Page 41 of When Storms Ruin

“Spies?” I offered, “she has them everywhere. There’s no way she wasn’t tracking him, especially if she suspected he was a part of the resistance. Not to mention he was ‘tasked’ with retrieving the grimoire. He is a Kotova after all, it could have chosen him at any point. She would have wanted to have eyes on him.”

“That’s a good point,” Isaac said, sitting back in the thick leather chair and running his hand along the scruff on his cheek.

“Butheis one of her spies,” Nik insisted, his voice gruff.

“I’m not sure,” I replied, shaking my head.

“Don’t let the fact that he is family cloud your judgement,” Nik said, his eyes softening.

“I’m not,” I spat, my gaze turning cold. “I believe him. I know what it is to be tortured by Donika. Tyr was desperate.”

“What did Puck think of this? He has a place on this council as well as Saanvi,” Isaac replied.

“Saanvi should be here shortly, and she can tell you her thoughts herself. I’m sure Puck would side with Nik.” I cast him a sidelong glance.

“And what, exactly, do you think?” Isaac asked, turning to face Nik.

“I think the little weasel is a spy, trying to get back into our good graces.”

“Why would he do that? He could have let that creature kill me, then he wouldn’t need to be back inanyone’sgood graces. I would be dead. If he was under Donika’s control, I wouldn’t be sitting here right now,” I seethed. “I saw him in The Shadow the other day. I think he has been searching for us.”

“She has a point,” Isaac replied, giving Nik a knowing glance.

Nik refused to budge. What a stubborn, frustrating, pig-headed…

The door swung open, saving me from finishing that thought, and Saanvi slipped in quietly.

“Your thoughts on the issue of Tyr?” Isaac asked her as we all turned towards her.

“I don’t believe he meant to harm Diana. Donika threatened his family, he only gave up the information under duress. He is only a kid, after all,” she replied, sympathy in her eyes.

“My thoughts exactly. He can’t be more than fifteen years old. He is far from an evil mastermind,” I agreed with a nod.

“I have to agree,” Isaac responded. “Tess?”

“I’m with Diana,” she replied, grabbing my hand and giving it a squeeze. “Always.”

“Liss?”

“I don’t trust that rat bastard as far as I can throw him. Not when it comes to Diana,” she replied resolutely.

“It’s down to Puck and Warrick, then. Where are they?” Isaac asked, standing from the desk and coming around to the door.

“Back on the training field, I spelled them to stay put with Tyr. Didn’t want him to know the location of this safe house and have to move…again,” Saanvi replied.

“Thank you.” Isaac gave her shoulder a soft squeeze as he moved to the door, and we followed.

“And if Puck and Warrick agree with me?” Nik asked, “what will you do then?”

“You know what we do to traitors,” Isaac replied, his voice somber.

They would kill him? Based on a vote?

I understood he betrayed the resistance when he gave up the information that got me captured, but he wasjust a kid. His family had been threatened. He saved my life when he easily could have let that hell creature consume me.

We walked to the training field quickly and in silence under the cover of night, uneasy to be out after dark, outside the safe walls of the spelled townhome. Luckily, we were all well-armed.

Puck, Warrick, and Tyr were right where we left them. Puck was sitting in the grass and appeared to be searching for a four-leaf clover. Warrick stood watch over Tyr, who was still trapped within Saanvi’s spelled circle.

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