Deidre's Death (#2, Rhyn Eternal) by Lizzy Ford Page B

on what I know.
The top three and bottom three seem pretty solid to me. But who
knows if a shrub or flower is more or less pure, based on the
distance from the sky? Is this a sunflower that’s taller than me or
like, a daisy?”
    Gabriel laughed. “Yeah, I get it. Great
work.”
    Tamer rolled his eyes then smiled. “You’re
not so bad to work for. You need any death-dealers?”
    “Don’t joke about that. The dealers lose
their souls when they come work for me.”
    “Offer’s always out there. I can fight, and
I hate most people.”
    “I’ll let you know.” Gabriel stood. Tamer
was serious, but Gabriel wasn’t about to take him up on it when his
own dealers were ditching him. He always hated the enslavement of
the death dealers; he refused to give Death his soul until forced
to make a deal with her for Rhyn’s life a few months ago. It never
sat well with him that those charged with enforcing Death’s mission
served not out of choice but obligation to the deity that stole
their souls.
    It was one of the first things he’d change,
if he ever made it back to the underworld.
    Gabriel. Andre’s summons came a little later than Gabriel
was expecting.
    “I’m out. Let me know if you get anything
else,” he said, standing.
    “You serious about demons being after me?”
Tamer asked.
    “Talk to Rhyn.”
    Tamer shook his head at the mention of Rhyn.
Gabriel returned to the study of the Immortals stronghold. Andre
was seated, as if he’d never moved. Midmorning sunlight streamed in
through the large windows at the rear of the study. Gabriel
squinted, unaccustomed to so much light after all his years in the
underworld. He sat with his back to the windows.
    Andre was grave, the first warning things
hadn’t gone well.
    “Do you want to clean up first?” the
Immortal asked politely, gaze on the demon blood on Gabriel’s
clothing.
    “No,” Gabe replied. “I gotta go back out
after this. The tumor?”
    “Gone.”
    Gabriel nodded and felt himself relax. His
mate wasn’t going to die after all. He didn’t need to stop with a
kiss next time. He liked that idea more than he thought he
should.
    Except that Andre wasn’t smiling. The
Ancient Immortal was studying him hard. If Gabriel wasn’t immune to
the mind manipulation magic, he suspected Andre would be using it
on him right now.
    “This sounds like good news to me. What’s
wrong?” Gabriel asked.
    Andre was quiet for a long moment. Gabriel
sensed he was trying to balance his natural inclination to be
discreet with his obligation to serve the deity that raised him
from the dead-dead.
    “There never was a tumor in the head of this
Deidre,” the Immortal said cryptically.
    Gabriel waited for more. Andre smiled.
    “You’re certain there was one in her head
the other night, right?” Gabriel asked.
    “Yes.”
    Of course, it was possible that Darkyn
combined the souls into Deidre’s new body, after raising her from
the dead-dead. Perhaps the other body hadn’t been salvageable.
Deidre hadn’t tried to dye her hair pink or hide the fact she was
different.
    If it was so simple, Andre wouldn’t be
trying to drop a hint without betraying the confidence of
Deidre.
    “Do I need to be careful?” Gabriel asked
uneasily.
    “Careful? No. She’s completely enamored by
you and has no power, so she poses no danger. But” Andre paused,
debating silently “I’d say you need to determine how much you are
willing to trust her.”
    “I figured that much.”
    “Then you know what you need to know. Keep
in mind there’s more to the story than what there appears to be,”
Andre added. “I’ve said more than I feel comfortable saying.”
    “Thank you, Andre.”
    Dread was heavy in Gabriel’s stomach. Andre
read her mind. It was clear Gabriel’s instincts about his inability
to trust her were right, and Gabriel had no idea how to interpret
Andre’s warning.
    Gabriel. It was Deidre summoning him.
    “Speak of the devil. I’ve gotta go,” Gabriel
said,