Atlantis Unmasked by Alyssa Day Page A

here until the new group of recruits shows up in the morning.”
    â€œI can’t. There’s no time. I only came to give you a message, so here it is: you can’t trust anything the Fae tell you.”
    She tilted her head, studying his face, but his expression gave nothing away. “The Fae can’t lie. You know that.”
    â€œThe Fae are masters at telling the truth without telling the truth, and you know that . Masters of misdirection and manipulation.”
    She nodded slowly. “Of course I know that. I just find it interesting that the same night I had a visit from a high prince of the High House, Seelie Court, you show up to warn me about the Fae.”
    Interest sharpened his face. “Already? Rhys was here?”
    â€œNot here. At the beach where I swim.”
    He gave her a quick once-over and grinned. “Naked?”
    He’d surprised a laugh out of her. It was rusty, like her sense of humor. “No, not naked, you perv.”
    â€œHey! You’ve got to watch out for those elves. The whole lot of them are horny, untrustworthy bastards.”
    She raised an eyebrow. “Didn’t you just describe most men?”
    Jack clutched his heart. “Ouch. Point and match.” But his teasing smile faded and he put a hand on her arm. “Watch out for the Fae. Tell Alexios about it—everything, don’t leave anything out—and whatever you do, be careful.”
    â€œI’m always careful, tiger,” she said, letting a little of the arrogance and power of her birthright flow into her words and stance. “I am a descendant of Diana.”
    â€œYeah. I know,” he said flatly, clearly unimpressed. “But your bow’s wood is made from their glades. I’m a quarter ton of one of the most powerful predators to walk the face of the earth, and even I’m careful around the Fae. Just do it. For me, and for Quinn, if not for yourself.”
    She studied him for several seconds and then slowly nodded. “I will. But you be careful, do you hear me? And take care of Quinn, too.”
    â€œAlways.” He hugged her again and then hopped up on the parapet and leapt gracefully over the side before she could scream. She ran to the edge, heart in her throat, expecting to see him huddled and broken at the bottom of the wall. Instead, she caught a glimpse of an orange-and-white shape bounding off into the dark.
    â€œGreat. Just what the tourists need to see—a giant tiger roaming through the city,” she muttered as she finally headed for the stairs, dry clothes, and a mug of hot tea. “I wonder if we can blame it on escaped circus animals again.”
    Later, after a hot shower in the temporary facilities set up in a corner of the courtyard, she took a mug of hot, sweet tea with her to bed and wrapped herself in blankets. One the few perks of being in charge: at least she didn’t have to share a room. Hers was part of the old officer’s quarters. The rest of them were bunking two or more to a room, and the recruits would be sleeping dormitory-style in the old guardrooms where Spanish troops had first slept more than three hundred years before.
    Warm and dry, Grace continued to puzzle and poke at the possible meanings and implications of the two extremely odd conversations she’d had that night. Finally, she turned off her lamp, no closer to any answers but content to lie in the dark and listen to the rain and the waves crashing against the shore.
    â€œTen years, Robbie,” she whispered into the dark. “I know it’s taken me ten years, but I’m finally getting closer to making a difference. I love you, Big Brother. Happy birthday.”

Chapter 6

Atlantis, the war room, the next morning
    Alexios shoved his chair back and leapt up from the table. Not even a half dozen mugs of the finest Atlantean ale had kept him from dreaming about Grace, or from thrashing around in the sheets all night long until