Risen (Haunted Series Book 22)

use it.”
“I think she will keep it for him.  Part of her knows he will miss his trees and return for them.  The other part has already buried him,” Victor said.  “She is a woman that they write stories about.”
“Yes, they do,” Mike agreed.  “Are you staying the night?”
“No.  I have to return.  I’m presently in a position of great influence in the Cynosura.  If I’m gone too long, Ryan says my cover will be blown.”
“I will keep you in my prayers,” Mike said.  “You’re not who I thought you were.”
“And neither are you,” Victor said and took off.
~
“Mia, wake up,” Orion said.  “I need you to sit up.”
Groggy and fresh from a dream, Mia pushed off her covers and sat up.  “Orion, what are you doing here?”
“I’m your MRI, my dear,” he said, moving his hands along her body.  He stopped.  “Your doctor suspected your heart was ballooning, but I have to disagree with her.  There’s…”
Mia hissed, “Nothing wrong with me.  Give me the talk about broken hearts.”
Orion’s eyebrow lifted before he said loudly, “You have to let Stephen go.”
“He’s gone.  He’s playing pirate somewhere,” she said.  “He called me a whore.  I slapped him, and I left him there.”
“But you took his axe?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“I thought he was going to lose it or it would be sold out from under him.  I thought it was safest at home.”
“Mia, Stephen has chosen his home.”
“It’s the influence of the realm.  He’ll miss his trees, and when he does, he can claim his axe.  But I’m finished with him.”
She looked around.  “Where’s Ted?”
“I sent him to the hotel.”
“Check,” Mia hissed.
Orion walked out and didn’t see him.  He came back in and shut the door and closed the windows.  “Now it’s safe to tell me.”
“How many think I’m a weakened lovesick woman?”
“I imagine everyone.”
“Good.  Then all is going according to plan.”
“I don’t understand.”
“I can tell you because you, like I, can block your mind from being read.”
“Yes.  But why is it important for everyone to think your incapacitated?” Orion asked.
“Because tonight, Victor, Nicholai, and I are going to attack The Risen.”
Orion’s eyes lit up.
“By now, Mike’s theory about me being broken hearted, along with my performance, here should have them sailing with ease.  The Brotherhood has negated travel because of the Devil’s Pride.  I almost blew the plan when I battled Ruax in Hell, but then Murphy blew himself into the GSD, and it gave me reason to go and look for him.  You see, this has been what Victor had in mind the moment he gave me the heart feather.  Originally, it was supposed to be his brother and himself.  Two mighty, winged birds working in tandem.  But he died, and the plan was scrubbed.  That was until I needed wings…”
“Why do you need to sink The Risen?” Orion asked.
“It’s the Cynosura.  When Abigor wouldn’t play, they sought out Leviathan, and he gave them The Risen. I shudder to think of what the Cynosura gave him in return.”
“A ship that can move invisible to all but the other dead ships and the birdmen.  This is why they put a bounty on them.  They could attack the human naval assets that the Cynosura feel are in conflict with their dogma,” Orion said.  “But if you attack Leviathan’s ship, you will be waging war with Lucifer.”
“Not if I had his permission,” Mia said.  “Why do you think he left the killing of Ruax to me?  He sentenced me to death for a paltry offense.  He wanted to see if I could succeed.  After, he hugged me and whispered, ‘I grant you one act of impunity.’  The rest you know.”
“No one knows?” Orion asked.
“Only you, Victor, Nicholai, Lucifer, and Altair.”
“Why Altair?  He’ll tell Michael.”
“Not until it’s over.  If we succeed.  If we don’t, he will go on as before, ignorant of what had happened to me after I left Hell.”
“So that’s why he was there when you entered Hell.”
“He was there to negotiate with Lucifer, and he was rather put out on the change of plans.  But it was what it was.  I couldn’t let the demon eat my husband’s brain.”
“Ted doesn’t know?”
“Oh, he suspects.  You see, he knows me.  He knows how much I love him.  He knows how strong I am.  The only variable he isn’t sure of is my relationship with Murphy.”
“But you couldn’t tell him?”
“No.  I promised.”
“When is this happening?”
“Soon.  I need you to perform an enchantment.  Before you shake your head, I know you can do this.  You must make anyone who enters this room think I’m sleeping in that bed.”
“I can do that.  How long has this been planned?”
“You’d have to ask Victor.  I am but a piece of the machinery,” Mia said, sliding out of bed.
Orion watched as Mia untied her gown.  She reached into what looked to be an innocuous box of candy, lifting a level of chocolates and pulling out a golden collar.  She clasped it to her neck. Mia tapped the collar and gold-colored armor flowed down her body, covering her feet.  Claws curled and flexed from her feet.  Her arms were covered with flexible scales.  Mia nodded to Orion as she tapped the gargoyle steel at the back of her neck and disappeared.
He smelled her as she placed a tender kiss on the side of his face.  “Some secrets are best withheld,” she hissed before she was gone.

Chapter Twenty-five
Captain Crocker was not looking forward to the meeting he had in front of him.  Captain Bune of The Risen was expecting the birdmen Crocker had notified him he used to have in his custody.  The birdmen had slipped away while he was busy with the Peacock.  Mia had paid a