”

“Since when have you been afraid of sticking out?” he asked bluntly. “You know what people say about you.”

Isaac leaned in. “And what is that?”

“That you’re crazy.” Blunt honesty worked best with Isaac. “I even heard a rumor they had you tested when they brought you here.”

Isaac snorted, relaxing. “They did. And I am, but apparently my diagnoses suited the guild well enough.”

Ira didn’t actually know what that meant. He only had rumors and his partial knowledge of the future to guide him.

“You might find someplace else better suited for you, then.”

Isaac shook his head, looking weary. “It won’t work, Ira. Despite my misgivings of the guild’s current direction, I’m not like you. I’m not willing to face the consequences for true disobedience.”

For now.

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