Rituals (Cainsville 5)

Pepper nodded. "Checking on them is a good idea. Helia wasn't in great shape, as hard as she tried to hide it. I don't think she was up to this kind of mission."

"Nor do I believe Seanna required extra guards," Gabriel said. "But we take your point. If they wanted to help Walter, they won't be swayed unless someone replaces them on their watch."

"Help Walter?" Pepper looked from me to Gabriel.

"With Seanna," I said.

"But I thought...I thought Liv sent them to watch Walter. Because she was suspicious."

"Of Walter?" I said with a laugh. "That makes a whole lot more sense now. That's definitely a mission I wouldn't send Helia on, given her condition. She just wanted to go and help him watch over Seanna."

"That's not..." She trailed off and looked from me to Gabriel again.

"Not what?" I said.

"I overheard Helia talking to Alexios. She said they were going to watch Walter, that him taking Seanna away seemed suspicious. I thought that meant you were suspicious of him, but it must have just meant she was. She told Alexios that they needed to see what he was up to."

"Walter?" I shook my head. "Then they're the ones who misunderstood. Ida wanted him to take Seanna someplace safe."

"Ida wasn't there."

"Sure she..." I thought. "Well, no, I didn't actually see her, but..." I looked at Gabriel.

"She wasn't there," he said. "I presumed she'd given Walter orders before he came over."

"Ida doesn't know," Pepper said. "Helia asked, and Walter said he hadn't told Ida about Pamela, that she was sleeping when he left and she needs her rest--everything that's going on is wearing her down. He wanted to handle this alone. Grace agreed. She grumbled about Ida always taking control, and she said if they could leave Ida out of it, that'd be easier for everyone. I ran after Helia and gave her my cell phone, because I remembered them saying they didn't have one."

"Good idea," Ricky said.

I was already on my phone, listening to the line ring...and ring. Then Pepper's voice mail picked up.

"Call Ida," Gabriel said.

I dialed.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

"Ida? It's Liv. I know it's late."

"Hmm? Yes."

I glanced at Gabriel, who was right beside me, listening in. "Ida? Are you all right?"

A pause, and then, with a little more of her characteristic snap, "Of course. I'm as fine as one could expect, being woken at...Where's the clock?" Something crashed to the floor, and she muttered a curse in Welsh. "Who put it so close to the edge? Give me a moment, Olivia. It seems..." Another curse, stronger. "What time is it? I can't seem to find where the clock fell."

My eyes met Gabriel's, and he nodded.

"Did you have anything to drink last night, Ida?" I asked.

"If you're implying that I'm inebriated, Olivia, let me remind you I am not human. Nor do I partake in such frivolities as alcohol. I drank nothing stronger than tea. I'm simply overtired, having been up late all week. Fae may not require as much sleep as humans, but we do require it."

"It's two a.m., Ida," Gabriel said. "In answer to your question."

"Gabriel? Wasn't I speaking to...? Oh, it's one of those speakerphone things, isn't it? Human technology. You don't use it to end wars and famine, but rather to make even a simple telephone conversation confusing."

"Ida?" I said. "I need you to focus--"

"I am focused. As much as I can be at two in the morning."