Katie's Hope

"I thought Lankha would be too busy," Gabriel said. "I brought her here."

Rhyn moved to the doorway and watched him set Iliana down gently on the floor beside the healer. The woman was unconscious, her severed wrist wrapped in Katie's sweater.

Katie's sweater. It was her favorite one, and she'd been wearing it when he last saw her. She really was on the island.

"I have to go," Gabriel said. He started toward the courtyard. "I'll come back in a little bit." "Where are you going, Gabe?" Rhyn asked, following him. Gabriel stiffened, and Rhyn's suspicion ignited. "I have to go."

Gabriel disappeared, and Rhyn gazed at the spot where he'd been. The assassin had been acting strange for quite a while. That he was troubled was no secret, though Rhyn didn't understand why, aside from being a slave to Death.

I don't think our friendship will survive what comes.

She ordered me up for a job, but I'm considering not going back.

Katie was the job. Rhyn's realization paralyzed him for a long moment. He whirled and strode into the room, pushing the healer aside to kneel over Iliana. He rested his hand on her head and rifled through the half-dead woman's memories.

Jade locking her in a trunk, Katie screaming at him not to cut off her hand while she writhed on the bed, Katie sobbing and bandaging her after, blurred memories, the vision of ocean and sand, nothing. She was somewhere on the island. With a curse, he rose and ran to the courtyard, changing into his demon bird. Beating his wings so hard they hurt, he rose into the sky and soared around the small island, finally spotting three lone figures in small valley not too far from the Sanctuary.

He dropped fast and changed shapes too soon, landing hard on the ground near them.

All three whirled, and Katie's eyes lit up. It was the demon leader, Darkyn, who caught his initial attention. He didn't expect to see Darkyn here.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" he asked before his eyes went to Gabriel.

"Half-breed," Darkyn sneered. "Negotiating with Gabriel over who gets your former mate." "There's no negotiation," Gabriel said in a hard voice. "She's on the list. She goes with me." "No, Gabriel," Rhyn said. "She can't be on your list and if she is, the hatchling isn't."

"Death ordered both dead-dead."

"Brother, I'll kill you both if either of you tries to take her," he said. "You have a contract on her, Gabe?" The assassin nodded. "Let me guess, Darkyn, the Dark One ordered this."