Page 72 of Dark Gambit Reliance
Marcel had put the device in vibrate mode, but he'd been distracted by Sofia's distress, and when he checked, there was indeed a missed call from Shai, and he returned it immediately.
"I'm sorry about not picking up before. Sofia was speaking with Valstar, and we needed to maintain silence. Did Eric agree?"
"I went to the clinic to speak with Eric, but Kian was right, and Eric doesn't want to leave Darlene's side unless it’s a life and death situation, which it's not. But a better solution presented itself. The Clan Mother was visiting Darlene, and when she heard us talking, she offered her jet along with her pilot. He can pick you up from Eugene Airport and fly you to St. Petersburg."
"I don't know what to say. It's so incredibly generous of the Clan Mother. I need to call her and thank her in person."
"You should. Her Odu is already on his way to the airstrip. You also should hurry up and get a ride to the airport." He chuckled. "I have a feeling that you will get to Russia before the Guardians."
"Thank you, Shai."
"You're welcome." He ended the call.
"What did he say?" Sofia asked as Marcel returned the phone to his pocket.
"The Clan Mother is loaning us her private jet along with her pilot."
Sofia's eyes widened. "That's incredible. Why would she be so generous toward someone she's never met?"
"Because she has a huge heart." Marcel wrapped his arm around Sofia's waist. "Have you ever flown on a private jet?"
"Are you kidding me? The first time I flew was when I came here, and I sat in the middle seat in basic economy, squeezed between two large men. It wasn't fun."
Eleanor snorted. "From a virgin flyer to a member of the mile-high club. You sure move up quickly, doll."
"What's the mile-high club?"
"I'll let Marcel explain." Smirking, Eleanor scratched Cecilia's ear and kept walking.
50
SOFIA
They made it to the airport almost an hour before the Clan Mother's plane landed, so they had time to grab a bite to eat in the coffee shop.
"I assume that there will be no food served on the flight." Sofia nibbled on the muffin Marcel had gotten for her.
"I don't know. I've never flown on the Clan Mother's jet." Marcel still looked a little shell-shocked. "I don't think she’s let anyone other than her children use it before. You have no idea what an honor it is."
"I do." She stuffed another bite into her mouth. "I'm so hyped up that I don't know what I'm feeling. I'm terrified of what's going to happen, I'm excited about flying on an executive jet like some movie star, and I want to join the mile-high club, but I wouldn't dare do it on the Clan Mother's property."
That got a smile out of Marcel. "Yeah, the same thought crossed my mind."
As they walked onto the field, the door opened out, forming stairs, and a guy who looked like a butler rushed down to greet them.
"Good afternoon, Mistress Sofia, Master Marcel." He took their luggage and ran up the stairs with a suitcase in each hand as if they weighed nothing.
Sofia leaned closer to Marcel's ear. "You said that there was not going to be service on the plane, but it seems like your Clan Mother sent her butler along as well."
He chuckled. "Oshidu is the pilot. He's also a butler, but since he can't do both at the same time, he's only going to pilot the plane."
"Are you sure that he knows what he's doing?" She started up the stairs.
"Don't worry. He's been piloting this jet for many years. The Clan Mother travels extensively, and she doesn't fly commercial."
There were only four seats inside the small cabin, but they were wide and plush and could be turned into comfortable beds.
"There are pillows and blankets in the overhead compartments," said the pilot, who looked like a butler. "The middle console houses an assortment of drinks, and I took the liberty of collecting several sandwiches and pastries from the café so you wouldn't go hungry on the way."