Kizira even when she’d shared details no one should’ve known about Quinn’s room except Evalle and Tzader.
Quinn’s elaborate security measures meant only Evalle and Tzader could find his location, which changed every day when he stayed in Atlanta. Even then, neither of them could get past the temporary barrier that Quinn’s warded Triquetras provided.
But Evalle wasn’t ready to jump on the Quinn-can’t-be-trusted bandwagon. “So what? The Medb like the thread count of Ritz linens.”
“Kizira visited a guest in the hotel. The room belonged to Vladimir Quinn.”
Quinn never registered under his name. How would this Sam have found out that information?
Evalle opened her empathic senses as Sam spoke. She hadn’t trained to develop her ability, but she’d become pretty good at figuring out what someone was feeling. Right now she could only discern one thing from Sam. Worry.
Possibly damning or not, depending on what worried him.
Where was Storm with his lie-detecting ability when she needed him?
She wanted to rail at Sam, but he’d tossed down the challenge that she wasn’t objective. She could act detached. “Let’s say there’s a remote possibility that Quinn met with a Medb witch. For what reason?”
“That is a question Quinn has to answer, but I think I know why he would have helped Conlan.”
“Why?”
“Did anyone tell you what Quinn found when he performed the probe?”
“No,” she lied, but telling this guy anything Tzader had shared with her in confidence was out of the question. Quinn had found potentially damning evidence of Conlan being the traitor, but even Tzader called it inconclusive because the images Quinn had accessed were of the future.
And the future could always change.
“Quinn saw images in Conlan’s mind of Conlan joining the Medb, then aiding them to breach Brina’s castle and kill her.”
Sam’s information matched what Tzader had shared with her and VIPER. That gave credibility to Sam’s claim of having people in Atlanta, even inside VIPER.
Or had he gotten his information from the traitor?
She pointed out, “What Quinn saw would explain why Conlan was put in temporary lockup, but he still shouldn’t have run. Conlan hadn’t even faced a Tribunal yet.”
“I agree.” Sam wheezed another breath. “Except for the last part. Conlan’s father was convicted as a traitor years before. Conlan knew he’d never leave that cell until another person was found guilty of being the traitor, which could take years … and might never happen.”
Just as no one would ever forget that Evalle was an Alterant. She understood carrying an invisible ball and chain.
But she faced her battle every day.
Conlan had run.
Tristan continued to watch the conversation volley between her and Sam, but he glanced over at her with an obvious question written across his face.
She lifted her shoulder in a silent shrug, letting Tristan know she hadn’t decided yet, and asked, “Why would Quinn go against VIPER, and the Beladors, to free Conlan?”
“I’ve thought on that a long time. One reason I wouldn’t let Tristan contact you until now.”
Swinging his head to face her, Tristan chided, “Feel better about why I haven’t been answering your telepathic calls?”
“Not a bit. I’ve been stuck trying to save all the Alterants instead of just my closest buddies.” She hoped that would remind Tristan that he still had to make good on his part of this deal. He’d better not teleport away before she got what she needed from him, too. “Finish what you were saying, Sam.”
“I’ve come down to one of two reasons Quinn would have helped Conlan escape—”
“If he did,” she interjected.
“Understood. Either Quinn also believed Conlan would not get a fair trial and didn’t want to be the reason the young man ended up in prison for the rest of his life …”
She could see that, but would Quinn have taken it upon himself to release Conlan without at least clueing
Quinn’s elaborate security measures meant only Evalle and Tzader could find his location, which changed every day when he stayed in Atlanta. Even then, neither of them could get past the temporary barrier that Quinn’s warded Triquetras provided.
But Evalle wasn’t ready to jump on the Quinn-can’t-be-trusted bandwagon. “So what? The Medb like the thread count of Ritz linens.”
“Kizira visited a guest in the hotel. The room belonged to Vladimir Quinn.”
Quinn never registered under his name. How would this Sam have found out that information?
Evalle opened her empathic senses as Sam spoke. She hadn’t trained to develop her ability, but she’d become pretty good at figuring out what someone was feeling. Right now she could only discern one thing from Sam. Worry.
Possibly damning or not, depending on what worried him.
Where was Storm with his lie-detecting ability when she needed him?
She wanted to rail at Sam, but he’d tossed down the challenge that she wasn’t objective. She could act detached. “Let’s say there’s a remote possibility that Quinn met with a Medb witch. For what reason?”
“That is a question Quinn has to answer, but I think I know why he would have helped Conlan.”
“Why?”
“Did anyone tell you what Quinn found when he performed the probe?”
“No,” she lied, but telling this guy anything Tzader had shared with her in confidence was out of the question. Quinn had found potentially damning evidence of Conlan being the traitor, but even Tzader called it inconclusive because the images Quinn had accessed were of the future.
And the future could always change.
“Quinn saw images in Conlan’s mind of Conlan joining the Medb, then aiding them to breach Brina’s castle and kill her.”
Sam’s information matched what Tzader had shared with her and VIPER. That gave credibility to Sam’s claim of having people in Atlanta, even inside VIPER.
Or had he gotten his information from the traitor?
She pointed out, “What Quinn saw would explain why Conlan was put in temporary lockup, but he still shouldn’t have run. Conlan hadn’t even faced a Tribunal yet.”
“I agree.” Sam wheezed another breath. “Except for the last part. Conlan’s father was convicted as a traitor years before. Conlan knew he’d never leave that cell until another person was found guilty of being the traitor, which could take years … and might never happen.”
Just as no one would ever forget that Evalle was an Alterant. She understood carrying an invisible ball and chain.
But she faced her battle every day.
Conlan had run.
Tristan continued to watch the conversation volley between her and Sam, but he glanced over at her with an obvious question written across his face.
She lifted her shoulder in a silent shrug, letting Tristan know she hadn’t decided yet, and asked, “Why would Quinn go against VIPER, and the Beladors, to free Conlan?”
“I’ve thought on that a long time. One reason I wouldn’t let Tristan contact you until now.”
Swinging his head to face her, Tristan chided, “Feel better about why I haven’t been answering your telepathic calls?”
“Not a bit. I’ve been stuck trying to save all the Alterants instead of just my closest buddies.” She hoped that would remind Tristan that he still had to make good on his part of this deal. He’d better not teleport away before she got what she needed from him, too. “Finish what you were saying, Sam.”
“I’ve come down to one of two reasons Quinn would have helped Conlan escape—”
“If he did,” she interjected.
“Understood. Either Quinn also believed Conlan would not get a fair trial and didn’t want to be the reason the young man ended up in prison for the rest of his life …”
She could see that, but would Quinn have taken it upon himself to release Conlan without at least clueing
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