“You’re right in thinking Jalvi wouldn’t be anything more than a foot soldier in this particular war,” he said. “But whether she’ll know the identity of the man or woman ultimately giving the orders is unknown.”

“She should at least know who is coordinating the elven side of things, though,” I said.

“I would hope so.” His phone rang, the noise sharp in the vast space. He drew it from his pocket, then rose and walked away. “Edvard? There’s news?” There was a few seconds of silence, then, “Keep an eye on all exits. I’ll be there in ten minutes.”

He hung up, made another call to request the car, and then swung around. “Jalvi’s just turned up.”

Lugh rose. “We’ll get out of your way then.”

Cynwrig frowned. “There is no need to leave. The warehouse is far more secure—”

“You’ll be wanting to use it to interview your cousin, and we both know you’d prefer to do so without an outside audience.” Lugh’s reply was blunt. “We’ll head home. You can contact us when and if you have anything you want to share.”

Cynwrig hesitated, glanced briefly at me, and then nodded. Disappointment coursed through me. I mean, he could have put up a token protest, just to make me feel better.

But then, why would he? No matter how intense the connection between us, we were in the end just bed buddies. Amazing bed buddies, granted, but that was all.

I finished my tea, grabbed my purse, and followed the two men to the elevator. Cynwrig helped me into my coat, his warm fingers brushing my neck but for once not sending the usual tremor of delight through me. Disappointment, it seemed, was a great dampener of lust.

He guided us out of the building, and though he made no move to kiss me goodbye, his gaze lingered on my spine as I walked away.

When we rounded a corner, I glanced up at my brother and said, “So what was all that shit about?”

His gaze met mine evenly. “What shit?”

I snorted. “Don’t play innocent to me, brother mine.”

He rubbed his nose, his expression unrepentant. “He’s using you to keep an eye on our search—”

“I’m well aware of that.”

“Yes, but he’s not being totally honest with us. He’s not telling us everything he knows.”

“He’s a dark elf—”

“That’s no fucking excuse in this case, Beth, and you know it. If we’re laying all our cards on the table, then he should too.”

“But are we laying all our cards down? I’m thinking we’re not, given how eager you were to leave the warehouse just now.”

The sudden twinkle in his frost-green eyes suggested I’d guessed right. “Well, as a matter of fact, we never did get around to discussing the most interesting fact I uncovered.”

I raised my eyebrows. “Shall I do a dramatic drumroll before you make the announcement?”

He laughed and nudged me lightly, just about knocking me into the nearby wall. “Idiot.”