Total pages in book: 134
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125179 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 626(@200wpm)___ 501(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Eve will offer her aid,” said Seth with utter surety. “She doesn’t hold what we did against us. She’s seen enough of what we suffered at the hands of other Aeons to understand why we had assumed another betrayed us.”
“What about Noah?” asked Dantalion, referring to Abel’s son.
Seth hesitated. “He’s practical enough to understand why he came under suspicion but still appears hurt by it. I don’t know if he would be willing to help. As for his sister . . . She’s holding our distrust against us, unwilling to see why she might have once been a suspect—Rima has a chip on her shoulder.”
“Then the siblings are not likely to do us any grand favors.” Inanna cut her gaze to Cain. “It might help matters if you appear to lower your guard around them. Eve desperately wants your trust, and I believe that the twins would also be responsive to it.”
“I’ve visited them a number of times at Seth’s Keep.” Given that Eve had been out of his life since the day he and the other Ancients were first caged, it was still strange for Cain to have her around. She’d been clear that she wanted to “rebuild” her relationship with him. Really, though, they’d never had one—Adam saw to that.
“But that is not an indicator of trust.” Inanna paused. “Unless . . . did you take your consort with you?”
“No.” Although Cain had come to believe that the Aeons likely had no ulterior motives for seeking sanctuary here, he wasn’t confident enough in that belief to allow them near his consort. He’d made it clear to the aides watching them that they should intervene if any of the trio attempted to approach her.
“I know you are highly protective of your consort,” began Inanna, “and I can understand why you would wish to keep her away from the Aeons. But introducing her to them would go a long way to soothing any insult they feel. They would see it as a gesture that you are coming to accept and trust them; that you view them as family. They would then be more likely to help us escape this prison. And that is our ultimate goal, is it not?”
Ultimate goal or not, Cain felt absolutely no urge to introduce his consort to the Aeons. “I can smooth things over with them myself. I don’t need to pull Wynter into it.”
Dantalion snorted. “You have plenty of charisma, Cain. But they will be suspicious if you abruptly train it on them or act any differently. Inanna has the right of it—you need to appear to be lowering your guard around them. Actions speak louder than words, as the saying goes. Allowing them to officially meet your consort—”
“We might not need their help,” Cain clipped.
“But it’s possible that we will.” Azazel raised his hands. “Look, I don’t trust them around Wynter any more than you do. But if we are to pierce the prison, we need to take advantage of All Hallows’ Eve. That means we have one shot—this year, at least. I would prefer that the Aeons are there when we act. And think of it this way: We all want to know if they are here on Adam’s orders. If they agree to aid us in escaping this prison, it will tell us that they are not—he would never under any circumstances wish us to be free.”
Sighing, Cain swiped a hand down his face. Before he could respond to Azazel’s comment, Seth turned to him and spoke.
“You, Wynter, the Aeons, and I could all have dinner at my Keep tomorrow evening,” Seth suggested. “Wynter would be safe, Cain. If anyone was going to make a try for her, it wouldn’t be while you and I were present, would it?”
“And she’s not exactly helpless, is she?” Dantalion tacked on. “Can you honestly say, hand on heart, that you believe introducing her to them at Seth’s Keep during what will seem like a family dinner could lead to an attack on her life?”
In truth, the more Cain had spoken to and observed Eve, the more he’d come to trust his gut instinct that she meant Wynter no harm. He wasn’t so sure about the twins yet, though. He was certain of one thing—Seth was right; they wouldn’t dare make a move on her while two Ancients were present.
Cain would still much rather skip the introduction altogether. But it would be a gesture that’d help settle any ruffled feathers. And if the Aeons agreed to help, it would finally prove once and for all if they were here for Adam or not. Cain would rather know for sure if they were a danger to his consort.
“I’ll talk to Wynter,” Cain told Seth. “If she’s willing to meet with them, we’ll go ahead with that dinner you mentioned. I doubt she’ll object.”