J will kill her so slowly.
She ignored his question. "In payment for the sword, Groot has demanded the Vessel-a female who will beget a future warrior of either ultimate evil or ultimate good." Depending upon the father's inclination. "But wherever will you find one?"
He felt her probing his mind once more, but he had his defenses in place. "After all, demon, Vessels are born only every five hundred years."
And yet Cadeon already has one. Unfortunately, Cade-on's fated female-the one he'd spent over a year pining for-was the Vessel. A woman named Holly Ashwin was the payment Groot wanted.
Once Rydstrom's vision cleared, he focused on Sabine as she sat on the side of the bed, grinning at him over the rim of a wine goblet. He was relieved that she'd covered her chest. Then he frowned. Her top was white and so small and tight that he could see the bot-
toms of her breasts. Hadn't he ripped that one from her? Losing my mind . . .
"What I don't know is if you gave your tosser brother enough information to send him on this fruitless quest."
Groot had established parameters to make the trade, a system of checkpoints, with each supplying additional details about how to find his hidden lair. In their phone call, Rydstrom had given Cadeon enough information to make it to the first checkpoint and continue on the mission.
"Not fruitless," he said, but with Rydstrom missing and unable to send word, was it even possible that Cadeon would do what was right?
"Even if your brother somehow managed to find the Vessel and locate Groot's secret fortress, the sword just won't work. The Sorceri worship metal, and Groot the Metallurgist forges and enchants it. That makes him very powerful. But not enough to give death to the deathless."
As Rydstrom began to regain his strength, he struggled against his bonds.