Julian folded his elbows on the table. “It’s strange that your friends have gone missing recently. The city of Florence and the surrounding areas have been in an uproar these last few weeks. I don’t understand it.” He shook his head. “It was fine one day, and then almost like a switch had been flipped, our world changed, fights breaking out, supernaturals going missing. Honestly, it’s threatening my capabilities to keep it under wraps from the humans, since I’m the prominent leader in the area.” He glanced at me pointedly. “Do you know anything about that?”
Julian knew more than he was letting on. But I wasn’t about to get into it with him right now. I would wait and talk face-to-face with my father so we could come up with a plan. My place on the Coalition would create a power rift between Julian and me, as I would technically outrank this Alpha on his own turf. Julian wasn’t a wolf who would stand for that very long.
“I don’t know anything about it. That’s strange—” I was blissfully interrupted as Lucas delivered our food to the table. His cheery demeanor was exactly the distraction I needed.
Marcy picked up on what we were trying to do. “Hey, Lucas, what are some places to see in Florence? While we’re trying to locate some supernaturals to question, we’d love to see the sights.”
“We’re particularly interested in seeing some of the sculptures,” Rourke added, digging into his food. “It’s been a long time since I’ve seen any great works of art.”
“Oh,” Lucas answered readily, “then you must to go to the Galleria dell’Accademia. You can’t miss seeing Michelangelo’s masterpiece David with your own eyes. It’s the greatest statue in Italy. There are also great works there by Botticelli, Andrea del Sarto, Alessandro Allori, and others.” It was clear Lucas was an art aficionado. “There are other museums, of course. But the Accademia is my very favorite.”
I made my move. “Would you mind accompanying us? I think it might be easier if we had a guide who knows Florence.” I hoped asking Lucas wouldn’t raise any red flags for Julian. After all, it wasn’t uncommon for a lower-ranked wolf to be a chauffeur. I shot a glance at Julian, who didn’t seem to be paying much attention to the conversation anyway. “Julian, you don’t mind if we steal Lucas away for a few hours, do you?” I asked. “We’d love to head into Florence as soon as possible. We’ll be back before my father’s plane arrives at six.”
Julian blinked. I had a hunch he’d been having a conversation in his mind with someone else. “Yes, that’s fine.” He took his napkin from his lap and crumpled it up, dropping it on his plate as he pushed his chair back. “I have a driver who will take you all, of course. But if you’d like Lucas to accompany you in addition, that’s fine. There are others who can cover his lunch shift.” He stood and gave us a small bow. “Now if you’ll excuse me, some business has come up that I must attend to. I will meet you back here later this afternoon. Enjoy your day.”
As he left the room, Marcy leaned forward. “Was it just me, or was he a little distracted there at the end?”
“He was totally distracted,” I said. “Let’s finish up our meal and head outside. I have to see Eudoxia first, and then I’ll fill you in on what Jeb had to say. We have some business of our own this morning.”
8
I’d found Eudoxia exactly where I thought she’d be—lounging in one of the suites, complaining that things weren’t quite up to snuff. As I walked in, she spun around. “Exactly how long do we have to stay here?” she asked, wrinkling her nose.
I shrugged, looking around. “This isn’t a house made for peasants. The accommodations are pretty cushy. But I didn’t come here to chat about the decor or time frame. I came to fulfill my end of the bargain.” I pulled back my sleeve to expose my wrist. Her teeth snapped down as she stalked toward me. It was a horrid sound. “I’m going to let you have a thirty-second draw, nothing more.”
She glared at me, but said nothing. She latched on, taking her full thirty seconds. When she was done, she dragged her sleeve over her mouth, smearing my blood as it trickled down her chin. Classy. The only thing she’d refrained from doing was smacking her lips.
I rolled my shirtsleeve down. “We’re heading out, hoping to find answers about Tally’s whereabouts. We’ll be back later this afternoon.”
“I will not be here,” she stated, turning around and walking back to a large window that overlooked the vineyards. “I have business to attend to. In fact, I will be spending as little time as possible here.”
“It’s not an issue,” I said. “I’m sure we will run into you at some point.”
She huffed, but didn’t answer. I was certain she would’ve loved to have said something along the lines of, Not if I can help it.
Her back was to me as I started for the door. Her monotone rang out, “There is danger here.”
My face showed my surprise. “Are you trying to keep me safe by telling me that?”
“No, insolent wolf,” she said, glaring over her shoulder. “I’m simply stating a fact.”
“Got it,” I said. “I’ll be sure to keep an eye out.” I left the room, shutting the door behind me. My wrist was already healed. I had no idea how I was going to work with that woman for an eternity.
I sighed.