Midnight's Kiss(93)
Aloud, she asked the ghoul, “You’ve been guarding the suite?”
“Yes, mum,” said Herman. “King’s suite always haz a guard. Usually we stands outside no matter what, but shit happened dis morning. Mr. Dominic wanted in. We say no way, cuz he ain’t no king of ours. Then we scarper inside, and we bin stuck here ever since.” The ghoul rubbed the back of his bald head with long, skeletal fingers. “Whatta surprise when Mr. King himself walks outta that wall.”
She told them, “We’re going to start evacuating noncombatants. Don’t let anybody through those doors if they aren’t with us, do you understand?”
Herman’s Vampyre partner said, “Yes, ma’am. The King told us what you would be doing and ordered us to help. We’ll keep watch for you.”
She glanced through the open doorway to the office area where Tess and Xavier were focused on the computer screen.
She told Shane, “Julian and his group will have gone down and north, toward the parking garage. The IT area is down there. I don’t know where the munitions area is, but it has to be somewhere close to that.”
He raised his eyebrows. “I thought the parking areas were aboveground.”
“Those are the public parking areas. The garage is for private use, for Nightkind officials only. Julian took me through there a couple of times when we drove in.” She paused. “We’re going to go in the opposite direction — toward the public meeting halls. We’ll do a sweep for people, and bring them back here. Anybody who might be barricaded in their rooms should be safe enough for now. Maybe by then, Tess will have some news for us.”
Shane turned to their troops. “You heard the orders. Let’s move out.”
As Melly regarded her team, they drew weapons, their expressions calm and deadly.
Every one of them was Light Fae.
“Hold,” she ordered.
Those closest to the door jerked to a halt. As one, they all turned to her. Pivoting, she strode into the office area.
When Xavier and Tess glanced up, she said, “We made a mistake. We sent some of the Light Fae troops to help Julian, but we didn’t retain any Nightkind troops for my team. I can’t take a Light Fae force out there and expect people to follow us to evacuate. They’re going to be confused and scared. They won’t be thinking rationally. For all they might know, they could believe we’ve invaded.”
Comprehension flashed on their faces. Rubbing his face, Xavier swore in Spanish. He said to Tess, “I have to go with them.”
Tess’s gaze flared with alarm. “Julian ordered you not to go into battle.”
“If it comes to a fight, I’ll have to stay out of it,” he said grimly.
Tess clenched her teeth. “But what if you’re attacked?”
Xavier’s voice gentled. “Remember querida, Julian left me an out. I’m free to defend myself if I need to. I simply can’t choose to go into battle voluntarily.”
“You shouldn’t have to defend yourself.” Tess gripped his wrist. “I should come with you. It’s the whole reason I’ve been training so hard these last few months.”
“I understand your frustration, but you can’t come.” He shook his head. “You have work here we need for you to do.”
Hoping to offer reassurance, Melly told her, “I’ll make sure he stays with me, in the core of the group.”
The struggle in Tess’s eyes was palpable. She whispered, “Keep him safe.”
Melly’s heart went out to the other woman. As difficult as it had been for her to see Julian go into battle, the feeling for Tess right now must be a thousand times worse. “I promise you, we will.”
Xavier bent to kiss Tess. The emotion between them was so deep and evident, Melly felt like she was witnessing something meant to be private. Turning away, she went back to her team waiting by the suite entrance.
Xavier joined them. The frustration and tenderness Melly had witnessed so briefly had vanished. He looked sharp-eyed, collected and calm.
He gave her a small smile. “Let’s go save some people, shall we?”
She turned to her team. “Now, we can go.”
They headed out. Melly, Xavier and Shane led the way, flanked on either side by guards. Moving quickly and quietly, on high alert, they swept through ominously empty hallways until they reached the castle’s great hall.
Unlike the Nightkind council chambers and meeting rooms, which were areas designed for smaller, more private assemblies, the great hall was a large space used for public gatherings. The design was classically simple and grand. The hall had a high vaulted ceiling, huge support columns, and a golden marble floor.