But I wasn’t sure I did. I wanted peace for him. Desperately.
We made our way towards the Assembly. Josephine spotted us first. Her eyes went straight to our joined hands, and for a brief second it actually looked like she smiled.
Probably a muscle spasm.
‘I see most of the troops have arrived,’ she said, looking around.
I ignored her and threw my arms around Griffin, who pulled me tight. ‘She’s awake,’ he whispered in my ear.
I pulled back, my stomach twisting with the news that Nyla was back.
Griffin braced my shoulders. ‘She’s still adjusting and hasn’t said much yet.’
I nodded.
‘But she asked me to give you a message,’ Griffin said, and my heart missed a beat as I waited nervously to hear that she hated me for bringing her back. ‘She said to tell you that the bond was worth it.’ Griffin gave a quick nod to Lincoln before looking back at me. ‘But it seems you’ve already figured that out.’
I nodded, my breath leaving me in a hurry.
Griffin’s eyes softened and he smiled crookedly. ‘And she said to tell you: thank you.’
I bit down on the inside of my cheeks trying to halt the tears, but then Drenson spoke and that worked even better.
‘I can’t believe we’ve lowered ourselves to this level,’ he said, looking at the large group of Rogues to his right and then settling his unfriendly gaze on me. ‘Though I suppose once you start letting in the trash, more inevitably follows.’
‘Feel free to leave,’ I hissed, taking a threatening step in his direction.
Drenson’s eyes narrowed, moving beyond me to Lincoln. I didn’t need the bond to know Lincoln would be showing nothing but complete support for me. Drenson’s ever-quiet partner, Adele, took a step closer to him. I couldn’t help but wonder if it was a display of support or because of a fear that he might try to challenge us. Individually Lincoln and I were powerful. But together …
Josephine, no doubt sensing the building tension, raised her hands in a placating gesture. ‘Rainer and Wilhelm have remained behind to run the Academy and tend to Nyla. You’ve called for the full resources of the Academy and Grigori from all corners of the globe, and you have been answered. More would have come if not for the flow-on effect that the exile tournaments have left in their wake,’ Josephine explained.
‘We appreciate you mobilising so much support on short notice,’ Lincoln said.
‘And now that you have us all here, I wonder, do you have any idea what you are doing?’ Drenson asked, his tone mocking.
As his voice had risen, the entire deck had quietened and were now listening in.
‘We are doing everything we can to stop Sammael and help the people of New Orleans,’ Lincoln said levelly.
‘And you expect us to what? Put our trust in her?’ he spat, pointing at me. ‘A child who has shown time and time again that she has no place among us?’
‘If you are very lucky,’ Lincoln responded, his voice low and flat. ‘What is it that bothers you, Drenson? That she is powerful, or that she is more powerful than you could ever hope to be?’
And that is how to make an entire navy Destroyer able-to-hear-a-pin-drop silent.
‘I’ll remind you who you are talking to,’ Drenson ground out, his face red with fury, and possibly embarrassment as he regarded Lincoln as if really seeing him for the first time.
Lincoln simply delivered a blank look. ‘I’m fully aware of who you are.’ He waited a beat before adding, ‘And who we are.’
This reply only served to further Drenson’s rage but before he could carry on with his attack, I spoke up.
‘I can assure you, Drenson, that we know what we are doing,’ I said, feeling the eyes of an army at my back. ‘Perhaps after this is all over – if we survive – it will be me who will have the pleasure of returning that question to you.’
Drenson bristled and Josephine surprised me by calmly smiling. ‘And as interesting as that promises to be, let’s settle for focusing on the problem at hand, for now. I’ve read through your battle plans,’ she said, addressing Lincoln. ‘As per your request all Grigori have been given the option to stay or go – no surprises, they have all chosen to stay and fight.’
I couldn’t hide my surprise.
‘Try to remember, Violet, that every Grigori has a purpose. It appears you have finally accepted yours, just as all the Grigori who surround you have previously accepted theirs.’ She turned her attention to Lincoln while I absorbed the truth in her words and felt rightly chastised. ‘You have your forces divided into five teams. I see you have left the nomination of leaders blank. Do you have a proposal?’
‘You’re not going to appoint them?’ Lincoln asked, warily.
Josephine smiled while Drenson sneered. ‘This is still your mission.’
Lincoln looked at me.
Hell.
I shrugged, passing it straight back to him. This was definitely his department.