The Wicked Read Online Free

It’s the responsibility of Sebastian and his team to safeguard both you and the contents of the library. Good journey and good luck.”
    With those final words, Carling strode out of the room, and Sebastian Hale faced the group alone.
    “Dendera and I have already been thoroughly briefed,” he said. His voice was as striking as the rest of him, strong and deep and rich. “I won’t add anything else right now. We have several hours on the plane where we can get acquainted with each other and run through details of the expedition, so for now, get your luggage and make your way downstairs. There’s transportation waiting to take us to the airport.”
    Phaedra pushed away from the wall. She looked bored again. She said in a curt voice to Sebastian, “I will see you in San Francisco after your flight.”
    Sebastian’s hard face turned to the Djinn. “No, you won’t. You will travel on the plane along with every other member of this crew.”
    Phaedra’s expression turned edgy and unpredictable. “That’s ridiculous.”
    “That’s the rule,” said Sebastian. “You travel with us and attend the meeting, or you’re off the team. In fact, you do everything I say, or you’re off the team.”
    The Djinn’s expression turned deadly. “Don’t push me, Wyr.”
    “Or you’ll do what?” asked Sebastian, his voice flat. He tilted his head.
    He looked unimpressed. Unafraid.
    Which meant he believed he could face down a Djinn and win the confrontation.
    Olivia was reluctantly impressed.
    She also knew that Phaedra had already given her word to her father that she would see this assignment through successfully to its conclusion, so she was not quite as taken in by the scene as everyone else in the room.
    She walked around the end of the table, collected her luggage and said to Phaedra, “Quit making an ass of yourself if you possibly can.”
    Then without waiting around for any more drama, she walked to the bank of elevators at the end of the hall.
    One by one, other people joined her at the elevators. Olivia kept her head down and eyes to the floor. When the elevator doors opened, people filed in with their luggage. They rode down to the ground floor in silence.
    Outside the main entrance, two black Cadillac Escalades idled at the curb. With a minimum of conversation, the group loaded into the vehicles. Olivia managed to score the front passenger seat of one Escalade. Thankfully neither Sebastian nor Phaedra joined the group in her SUV. During the trip to the airport, she listened to the others’ desultory conversation from the back seat, but she didn’t join in.
    The driver took them to a smaller, more business-oriented airport than Miami International Airport, where Olivia had originally flown in. They met up with the group from the other Escalade, and in short order a uniformed flight crew took their luggage out to a corporate-sized Boeing parked on the tarmac. Soon after, the group filed into the sunshine to board the plane.
    Sebastian went first. Olivia watched him run up the airstairs. It was such a simple, ordinary feat, running up stairs. But his body in movement was mesmerizing, full of grace and power, and so effortless he seemed to float. When he stopped in the doorway of the plane, she could hardly believe what she had seen. Watching him for those few seconds had taken her breath away.
    He remained by the door, turning to watch the others as they boarded. When it came to her turn, she ducked her head as she climbed toward him and pretended she was invisible.
    “You,” he said when she reached the top.
    Resigned, she lifted her head. She had been right about his height. He stood just a few inches taller than she did. His compact body was proportioned remarkably well, his shoulders not too wide, and his lean legs not too long. Exposed by the short sleeves of his gray T-shirt, his arms were cut with lean muscle.
    Combined with his lack of expression, those sunglasses of his were truly unnerving. Up close,