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)
He chose to raise them, training them on the run. He put his heart and soul into them because he could not be there for his own daughter. Because someone else had raised her in love, he did the same for Lee and Rhys and Evan and Fenrir.
For that faithfulness the queen had given him a ring that allowed him to walk in the daylight, to not be constrained by his status. He could walk in the light with his soulmate.
He chose to live and now she was here. Now it was finally right.
How many times had this played out for them? Had he lost her? Would this be their last chance?
Lee sighed. “You made that choice and it brought you here. What I am trying to say is that I’ve watched a man try to fight fate over and over, try to impose his will on the universe, and I worry she’s going to pay again. I don’t want what happened to my mother to happen to your Zoey or to Ostara. Everything my father touches dies.”
“I will not allow her to die,” Sasha vowed.
“But you’ll die if you go after her without a plan,” Lee replied. “So trust the universe and her. Trust that this time is the right time. Don’t panic. I asked about you and Rhys told me you’re their general. Be the general. That’s who she needs now.”
The door began to open, and Lee stepped away from it. A tiny head poked around the corner. A brownie in worn clothes, her head wrapped in a scarf. “Lee?”
The faery smiled and got to one knee. “Hello, Fee. I want to introduce you to Sasha. He’s a vampire, and he’s our visiting goddess’s mate.”
“Ostara?” The brownie’s eyes lit up. “She is so lovely.” And then her face fell. “The king has her in the dungeons. He has found Zandra again and now my sweet friend will be… It’s too horrible. We all know what will happen to that poor woman he thinks is his lost love. The rumor is that her husband is in the dungeon as well, though I have not confirmed it with my network.”
The word pricked up his ears. “Are you a spy?”
The brownie shook her head. “Oh, no sir. No. I am but a humble servant.”
He smiled, a feral feeling in his gut because like recognized like. “Oh, madame, you are a spy, and I am going to beg for your services. On my plane, in my timeline, I was a spy, and I would love to work with you to save Ostara. I will tell you everything I know if you will share your knowledge with me. We can save them.”
Lee grins. “With patience, spymaster. That was the other thing he called you. Now you should hurry and get under the wards so you don’t turn into a lust-crazed maniac and break those vows right before you’re with her again.”
Because Rhys and Shy weren’t going to sleep alone this evening. They were going to see if they could use the temple to send energy to the dungeons, which were not under the wards. Lee had explained that the wards protecting those in the palace from magic did not extend to the dungeons since the guards there used magic to torture their prisoners. So Rhys and Shy would send their unique magic to Ostara and Devinshea.
Patience.
Fee gestured him into the tunnels. “I think I can take you where you need to go. My network is already protecting the other vampire and the pretty wolf. We have a safe place for you.”
All the small faery creatures loved Neil Roberts. Sasha took a long breath, quelling his fear. What place did fear have in the face of hope? “Lead on, madame. I will be forever grateful.”
He followed the brownie into the darkness.
Chapter Nineteen
Zoey
“The guard on your door is only there to protect you,” Devilshea says as he glances to his left where the bulky sidhe soldier stands. One of them. There have been several watching over us. “You are free to go anywhere you like in the palace.”
“Anywhere?” I ask in my softest, “oh, hey I’m happy to be here with the dude who kidnapped me” voice. It’s sad that I have one of those. Sadder that I’ve used it way more than once or twice.
He frowns. “Anywhere safe. There are obviously parts of the palace that might disturb your tender sensibilities, but know I will always protect you from our enemies. The rest of the palace is yours, though not tonight, my love. Tonight there is too much going on. There are still rebels on the grounds. I want you to know that my soldiers tracked your son and his mate to the temple where they are currently hiding. I cannot enter. We will find a way to send word that they will be safe if they do not come back. My gift to you.”