Chapter 22

CHAPTER 22

CAMERON

S elas sat propped against Touron on the lounge sofa, her leg stretched out and braced on a cushion. The position couldn't be the most comfortable for Touron, leaving his large frame squished onto the end of the sofa, body twisted at the waist so that he could act like a back rest for Selas. But if it bothered him, he didn't show it. In fact, he seemed content to be wrapped around her.

She'd flown for hours to warn us about the faction. The faction her father was working for. It was damning information that only strengthened our suspicions as to how deep the faction had its claws in the gargoyle government.

She watched us through milky eyes smudged with dark circles as we absorbed everything that she'd told us. "Benny gave me a book. It might have more information in it. It's in my thigh pocket. Touron, could you…"

"Yeah, one sec." Touron reached around her to get to her pocket, and she winced in pain as the motion knocked her leg. "Sorry, so sorry."

"It's okay." She relaxed against him as he passed the book to Orix, who flipped it open and began to read.

"It's notes. Snippets of…There's a list of names in here. It says… the other puppets… " He slowly raised his head and looked across at Levi. "Ulrickson's name is on here."

Levi's jaw clenched. "Let me see that." Orix passed him the book, and he raked the page over, nostrils flaring. "Fuck…"

"Who else is on it?" Serath asked.

"Nandini Aziza is the only other name I recognize," Levi said, handing the book to Serath.

My mate flicked through it. "Isn't Wes Orima with the registry?"

"He is," Orix confirmed. "I wager most of the names are people in positions of power."

I had to know… "What about Lionel? Is he in the book?" My stomach trembled as I waited for Serath to reply. Lionel had lied to me about being my father, but he was still family, and I hadn't let go of the hope that he might have an explanation about what happened to Melanie that wasn't as damning as the one in my head. But if he was on that list, all hope of us building a relationship would be ruined.

"No," Serath said. "Another reason to trust him."

I released a slow exhale of relief. "Good."

"We might need his help if we're going to corner Ulrickson," Orix said. "So, yeah, that's a huge positive."

I looked to Levi, waiting for some kind of protest, but he stood stoic and silent, waiting for Orix to elaborate.

"Selas's father didn't know who the faction members are, but Ulrickson might have more information," he said. "They use blackmail and offer favors to control people, right?" Selas nodded. "So if they're blackmailing Ulrickson, I can't imagine him not gathering some kind of intel on them. Anything that might help him extricate himself. In fact, he may even be on board with helping us take them down."

"Yes." Levi's frown smoothed out. "He couldn't have known about their plan to take down the whole elite team. If he did, he wouldn't have allowed me to apply for elite. No…He must be pissed about the whole thing. He'll help us. I know it."

He had a valid point, but there was always the possibility that Ulrickson was working with them of his own free will. He'd sacrificed his brother for power…Was it so much of a stretch to think he'd do the same with his son? A son he hadn't raised himself? I didn't voice the thought, not wanting to burst Levi's bubble of hope that his father was merely a pawn. We'd find out the truth soon enough.

"We should work fast," Selas said. "Once my father finds me missing, he might alert the faction. I'm not sure how connected he is to the other goyles on that list, but we can't risk him warning them too."

Warning Ulrickson, she meant. "There is no way we can get to Ulrickson tonight, which means he'll probably be on the alert for funny business."

"What if Levi calls him?" Ginia said. "Lures him…somewhere."

Levi shook his head. "I'm elite now. He'll suspect something. Besides, where would I lure him to that would be secure?"

"If he's being blackmailed, he might have eyes on him," Orix pointed out.

"But Lionel won't," Curi said. "Maybe we can use him to help us get to Ulrickson."

Everyone looked at me, waiting for my agreement. I loved that they'd give me the final say on this, because calling in Lionel would be opening a huge can of worms for me, worms that carried revelations and secrets. But it had to be done. I nodded. "Agreed."

"Then it's settled," Orix said. "Cameron will speak to Lionel. Tonight."

The phone was sweaty in my hand as I paced the lounge. It was almost two a.m. and thirty minutes since I'd called Lionel, impressing upon him how vital it was that he come alone and not tell anyone where he was going.

He hadn't questioned why, simply saying, I'm on my way , and now my stomach was in knots because this was about much more than the faction. It was about me and my heritage. About my real relationship to Lionel and Ivor. About Melanie and what he…Oh my god.

"Melanie." I stared wide-eyed at Serath. "He killed Melanie, and now he's coming here and she's here…somewhere…"

"We don't know what happened with Melanie for sure," Serath said.

I glanced about, expecting Melanie to materialize at any moment. She'd needed to recharge, but that had been hours ago. "What if she sees him and goes all vengeful again?"

"Then we deal with it," Shar said.

Serath lightly cupped my shoulder to halt my pacing and handed me a mug of tea. "Drink this. It's going to be fine."

I was falling apart, and I hated it. Focus, Cameron. One thing at a time. I gulped the tea then gagged as it burned a path down my throat. "Shit, that's hot." I stuck out my tongue to air it. "What are we going to say to him? How do we even start?"

"I don't know," Serath said. "I think this is one of those situations where you play it by ear." He cupped my face and looked deep into my eyes. "Hey, you can do this." The connection between us hummed, channeling calm into my body. "You good?"

I nodded. "I'm good." The buzzer went, and I jumped, spilling tea all over my hand. "Fuck."

Curi handed me a kitchen towel.

"I'll get the door," Levi said.

I mopped up the spill on my hand and the floor, heart pounding, mouth dry.

"You're going to be okay," Curi said, his dark eyes warm with compassion. "We're all here with you."

Serath took my hand and gave it a squeeze. "One step at a time."

I closed my eyes and reined in the tumultuous emotions racing through my body. "You're right. One step at a time."

I blew on what was left of my tea and took a tentative sip. "This is good tea." I was making small talk. Great.

Levi returned followed by Lionel, who swept the room quickly before zeroing in on me.

"Cameron…" He hurried over, stopping himself from hugging me when he realized that I was holding a mug of tea. His brow furrowed slightly when he spotted Selas on the sofa at the back of the lounge. "What is going on here?"

And in that moment, faced with his confusion and panic, I was suddenly completely calm.

"Sit down and I'll tell you. Everything."