31. ~Sebastian~

I couldn't believe it.

But there it was, right before my eyes.

Caspian King was shaking hands with Damien Thorn. He even pulled him in for a hug and a shoulder slap.

"Thank you," he told him sincerely.

"I didn't exactly save your life. They weren't going in for a lethal move with that blade."

"It would've put me down and out of the upcoming takedown, something I've worked years toward. So it still stands. You had my six."

"It's the way it's gonna be from now on, King."

"Keep proving it a little longer and I'll take it as unwavering fact."

"Really?"

Cas smiled. "Really, Damien."

Caleb came up and slapped my brother on the back. "Plus, with you earning back his trust, you get to unleash all over our enemies in this upcoming tactical assault."

Damien's eyes lit up with sadistic excitement. Of course.

It faded all too soon as he turned to face Cal. "And you? Are you gonna be okay to do this, to be a part of the mission?"

"Damn straight. I need to see this through. I need him buried."

Cas tucked him into his side and told Damien. "He's going to be fine."

I smiled out at them. In spite of all the bad that had happened, all the pain and trying circumstances, some exceedingly good and positive things had come out of it all.

I looked out as Dante and Luke made their way down the stairs into the sub-level.

Dante made his way over to Caspian and draped his arm over him. We'd all learned that he was actually a really touchy-feely guy with those close to him. And he clearly really wanted to express that with his son. So that was where Cas had gotten that trait from.

Luke strode over to me. "Almost there," he told me.

I nodded. "Good."

"After this is done, we'll get back to our sparring."

"I'd like that, yeah."

He laid his hand on my shoulder. "You're doing really well with everything. And you're graduating soon, so once this is done, that's another thing to look forward to."

"Yeah, it really is." There was a lot to look forward to.

I couldn't fucking wait.

One last hurdle to go.

Two phones rang and then Caspian and Dante were both pulling theirs out and answering swiftly.

The room fell into a tense silence as we awaited the news.

A combination of Caspian's people backtracking the movements of those invaders from the other night, the money trail I'd been able to piece together, and Asher's program, had managed to get two hits of Elijah's possible current location.

Two teams had been sent out—one being Caspian's, the other being guys from the Mancini Syndicate.

"They've got it," Caspian confirmed, hanging up.

Dante nodded and then followed Cas over as he rushed over to the monitors. "My team have located him, they're sending in their recon report now." He eyed me. "Go get Sky. We're ready to do this."

I nodded and headed up the stairs and back into the main house.

The manor was busy as hell with several crews from King doing damage control and fixing up the mess all over the property that the invasion had caused a couple of days ago.

I blew past it all and headed out back through the kitchen where I knew Sky was spending time with her dad.

They weren't that deep into the grounds and I spotted them quickly talking over by an oak tree.

Their voices reached me as I approached.

"I can't, Sky. You've found a way around it, but it's not the same for me. This city is tainted for me now. All I can see while I'm here is that final image of your mom… her dying in my arms."

"Dad, I'm sorry, so sorry."

They hugged tightly for several moments as emotion got the best of them.

When they pulled apart, Frank smiled bittersweet as he looked at her.

"You don't need me anymore."

"I'll always need you."

"Not in the way I mean. You've come out of the hell we've been through and found a way to move forward. And I want that for you. I want you to finally be happy. That can't happen with me around, being like this. The only way would be to take you with me when I go off the grid with Riley. But I won't. You've found your place in the world, somewhere you belong, and as difficult a road as it's been, it's been undoubtedly proven that your place is with them."

"Dad. I can't have you disappearing again. Not being able to reach you in all that time… I can't do it, it can't be like that."

"It won't. I've already spoken to Riley about it and she has a way where we can still be in contact, yet also safe and undetected."

"Are you and her… together?"

"We're something. I can't define it yet, it's not… I'm not ready yet. Your mom is still very much with me."

"Well, if it does get to that point, just know that I'm in your corner. You'll get no blowback from me, only support."

"Thank you, baby girl."

Their conversation came to a halt as they both caught sight of me.

"Hey, sweets," Sky greeted me, holding out her hand and pulling me to her as I took it.

"Beautiful," I returned, kissing the back of her hand and holding it between us.

Frank smiled at me. "It's time?"

I nodded.

Sky's eyes lit up with anticipation. "They've found him?"

"They've got a lock, yeah."

"Be careful," Frank told us.

"We will," Sky assured him. "I'm sorry you can't be a part of it."

Yeah, taking part in the fight during the invasion and then torturing Wheeler had worsened his injury to the point that it had set him back several weeks of recovery.

"It's all right. It's for the best. I've spent too long immersed too deep in the blackness." He stepped closer, urgency coming off him as he told Sky, "Be very careful with that too. Continue with your therapy and make this the last of its kind. If you return to your work with The Jackals, only participate in the lighter operations. Promise me."

"I promise, Dad." She looked out at me. "I know it's not good for me, that it doesn't agree with me and I understand where that line is for me now too."

"Good." He gestured at the house. "You'd better get going. They're waiting on you."

"Okay," she said, turning to go with me. She pulled up short and called over her shoulder to her dad, "See you when we get back from the operation? You'll still be awake?"

"See you then, pumpkin."

Sky was caught between this and centering herself to focus up for what was to come, so she didn't notice the look in his eyes as he spoke those words. More like, she didn't notice that he wasn't looking steadily at her, nor even directly.

He was lying.

He wouldn't be here when she got back.

This was it.

He was going to use the opportunity with us gone to slip away.

Fuck.

I went to open my mouth, to say something, to call him on it, but he noticed it coming and shook his head at me discreetly.

In that moment, the look from him made it clear why he was doing this.

It would be easier. Not just for him, but for Sky.

A long, drawn out goodbye would hurt her more and destabilize things here for her with her being torn between him and us.

"Take care of her," he mouthed to me.

I gave him a chin lift, then sucked in a breath and turned away, Sky leading the way back into the house.

"Everything okay?" she asked as we made our way down the corridor.

Dammit.

I couldn't allow there to be any more secrets between us.

We were together on everything now.

"Your dad… he's not—"

"He's going to leave while we're on mission."

"What? You know?"

"I know him. He had that same look of avoidance before he'd deploy."

"Then—"

"He needs this, Bastian. It's okay. He's right. It needs to be this way. At least for now."

I smiled sadly and rubbed her arm. "Yeah, it does, beautiful."

She nuzzled against me for a few moments until we reached the door to the sub-level.

And then we both tensed up as we prepared ourselves for what was to come.

The eve of battle.

When we made it downstairs, everyone was gathered around the command center as Cas had started laying things out.

When he noticed us, he told us, "Our target is at a closed down manufacturing plant that he's using to gather arms."

"Trying to rebuild what we took from him," Dante added.

"Not fucking happening," Caleb seethed.

"Absolutely not, lovely." Caspian stroked his shoulder, then turned to address us all collectively, "Listen carefully. This is how it's going to lay out."