I pulled her after Wesley and past the grand staircase. With any luck, the HQ had sent a couple dozen of their best harpies, armed with enchantments that would entrap Wesley before he even had a chance to shoot off his best magic. They could easily take him and his friends down. I'd be back with Angel, Johnny, and Gideon before bedtime.
"This is it," I yelled to mother as we ran. More bangs were coming from the waiting room on the opposite end of the house. "You'll see. The HQ will be happy to see you alive."
We flew through the door of the waiting room. Inside, the air cackled with electric energy. Bolts of blue energy crossed in front of us like a fence. Behind us, another wall of electricity blocked our exit. I ducked and pulled my mother closer to me. We must've ran right into a magical war. There were sparks flying everywhere.
"So nice to see you." Wesley's voice was magnified above the ruckus of the energy bolts. "I figured you'd come running in."
The wall of energy in front of us disappeared with a violent crack. Mother gasped and stepped in front of me. I had to lean around her to see what was going on. Wesley Blake stood next to Robert Caro. They both smiled at us as if revealing the punchline of a joke. To Wesley's left stood the one person I'd been waiting for all week long.
"Ruth!"
She had her hands on the waist of her slinky black gown that dropped to the floor. A high-cut neck accentuated her pale skin and sharp features. Bold red lips smiled back at me with an eerie hatred.
"What's going on here?" My fingers reached for Athena's Jewel bouncing on my chest. "Where is everyone?"
"I'm afraid this is the party," Ruth replied. She waved her hand in dismissal. "Nice of you to show up."
It wasn't possible. There should be guns and fighting and magical weapons. Ruth couldn't expect to take down Wesley herself.
Mother held out her arms to shield me. "Leave my daughter alone, Ruth McNair, or I'll deal with you myself."
Ruth let out a barking laugh. "See, Wesley? I told you she was a traitor. Didn't take much prodding to reveal her true colors."
Wesley frowned and shook his head. "I suppose I was wrong to doubt you."
My vision blurred as I looked back and forth at Wesley and Ruth. There was no way she could be working with him. He was the enemy. The HQ would never stoop to partnering with someone so vile.
"You look confused, dear," Ruth offered. “I think I owe you an explanation. You see, everything was wonderful, that was, until an HQ spy spotted Olivia in Arcana. All this time I thought she was dead. But no, she was out there and my harpy sisters were determined to rescue her. After the way I’d blown her cover fourteen years ago, I couldn’t be sure she wouldn’t rat me out to my superiors once they found her.”
She ran a hand down the silky fabric of her gown. Wesley casually leaned against the fireplace, shrugging at Bobby. I guess he was clearing the way for Ruth’s evil explanation.
"So, I volunteered to head up the expedition. I received word she'd taken refuge under Wesley Blake's wing. But I couldn't very well approach him about his favorite and loyal assistant. All I had to do was prove to him she'd turn against him at the first chance. Her daughter was the key."
"My men have uncovered Livy's plot to help her daughter escape tonight," Bobby added. He smiled and bounced on the balls of his feet. "Took a few dead sprites and a tortured troll to get to the bottom of it, but they eventually cracked."
Mother's shoulders drooped, but she didn't drop her arms. "Please Wesley, don't believe that treacherous woman. She's hated me for as long as I can remember. Always wanted my position at the HQ, hated it when I succeeded. She's just a bitter old cow."
Ruth laughed. "That's because I was better than you and no one could see it. You deserved what you got."
"I always wondered if it was you who blew my cover."
"You're right about that." She threw her head back. "I had to get rid of you somehow. I thought they'd kill you. I never imagined they'd put you in charge, and that I'd have to hunt you down fourteen years later to finish the job."
My hands closed into tight fists. My mother had been right. Someone at the HQ had hated her and I'd led them straight to her. If they'd just left her alone, she never would've caused trouble for them. The evil in Ruth's smile caused a shiver to run down my spine.
"Let us go or you'll regret it." I stepped out from behind my mother. No longer would I hide from Wesley. "My powers have grown. Don't make me use them on you."
Ruth's lips stretched wide. "I don't think you want to do anything too rash, dear."
With a wave of her hand, Jack the Knife came through the door on the other side of the room. A delighted smile stretched across his face when he saw me. In his arms, a man struggled under a black hood.
"Thank you for sending him to me, Aya," Ruth said. She approached the man and yanked the hood from his head. "Now, I won't have to hunt down your SI boyfriend to kill him. You practically giftwrapped him for me."
Horror ran through me as Gideon's desperate gaze met mine. What had I gotten him into?
Chapter Nineteen
Ruth gave me a knowing smile and ran a tongue over her bright red lips. "I knew you had a soft spot for him. Who wouldn't? He's delicious."