Total pages in book: 162
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 151630 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 758(@200wpm)___ 607(@250wpm)___ 505(@300wpm)
Rhys walks ahead of us, a grim expression on his face. He turns every now and then to ensure Shy is following. Shy looks lovely dressed in a flowy yellow gown that cinches in her waist and shows off her curves. Her naturally curly hair flows around her face, brushing the tops of her shoulders. The dress is concealed by her heavy cloak, though I can see the sturdy slippers Rhys insisted on. Dev tried to get her to wear heels.
The Fae are all about appearances. Oh, a brownie gets to wear whatever she wants, but I get my ass shoved into a ballgown. Though I am happy for the cloak since it’s chilly up in here.
Danny stops and looks back our way. “Take a break, guys. The dogs are splitting up. Sasha, Neil, and I will follow them. We’ll be back as soon as we can. Rhys?”
My son nods his dad’s way. “I’ll take care of them.”
Brendan Thomas gives the King of All Vampire a big grin. “I will, too, Your Highness. My wolf hasn’t had a good fight in weeks.”
Neil turns on his son, pointing a finger his way. “Brendan, we are traveling light. Do not explode those clothes if you don’t have to. No showing off.”
“He’s not showing off,” Cassie Thomas says, nudging her brother with her elbow. “He’s smarter in wolf form. Dad, you know he’s not really a wolf, right? Let’s see. He’s a complete weirdo with abandonment issues and weird prey instincts who makes the most ridiculous sounds. He’s obviously a Husky shifter.”
Neil snorts but opens his arms. The two supernatural kids he and Chad adopted move easily in, accepting his affection. He bows his head and kisses the top of Cassie’s. “Be nice to your weirdo brother. And be safe. Listen to Z. I’ll be back.”
He takes off after his hellhound escort.
Rhys sits on a rock roughly fifty feet from his papa, Shy next to him. Brendan and Cassie join them.
So the old folks are on their own.
“I don’t think they did it.” Dev stares at our son. “I would have felt it. There was no release of magic. I was ready to contain it, but it didn’t come.”
“No, but I’m pretty sure Shy did.” I find a big log and settle in, thanking the universe it’s not raining.
Dev’s brow rises. “Yes, I rather had that energy coming off her. I suspect Rhys is making a power play. Withholding himself is not the right call here. It’s going to get him in trouble.”
It’s a good time to remind my husband he’s not in control of this situation. “You have to let him make his own mistakes, Devinshea.”
He shakes his head and paces the length of the log in front of me. “That might be fine if his mistakes were something like staying out too late and getting in trouble at work. His mistakes can call Myrddin to us. We’re not ready. I worry we’re not ever going to be ready.”
“Why would you say that?” I need him positive. Danny and I are the ones who get mired in the what ifs, in the dark questions. Dev is the one with faith. “I think once we find Sarah, and more importantly, Mia, we’ll at least have the tools we need.”
Dev’s jaw tightens. “You truly think one girl can defeat Myrddin? We had an army when we took out Marini and he was just a vampire. And back then, the witches were on our side. They killed…so many of us. Even if we win, have we thought about what we do with the witches who fought on his side?”
I don’t like to think about it. In my head, they’ve all got thrall stones. I know it isn’t true and we will have to ask the hard questions. “We should cross that bridge when we come to it. Winning the war is all that matters now.”
He stills, his hands on his hips as he stares down at me. “And if we cannot win?”
I don’t think about that either, but I can see the thought has my faery prince in a bind. I stand and put my arms around him, offering the affection he needs. “There is no option and you know it. With Marini if we stayed in Faery he might have left us alone. We will not get the same courtesy from Myrddin. He cannot allow us to live. Daniel walking the plane—any plane—subverts his authority and gives the supernatural world a figure to rally around. And you should consider that until a few weeks ago, Rhys had taken that mantle. He was the figurehead of this rebellion, and that’s heavy. You are being too hard on him.”
He huffs but holds me close. “Yes, I’ve heard that a lot. I question if we would be in this situation if I had been harder when they were children. Damn it, my goddess, I can see the mistakes they’re making, how reckless they’re being. How can you not try to stop them? You and Daniel are far too calm, if you ask me.”