Page 32 of Call of A Eagle
I nodded. “Yeah. Banged up a bit, but I’ll live.”
“Was anyone else hurt?” Ellis asked, his gaze shifting to Lyra and then back to me, genuine concern filling his stare.
I shook my head. “He took over Lyra’s grandmother, though. Got right into her head and had her attack us.”
Lyra stiffened as I said the words, and I hated myself all over again for bringing my crap to her doorstep.
“Is she okay?” Sienna asked.
“She’s fine. Trust me when I say she’s tougher than most her age,” Lyra said with a slight grin. “If anyone can handle something like that, it’s her.”
“I’m glad she’s okay.” Guilt clouded Astrid’s eyes. She dropped her stare to the table for a moment before lifting it to lock with mine. “Did you learn anything about Maribel yet?”
I nodded. “I got an address.”
Sienna made a noise and then rolled her eyes. “A real address or a vague location like last time?”
“A real address. It came from Alma,” I said, grabbing the folded piece of paper the old woman had given me from my pocket. “Maribel doesn’t take kindly to unexpected visitors, which means I’ll need to handle the initial meeting with caution. Alma also stressed that a level of respect needs to be present.”
“My grandmother said the woman has her reasons for living the way she does, and that her powers are not to be underestimated,” Lyra chimed in.
Dean leaned forward, his elbows resting on the table, and fixed his eyes on me. “So, you think you should be the one to visit Maribel?”
I met his gaze, feeling the weight of his doubt. “Yeah, I’ve got the lead. It makes sense for me to handle it and see this through.”
Dean shook his head, leaning back in his chair. “I’m not sure you’re the right one for this, Waylen. You’re not exactly known for your collected manner or calm approach.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but Astrid cut in. “Sorry, but I think he’s right. We need a little finesse for this situation.”
“I can do finesse,” I shot back, but even I knew that wasn’t my strength.
Sienna shook her head. “No offense, but we need someone with a calm presence, someone who won’t piss her off while trying to be funny.”
“I get that not everyone enjoys Waylen’s humor, but his heart is in the right place,” Lyra said, and in that moment, my appreciation for her defending me deepened the love I felt for her. The woman had my back, and I’d never witnessed anything sexier. “From what my grandmother said, Maribel sounds like she’s highly intuitive. She’d be able to pick up on that about him.”
“What else did she say about her?” Astrid asked.
“To make it clear that your intentions are pure when you reach her,” Lyra said.
“Yeah, I don’t think that’s something you can handle, Waylen.” Sienna chuckled. “Sorry.”
I sighed, knowing this was a losing battle with them. “So who goes, then?”
Dean nodded to Ellis. “You should go,” he said, his voice decisive. “You’ve got the temperament for this. Maribel needs to be approached carefully, and out of all of us, you’re the one who won’t set her off.”
Ellis blinked, then slowly nodded. “I can do that,” he said calmly. “I’ll approach her with respect, like Lyra’s grandmother said. No pressuring her, just respectfully requesting her help.”
I clenched my jaw, not thrilled with being benched, but deep down, I knew this was the right call. Ellis was steady and patient.
He was everything I wasn’t.
Dean clapped a hand on Ellis’s shoulder. “It’s settled. You’re the best shot we’ve got at getting Maribel on board to help with the Xander situation.”
Ellis nodded again, his expression serious. “I’ll do my best.”
We fell into silence, each lost in our own thoughts while we enjoyed our beers. Until Sienna spoke up. She’d been watching Lyra and me closely, I’d noticed her gaze flicking between us. When a knowing smile worked its way onto her face as she flipped her red hair over her shoulder, and I knew she knew and was about to let the cat out of the bag.
“You know,” she said, her eyes boring into me. “I think there’s another reason why you shouldn’t be the one to handle the Maribel situation.”