Page 86 of The Monsters We Are
She’d figured as much.
*
It was shortly after Cain had finished giving his uncle a tour of the Keep that he called the other Ancients there. All were pleasantly surprised to see Abaddon awake, particularly Dantalion, whose deceased brother was a close friend of his.
Ishtar made a point of flirting with him, possibly hoping it would annoy Cain to see her dreamily sighing over his own uncle, but the newly woken Ancient wasn’t responsive. He seemed more interested in Lilith—each eyed the other closely as they sat across from each other in the solar room, their expressions giving nothing away. If Cain remembered rightly, the two had . . . interesting history.
Elegantly perched on one of the plush sofas beside Lilith, Inanna looked at Abaddon and said, “For you to wake without us chanting over your place of Rest . . . All I can think is that our efforts to wake you did in fact work but simply took their time to come into effect.”
Lounging on the opposite sofa, Abaddon said, “Your efforts may have helped, but I do not believe they were solely responsible for my waking. I was disturbed by a foreign power. Kali, to be exact.”
Ishtar’s shoulders tensed. “Kali?”
“It seems that the deity has been trying to lead Cain’s consort to the grotto in her sleep for some time,” said Abaddon. “He always woke her and then led her back to their chamber. Last night, he didn’t. I suspect Kali needed to use her to wake me, since there are only certain things that She and some of the other deities can do in this realm—hence why they Favor and use people to achieve their own ends.”
Cain suspected the same. He intended to get the full story from her later.
“Why did Kali wake you?” asked Dantalion, standing in front of the elaborate fireplace.
“I do not yet know,” replied Abaddon. “I’m sure that Cain’s consort will explain if she has answers. As I understand it, having spoken to Cain in depth about her, she doesn’t always have answers or Kali’s permission to share them.”
“Whatever the deity’s reason, I am grateful for Her assistance,” said Seth, who sat in the chair beside which Cain stood.
The others nodded, other than Ishtar, who studied Cain hard and then said, “You never mentioned her habit of sleepwalking to us.”
Actually, he’d mentioned it to Azazel, sure that the other male wouldn’t repeat it. Cain would have similarly trusted his brother with the information but had felt that the less people who knew the better. Cain had said nothing about it to the others because he’d known that—given Wynter only ever went to the garden during such times—they might be suspicious of it and, as such, be distrustful of Wynter. Such distrust might have given Ishtar the fuel she needed to convince the others to give his consort up to the Aeons.
Cain gave an aloof shrug and said, “It bore no relevance to anyone here. Many people sleepwalk. What Wynter does or doesn’t do is the business of no one in this room but me.”
Ishtar’s lips flattened. “She was sleepwalking in yourgarden.”
“From what I’ve heard, sleepwalkers often head to places they feel comfortable,” said Cain. “The garden relaxes her.”
Ishtar looked as though she might push the matter further, but then she made it clear with a flap of her hand that she was done discussing it. She turned her attention back to Abaddon, flashing him yet another sultry smile.
“I was beginning to think that you might never wake.” Ishtar said it as if she’d nonetheless not given up hope. Quite the opposite. She’d suggested a number of times that they cease trying to pull Abaddon out of his coma.
“I am thankful that I did,” said Abaddon. “I would never wish to miss the upcoming battle. It will take a few days before I am at top strength, but no longer than that. I will be ready to attempt to take down the cage on All Hallows’ Eve.”
Leaning back against the wall near the window, Azazel scrubbed a hand over his jaw. “I doubt we will be able to take it down, but we have a chance of forming a hole in it. That will not be easy, though. The prison is designed to hold Leviathans, and it was created by a race whose power almost equals ours.”
“Having the help of Eve and Noah will make a difference.” Lilith lifted a brow at Seth. “I assume they are still prepared to aid us.”
“They haven’t withdrawn their offer,” he said.
“And Rima?” asked Inanna, sitting beside her sister. “Has she made the same offer?”
“No,” replied Seth. “But it wouldn’t surprise me if she did volunteer to help. She has been less dramatic of late. Less bitter. As if the chip on her shoulder is shrinking.”
“We can hope that’s true. Any help would be appreciated.” Lilith crossed one leg over the other. “If it were not for how many secrets we harbor, we could have invited all of our residents to aid us.”
“Not even their combined strength would be enough to puncture a curse created by Aeons, though,” said Abaddon.
Lilith allowed that with an incline of her head.
Azazel met Cain’s gaze and said, “I think we should invite Wynter to come along with us.”
Ishtar stiffened. “Wynter? Why?”