Warriors of Poseidon 05 - Atlantis Redeemed

Highness.”
    Conlan grinned right back at her. “It’s only insulting if you ever call me ‘Your Highness’ again.”
    Brennan tried to keep up, but the adrenaline shooting through his body was muddling his mind.
    “It was a test?”
    “It was a test,” Conlan confirmed. “I’d heard stories that the ancient truth tellers used a musical analogy to describe their Gift. I find it interesting that the old ways still ring true.”
    “Ring true? No pun intended?” Tiernan laughed and squeezed Brennan’s arm. “It’s okay to stand down now, but thank you for protecting me.”
    Riley blew out a breath. It was not a happy sound. “We shall talk, my darling husband,” she told Conlan. The baby started to cry, either alert to the tension in the room or waking from his nap.
    “I think Prince Aidan has had enough of war-room talk,” Brennan said.
    “I hope he never has to face war-room talk on his own,” Riley said, a cloud passing over her face as she cuddled her fussy son close.
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    “As do I, my love,” Conlan said. “Perhaps you should take him somewhere more pleasant and I’ll tell you everything when we’re done here.”
    Riley lifted her face for her husband’s kiss, and Brennan turned away. Beside him, Tiernan squeezed his arm again.
    After Riley had said her good-byes and departed, the three of them that remained in the room stared at one another, somewhat at a loss.
    “I’m going back,” Tiernan said. “If you try to hold me here against my will—”
    “I’m going with her,” Brennan said, and she rewarded him with a brilliant smile.
    “I’m not trying to stop you,” Conlan said, throwing himself down into a chair. “I’m going to suggest that we have a plan, though.”
    “Like what?” Brennan wanted to pace the room, but forced himself to sit, pulling Tiernan down to sit next to him. “Conlan, they are torturing shifters, and humans. If they succeed in determining how to permanently enthrall either group, we will have lost this war before a single battle is joined. Whatever plan we develop, we must make sure that we waste no time.”
    “Here is a plan, warrior,” Alaric said, suddenly back in the room and sitting in a chair across from Brennan. “If you ever hit me again, you’ll discover what torture really is.”
    “I think I’ve had enough of you threatening Brennan,” Tiernan said, glaring at the priest. “Cut it out. Also, that poofing in and out is just annoying; has anyone ever told you that?”
    Every nerve in Brennan’s body went on alert as he prepared for whatever terrible retribution Alaric might try to take, but he was completely unprepared for what the priest actually did: he smiled.
    “You know, I like you, Truth Teller,” Alaric said.
    “My verdict is still out on you, Priest,” she countered, but then her eyes widened and she smiled back at him. “That was truth. You do like me.”
    “Or else I’m a sociopath,” he said, the power in his eyes flaring hot for a moment.
    “Sometimes we have wondered,” Brennan told him.
    Conlan tapped the table. “Enough. Let’s figure out what to do next.”
    “There’s a chance our cover isn’t blown,” Tiernan said, going straight on the offense. “Brennan is set up to be an eccentric rich guy. What eccentric rich guy doesn’t take it in his head to do something out of the ordinary sometimes? So we went off the grounds. We can pretend we were, ah, we were . . .”
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    Brennan rescued her when he realized the rosy blush rising in her cheeks was all about what they actually had been doing, both the night before and this morning. His cock twitched at the memory and he had to do some quick, serious mental maneuvering to calm his newly raging libido. Just the thought of her flawless skin was enough to turn him into the youngling he’d accused Alaric of being. He hadn’t had to fight a cock stand in an inappropriate place in more than two thousand years.
    “One thing is definite,” Alaric said. “We cannot allow these vampires to enthrall either group.
    Certainly not in light of the prophecy. We will need them all as allies. Even the Fae, I fear.”
    It was the first Brennan had heard of a prophecy that needed allies. “What prophecy?”
    Conlan and Alaric exchanged a look that—just for a second—left Brennan feeling uncomfortably like an outsider.
    “It’s not important