I was. I didn’t know what for, exactly, but there was no doubt left in my answer.
We exited the room to turn the opposite direction we’d come in, and Logan led me by the elbow at an even faster pace, not stopping to round the corners before me. I glanced behind us, but the halls were empty. He took us down a set of narrow stairs, pausing only briefly to check the screen of his phone. From my vantage point one step above him, I saw not a text message, but a small red dot on a blackened grid. Like a tracking signal.
“Is that Brendan?” I hissed, more out of shock than anything else.
He glanced at me, surprised, and the corner of his mouth drew back, despite an obvious effort to still it. He turned his upper body toward me as he watched me, leaving his face inches from mine while the step made us closer to the same height.
“Brianna,” he said, and I thought he was going to tell me his reasons, explain why it was necessary. I was fully prepared to tell him I understood and it didn’t matter, until he finished. His voice dropped to a whisper. “Is it now?”
My breath caught in my throat. Oh God, was he serious? His eyes never left mine, and all I could think was that he was thinking of kissing me, that he was asking because it had crossed his mind to do so right then. The image of that kiss from my visions came swiftly to me, and I fought hard to not focus on it.
Though I was sure he’d see the flush that colored my skin, Logan didn’t budge, only waited for my answer.
I swallowed hard. “No.”
His gaze stayed on me one full second more before he made a gesture that might have been a nod and turned to take the last few steps.
We’d been turning the corner three blocks from the property when we passed a line of dark, expensive looking cars. I’d glanced at Logan, but he’d not acknowledged the event, simply watching the road as he took the scenic route to Council. To Aern and Emily.
My sister gave me a sad, half-smile and I knew Aern had told her we’d seen the prophecy. She must have thought it would upset me, bring up the painful memories of our mother, but it hadn’t.
Aern released his grip on Logan’s forearm and moved to touch my shoulder. “How are you, Brianna?”
It was clear there was more to his question than a simple inquiry on my health, but I let it slip this time. “I’m good, Aern.” I let my gaze run over his face, but there didn’t appear to be much sign of the stress he’d been under to put things back in order. I wondered if that had something to do with his bond to Emily. “How are you?”
He smiled, unconsciously moving toward her as he dropped his arm. “I haven’t had a moment to think about it.” He glanced at his watch. “We let the kitchen staff go early today, they’re going to start the upgrades on those rooms this afternoon, but we’ve still got some time to whip up a little lunch.”
Emily raised her brows when his gaze met hers. “Don’t look at me, Brianna’s the cook.”
I felt Logan stiffen at her comment, and I bit my lip as I glanced over at him, knowing he was thinking of the meals he’d stumbled through as I watched. “Actually,” I said, “just a sandwich would be fine.”
Emily smiled. “I can do sandwiches.”
Logan seemed to gather himself. “Brianna didn’t get a chance to look through all the documents,” he explained, “so we’ll get started on that.” He handed the container that held the prophecy to Aern. “For the Seven.”
“For the Seven,” Aern repeated.
It was oddly formal in the midst of our conversation about lunch, and the slight flinch in Emily’s expression made it clear that she’d not quite acclimated to their role at the head of Council. But Aern’s hand found the small of her back, and it was as if, suddenly, none of that mattered to either of them.
I watched them go, leaving us to our business. To find the clue that would lead them away from the path in my visions. When I turned to get the documents from Logan, he narrowed one eye at me. “Brianna’s the cook, huh?”
I laughed, taking the proffered bag without giving him the unpleasant details of Emily’s culinary disasters and my subsequent education in the matter. I removed a leather bound journal from one of the containers, its binding tattered and peeling, and laid it carefully on the table before me. Logan pulled up a chair, and when Emily returned with food, they talked idly about security updates and what was left of the remodel work.