Both of Christian’s eyebrows went up at such a bold suggestion. Sebastian scowled and said in a voice rife with scorn, “Although we have not done so, despite what the reaper says, we are not above using force to extract the information we need. I doubt if you could bring yourself to do so.”
“Ah, but I have two points in my favor,” I said, smiling my most winning smile.
“And those are?” Sebastian asked.
I held up two fingers and ticked them off. “First, you guys may talk the talk, but I don’t seriously think you’re going to torture Mattias and Kristjana, although I don’t think I’d blame you where the latter is concerned. She definitely has more than one bat loose in her belfry. But cold-blooded torture?” I considered the vampires before me for a moment, shaking my head. “No. You guys aren’t that way, not really.”
“Brava,” Allie said, nodding.
Sebastian looked disgruntled for a moment before asking, “And the second point?”
I tossed a little more charm into my smile. “I am the Zorya. Mattias has to do exactly what I tell him. So if I tell him to spill everything, by the laws of the Brotherhood, he has to spill. But I’m not going to do that unless he’s in my custody.”
“Impossible,” Sebastian pronounced.
Christian, to my surprise, said nothing. He looked thoughtful, though, which gave me hope.
“To have you and the sacristan running free . . . it is impossible,” Sebastian repeated.
“What exactly are you holding Mattias for?” I asked, curious.
“Exactly what I have asked them myself, wife!” Mattias said, shooting an outraged look at Rowan. “I have done nothing wrong.”
“You are a sacristan,” Rowan answered.
“Yes, but he hasn’t actually committed any crime against you guys,” I pointed out. “He wasn’t even present at the ceremony where Frederic and the others tried to use me to hurt Kristoff and Alec. You guys had nabbed both him and Kristjana before that. So I really don’t see that you have any grounds to continue to hold them. And as I am willing to guarantee their good conduct, I don’t see a reason you shouldn’t turn them over to me.”
Sebastian sputtered and grumbled at the idea. Christian continued to look thoughtful, finally saying, “You seek to have them released. That is why you agreed to meet with the council.”
I slid a look at Kristoff. He was watching me with an impassive expression. “Well . . . yes. But not because I didn’t want to help Kristoff. I had no idea he was in this state, or I would have come weeks ago. But yes, I have been asked to facilitate the release of Mattias and Kristjana.”
“I knew it!” Mattias said gloatingly. He smiled at Kristoff. “I knew you truly wanted me and not that one there, the one you had carnal relations with right in front of me. I knew it must be a mistake.”
Allie’s eyebrows went up as she gave me a long look.
“It wasn’t at all like that,” I told her, my blasted genes kicking in with a blush that was hot enough to fry bacon. “Mattias wasn’t actually right there with Kristoff and me. We were locked in a cell. By ourselves. In the dark, actually. And Kristoff was handcuffed-”
“Pia,” Kristoff interrupted me, his lips twisting a little. “I don’t think anyone wishes to know about our time imprisoned in the Brotherhood house.”
“Sorry,” I said hastily, the blush cranking up another notch. “I just want to say right here and now that I’ve never had sex in front of an audience.”
“Well, then, there you go,” Allie said cheerfully.
“Er . . .” Christian looked a bit dazed. “Where were we? Ah, yes. I assume there is a reason other than altruism that you wish us to release the two reapers into your custody?”
“Yes. It’s a means to an end-mine. Or, rather, my career as a Zorya. If I can convince you to release Mattias and Kristjana, the Brotherhood will revoke my permit to be Zorya, or something along those lines. The end result would be that I would no longer have any special powers against vampires.”
“No!” Mattias gasped. “An execration? You cannot mean that! You cannot give up!”
Everyone ignored him.
“Sounds like a smart plan to me,” Allie said, nodding at me. “I approve.”
“Well, I do not!” Sebastian snapped. “Nor will any other member of the council tolerate such an idiotic idea. Is that not right, Rowan?”