Nicholas's irritation turned to cold dread.
Maya.
Lilith's best friend. The one who had visited the estate multiple times. The one who would absolutely notice if something was wrong.
"Tell her Lilith is unavailable," Nicholas said.
"I did," Eli said. "She's not leaving. She's saying...." He hesitated. "She's saying something feels wrong. That Lilith hasn't answered her calls in two days. That she needs to see her with her own eyes or she's not leaving."
"Then escort her off the estate," Nicholas said.
Eli shifted uncomfortably. "I tried that too. She..." He stopped. "She said if we don't let her see Lilith, she's calling the Council of elders. Filing a formal inquiry into Lilith's wellbeing."
Nicholas felt rage spike through him. "She's threatening us?"
"She's scared," Eli said carefully. "She knows Lilith would never ignore her calls. She thinks something's wrong. And she's not entirely wrong."
