“You’ll want to see this.” With a dramatic motion, Jian shoved open the door and waved Tiege into the shadowed sitting room.
With a roll of his eyes, Tiege stepped over the threshold and glanced around the room that he abruptly realized was filled with the various Masters. Obviously there was a powerful spell that had muted their presence. Otherwise he would have sensed them from the minute he’d entered the house.
His lips parted to demand an explanation, only to snap shut when he realized the Masters had turned their chairs to face the front of the room, where a male with dark eyes and dark hair was dressed in casual slacks and a white shirt, leaning against a marble fireplace.
The Master of Akana.
Tiege shook his head. The last time he’d seen the male he’d been lying unconscious, his hair faded to a deep red and his skin a sickly ash color.
“Holy shit,” he breathed, glancing toward Jian who’d moved to stand at his side. “How did you wake him?”
“He just woke about eight hours ago and Taka brought him back here,” Jian said, folding his arms over his chest. “I’m assuming you did something with the pendant that broke the magic surrounding him.”
“I…” Tiege bit off his denial, suddenly remembering the soft glow that’d surrounded the gem after he’d had sex with Sloane. When Leila had claimed the magic would only work for a woman, he’d assumed it had to be cast by another Succubus. Now he realized the power could easily have been triggered by their lovemaking. A Succubus, after all, was a sex demon. Aware of Jian’s searching gaze, he gave a shake of his head. “Don’t ask.”
Jian’s lips twitched. “I don’t need to.”
Tiege nodded toward the male who’d disappeared centuries ago. “Does he remember what happened?”
“He doesn’t know who attacked him, or how he ended up in the Oubliette.”
Tiege muttered a curse. Once again his hope that they would have some evidence against Marakel was doomed to disappointment.
“What does he remember?” he demanded.
Jian leaned to speak directly in Tiege’s ear. “He remembers having a vision.”
Tiege felt a chill of premonition inch down his spine. “Did the vision have anything to do with the Obsidian Throne?”
Jian nodded. “He says he witnessed the Throne smashed beyond repair, and Marakel kneeling at the feet of an angel.”
Tiege grimaced, any hope of returning to his private villa with his mate completely destroyed.
“Oh…shit.”