“Obviously better than it’s going here,” Orpheus muttered, dropping onto an arm of a nearby sofa. “Where’s Gryph?”
“With Cerek and Demetrius,” Theron answered, “running down a lead in the human realm. They’re not back yet.”
Isadora caught the flash of worry in Orpheus’s eyes. He was always worried when Gryphon went anywhere without him.
She focused on Theron. “A good lead?”
“None of our leads are good at this point,” Titus huffed, shutting off the virtual screen.
Disappointment washed through Isadora, but she tried not to let it show.
“We’ll find him,” Theron said. “The guys are investigating a Nereid settlement off the coast of Florida. We know it’s a long shot, but Zagreus has a thing for nymphs. We’re hoping they might know something. Demetrius wanted to check this one out himself.”
Demetrius wanted to check out every lead himself. Though he and his twin had never been close, he felt as responsible for Nick’s imprisonment as Isadora did. Maybe more, because he believed he should have been the one to save her, not Nick.
Which was another reason Isadora needed to find Nick. So her mate could stop feeling guilty. Since Nick’s disappearance, Demetrius had become more and more withdrawn, spending every hour looking for his brother or stressing over something out of his control. Their relationship was taking a serious hit. As was the time he spent with their daughter.
“So,” Theron said, looking across the room toward Orpheus. “Is it official?”
“Yes,” Isadora sighed. She was tired. Tired of worrying, tired of fighting the Council, but most of all, she just wanted her family together and in one piece. “You’re looking at the newest Council member.”
Orpheus’s shit-eating grin made her roll her eyes.
“Gods help us,” Titus muttered.
“The gods can’t help you this time,” Orpheus said, chuckling.
Footsteps echoed in the hall, and, seconds later, Skyla stepped into the room, followed by Theron’s mate, Casey.
“Well?” Skyla asked, looking toward Orpheus.
Orpheus held out his hand toward her. “Call me Lord Orpheus. The great and powerful.”
Skyla let her mate pull her to his side, but the look in her meadow-green eyes was hesitant as his arm wound around her waist. “Good gods. Is this what I have to put up with from now on?”
Orpheus’s grin widened. “Baby, you love it.” His brows lifted. “They’re gonna give me this really cool robe. I’m thinking commando’s the only way to go.”
Across the room, Titus sighed. “Told ya this was a bad idea.”
Casey rested a hand on her very round belly as she stood next to Theron and tipped her head. “It could have been worse. They could have made him Council leader. Then we’d all be in trouble.”
Everyone laughed except Isadora. She rubbed her fingers over the pulse between her eyes, finding no humor in the situation, especially because she’d just listened to the lords drone on and on about the “problem” in their realm.
She dropped her hand and looked toward Theron. “The Council denied my aid request for the Misos, which means we have a situation. They’re pushing for forced segregation, using the excuse that most of them have already moved outside the city. But the bottom line is they want to isolate the Misos in what’s left of the Kyrenia settlement permanently.”
“Of course they do,” Skyla said, resting her forearm on Orpheus’s shoulder and brushing her long blonde hair back from her face. “Because they’re different. Anyone who’s different is a threat to the Council’s way of life. In that respect, they’re just like the gods. And by that thinking, Maelea, Natasa, even I should be segregated with them.”
“You’re not going anywhere, Siren,” Orpheus said firmly, his teasing tone long gone.
“Only because I have the backing of the Argonauts,” Skyla answered her mate. “Those people don’t.”
Skyla felt as strongly about the Misos as Orpheus. They all did.
Isadora’s frustration jumped another notch, and she moved toward the arching windows that looked out over the sparkling view of the city. They needed to be focusing on locating the water element—the last of the four classical elements they required to complete the Orb of Krónos, the magic disk that had the power to control Krónos’s imprisonment in the Underworld. All the gods wanted the Orb that held the strength to start the war to end all wars, and the Argonauts had it—had it and were on the verge of being able to destroy it once and for all to protect not only their world, but all worlds. But their focus was now split between the Orb and Nick. And with the Council making threats against the Misos, that focus was waning even more.
“I have no problem with the Misos choosing to congregate together outside the city,” Isadora said, “but not by force.”
“What are you proposing?” Theron asked, eyeing her cautiously.