Because there are few in this world who could even attempt what she now does, he said, not bothering to glance at me. It is extremely dangerous to step into the lost lands as fully as she does.
Hence the use of Uncle Quinn as an anchor.
Yes. His gaze flicked briefly to the man in question. He was once a priest, was he not?
He trained as one, but never completed it.
Then why do you not go to him for information about the priests? He would be of more use than your Aedh.
I flicked a hand toward them. Riley needs him more. And to be honest, I’ve endangered enough people by including them in this fucking quest.
There are casualties in any war, Risa.
Yeah, I snapped back, but if I can avoid those casualties being my friends, I will.
He didn’t say anything to that. But then, he was well aware that anything he said would more than likely just make me angrier.
After several more minutes, Riley sighed and pushed to her feet. Quinn rose behind her, one hand under her elbow, steadying her. Her face was pale and her eyes haunted.
She brushed damp tendrils of hair away from her face, then said grimly, “These things were not willing recipients of the magic that changed their beings and their souls.”
“It was forced onto them?” I said, not entirely surprised. It would explain the madness in their eyes, for a start.
She nodded and leaned into Quinn. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and lightly kissed the top of her head. I smiled a little wistfully, and half wondered if I’d ever find a man to hold me like that.
“They were homeless before the change, and they don’t remember much beyond being held captive underground for a long period of time.”
Meaning they weren’t Razan, which matched the fact that they weren’t tattooed like the other Razan we’d caught or killed. “And they have no idea where that was?”
She shook her head.
“What of the practitioner?” Azriel asked.
Riley’s gaze flicked to him, her expression neutral. She was waiting to learn more about the being before she passed judgment on him, and I knew her hesitation was no doubt caused by some of the comments I’d made previously. “That part of their memories has been burned away. I doubt whether we’d be able to retrieve it even if they were alive.”
“We certainly tried with the other fellow we interrogated,” Rhoan said as he jumped over the railing and landed lightly on our floor. “We didn’t get very far—although the Directorate’s witches said there was a decidedly dark flavor to the magic.”
Riley nodded. “It’s definitely blood magic from the feel of it, but it’s more powerful than anything I ever felt before. And older.”
Rhoan’s gray eyes glimmered silver with the force of his anger as his gaze slammed into mine. “Which means you really need to keep your fucking nose clear—”
“Rhoan,” Riley said softly. “Enough.”
He gave her a sharp look, then thrust a hand through his hair and blew out a breath. “I’m only trying to keep you safe, Ris.”
“I know, and I love you all for that, but my father has threatened to kill Ilianna and Tao if I don’t continue to hunt down the keys. I really have no other choice.”
“You may have no choice when it comes to the keys,” Quinn said, his voice filled with the most gorgeous Irish lilt, “but you can choose not to undertake this search with only a reaper by your side. However handy with a blade that reaper may be.”
My gaze flicked to Riley. She knew why I hadn’t asked them. I could see it in the slight twist in her smile. “I learned the hard way that I needed to rely on others, Ris. Don’t go through what I had to before you learn it, too.”
It was a lesson I didn’t need to learn. I was more than happy to lean on others for help—as long as it didn’t place them in the path of danger. And Riley, Quinn, Rhoan, and his lover Liander had been through enough already in their lives. They’d earned their right to peace. This was my fight, and my turn.
“Might as well talk to a brick wall,” Rhoan muttered. “She’s listening, but she won’t do it.”
I didn’t say anything. I couldn’t—not when he was right.
“Send her home,” Riley said softly. “If you need anything else for your report, you can talk to her in the morning.”