Wings and Shadowthief by May Sage

Intentions

Gwen moved to stand behind Blair's sofa, to put some distance between her and the newcomer. There was something about the predatory, majestic man that was utterly unsettling. After a year in Oldcrest, Gwen was used to powerful people who wore their strength on their sleeves, but Seth was something else altogether. Something downright terrifying.

“Wait, Chloe and Levi will want to hear this,” Bash said, already walking toward the door.

“No doubt. And then your very pregnant princess will insist on waddling all the way to the Mediterranean and taking a jump,” Seth guessed cheerfully.

He was right too, and Bash realized it at the same time as Gwen. He grunted and dropped on one of the black armchairs.

“So, what do you propose? We wait until she gives birth to let her know?”

“Right. Instead of a pregnant angry Chloe, we’ll have a new mama bear with a lovely little rat on her tit who will try to take down a powerful witch.” Now Seth snorted.

“What do you propose, then?” Cat sounded cautious of her own brother, and Gwen had a terrible feeling in the pit of her stomach.

“Depends. Do you occasionally wipe your ass without checking with an Eirikrson?"

This was why. Seth was…dangerous. Reckless. Terrible news. He was going to goad them into something that would put them all in danger.

"Only on days that end in a Y," Jack replied smoothly, unbothered.

"You don't mean that." Gwen couldn't believe her ears. "We can't do anything without talking to the rest of the hill. That's not how we work. There's a conclave, there's…"

"Look, I'm fine involving everyone. The more, the merrier. But Aveka is fixated on Chloe. That's all she talks about, all she thinks about. We won't make it within a mile of the nearest portal with her in tow—not without Aveka's spies spotting her."

Some tension left Gwen's shoulders, because what Seth said made sense. Still, she couldn't shake the thought that he was playing the room, manipulating them. To what end, she didn’t know. She didn't like any of this.

"Portal?" Blair repeated. "Why a portal? Can't someone, like, walk into the island?"

"That would be rather difficult, sweetling, considering that the island is otherwise known as Atlantis."

Cat scoffed. "Really?"

"Really, sister. It took me longer than I care to admit to figure it out, and I had no way of letting you know—given that the only witch capable of entering my mind hasn't attempted to do so in months." Seth grinned at Blair, showing his sharp extended fangs.

She rolled her eyes and rubbed her kitten's fur.

"Atlantis, as in the fictional city underwater according to Plato?" Gwen wrinkled her nose.

"No, Atlantis, the cheesy, pink resort in the Bahamas.” Seth allowed himself a long-suffering sigh. “Of course, we're talking about the lost city. And its existence was always documented. The question isn't whether it exists, it's where. Atlantis is a shadow city, stuck in the in-between of a portal between worlds. That's why I never knew where I was; there are several gates to access it, all of them in water. So, one moment, we were sailing on the sea, the next—"

"You were in another world. Or in between two." Cat bit her lip. "So, you know how to get to the portal?"

"I memorized the coordinates. The sailor used water magic to activate it. If you happen to know a powerful water mage…" Seth's gaze lit on Gwen now.

She had to admit to some surprise. She hadn't realized the man knew who she was at all.

"Not one that trusts you," Gwen replied.

Jack chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief.

"What, was I supposed to pretend to buy his crap like the rest of you? No offense, Cat. This guy has an agenda."

"None taken."

Seth splayed his hand over his heart.

"What?" Cat shrugged. "You always seem sketchy."

"You wound me, sister. But fine, I'll prove my intentions are honorable. You can get your witchy friend to read me."

Blair huffed. "Like you couldn't doctor your thoughts."

"I could, but I won't. You'll feel it if I do. Come on, Blair. What are you afraid of seeing in my mind?"

Gwen would have hated for this man to stare at her the way he stared at Blair now, but the fire witch didn't seem to care. "Fine." She offered him a hand.

Sliding closer to her, he took it reverently. She closed her eyes and both of them remained still, unmoving for long seconds. At last, Blair let go of his hand and opened her eyes again.

"He doesn't like the idea of anyone calling themselves the queen of all vampires. If there were such a throne, he'd want to sit on it, but as far as he's concerned, there isn't. And he wants to help because it'll keep his sisters safe." Then she glared at him. "And Velvet is my cat, not yours."

"My house, my couch…"

"My cat. I found him, I'm the one who's going to feed him and take care of him. That makes him mine." It was Blair's turn to show teeth, though hers were blunt and considerably less threatening than his.

Gwen figured that if they were arguing about the ownership of the cat, rather than screaming about secret master plans, Seth wasn't as villainous as she'd believed. He merely looked and acted the part.

"So, are we really going to do this? Go to the island and attack the people there?"

"That'd be suicide, an endeavor I've never supported." Seth flopped down next to Blair, throwing his arm around her shoulder before bending toward the cat on her lap.

"Then what?"

"We go in, we party, drink a little…" He smiled affably. "Then cut off the head of the snake."