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Chapter 26

Ruya

It had been three days since Josh disappeared. Robin had sent my mother away early this morning. I knew Achlys didn't want to leave me, after we had only just been reunited. But I also understood why she agreed to leave. She had been caught up in other people's political machinations for the better part of thirty years. She deserved some peace. And I agreed with Robin when she insisted that it was safer this way. She had arranged with a contact in Norway to take Achlys in and set her up in a sequestered safehouse there. Where she wouldn't be an easy target for Acadia or anyone else who went after our court.

My magic was building up inside me, my temperature rising and my body starting to ache with the need to release some of my power. But I held it back, only letting out a trickle here and there as I touched my nestmates in passing—just enough to remain sane.

I was afraid. Terrified that I'd need my magic when we finally did find Josh. Vulnerable as I was compared to the others, I was still a witch. My constitution and ability to withstand abuse and mistreatment were stronger than a human's. I wasn't a naive little girl anymore. I had seen enough of the world—and enough of this rebel life in particular—to know that I might end up needing every ounce of my strength to keep Josh alive once we got him back.

If it really was Acacia who had stolen him away, I ached for him. She would be cruel. I had no doubt. I had witnessed what she did to Sadavir, to her favorite, treasured slave. She had nearly killed the powerful naga, tortured him, beaten him and left him dying while she took out her hunger and rage on him. And that was with a possession she actually cared about keeping around. She wouldn't show any restraint when it came to a human, especially one who had betrayed her by running away with her treasure.

I rubbed my forehead, pushing down the slight headache and the wave of heat that came with containing my healing abilities. It did no good to dwell on "what-ifs." I reached the balcony area of the Fox, where everyone else was gathered in the informal sitting area used for guests. Yukio and Dusek had just returned from yet another trip around town looking for leads and gossip. They hadn't found anything—I had already wheedled that information from Dusek via text message. But I knew Robin wouldn't wait too much longer to make a move. The odds of something awful happening to Josh rose every day.

I could sense Sadavir and Robin taking up opposite ends of the space, their powerful alpha auras pulsing and warm in my senses, calling to me. Martina's aura was a softer, but more solid force in the middle, probably sitting on the long couch that took up one wall. I could almost picture her sitting beside Sanka, double checking the charms, amulets, and spells that the sorcerer had laid out before him. I could sense the magic, the contained power that was distinctly our demon-blooded beta's hallmark.

Hello beautiful, Cicely said in my head. A warm hand touched my elbow as I stepped off the top stair and onto the landing, and my faun's comforting golden glow wrapped around me like a warm hug. Okay?

I nodded. "I'm fine," I said softly. "We all knew it was going to come to this eventually."

They were planning to pay the vampire coven a visit. Not to attack, necessarily. At least, not at first. But to demand answers and the return of our human. Which, knowing Acacia and Robin would end up in a fight.

Acacia wasn't going to just hand Josh over. She would probably demand Sadavir in exchange. And though Robin said she'd welcome the chance to get rid of the naga, I knew better. Making demands of an alpha dragon shifter was a very bad idea. It would set off all kinds of offended dignity and ego. Even if she truly hated Sadavir—which I doubted—he was under her protection. Therefore, he was part of her hoard. And there was no way she was going to give him up. She might kill him herself for irritating her and daring to call me his mate. But she wouldn't just hand him over to someone else.

Alphas—and dragons in particular, I had learned—were a royal pain in the ass to deal with. And I had no doubt Robin would be in full-on princess mode.

"Ru!" Sanka came to me and pulled me into a bear hug, and I took the opportunity to nestle into his broad chest and take the solid comfort he offered. Just for a moment.

When he pulled back, he kissed my forehead, then led me to the big couch where he deposited me next to Martina. I gave him a wry smile and a head shake to let him know I was onto him, but I allowed him to steer me to the seat. He was in top beta form right now, placing me next to Martina—the most stable alpha in the room currently. Keeping his omega safe.

Robin snorted, and I smelled a faint whiff of smoke. Ignored how it was like perfume to my senses. "Sanka, don't be an idiot," she snapped. "No one is going to harm our omega."

Sanka's voice was mild and congenial. "Of course not, princess. I just want her to be comfortable. Wouldn't want her to… trip and fall or something. Because of the blindness."

A moment later, Yukio was shoved onto the couch next to me with a huff.

I laughed. I didn't often trip and fall. I was pretty good at navigating. What Sanka was saying was he didn't want me to be in the wrong place at the wrong time if an alpha lost their temper. And he'd set Yukio here to protect me. I expected Yukio to protest his "idiotic" beta ways. But instead, the pixie slipped an arm around my shoulders, his cool, wintery aura brushing up against my own in delicious waves that cooled some of the heat from my building magic. He toyed with a lock of my hair as he relaxed against the back of the couch, pulling me with him. "Let the idiot do his thing," he murmured in a bland voice. "There's no stopping him when he gets all… beta."

He said the word "beta" like it was a disease. But I knew he loved that about Sanka. We all did. He was such a powerful sorcerer, big and burly and at times crass. But he was also the most caring person I had ever encountered.

I felt Cicely come to stand beside the couch and spared him a soft smile. Well, maybe Sanka wasn't the most caring. All of our betas had hearts of gold. Even the human one. I suddenly missed Josh with a pang that had me pressing a hand over my chest.

"Now that everyone is here," Robin said, ignoring the theatrics over on our side of the room. "We need to go over the final details for this afternoon."

I heard the shifting of soft fabrics and the clink of a glass before she spoke again. I could almost picture her there, a princess on her throne, dripping silk and sipping wine. I had a sudden urge to go to her and kneel at her feet. To feel her hand in my hair. I shook myself. No. While everyone in the room would no doubt understand the omega urge to be near her alpha in times of stress… I couldn't let myself sink into that feeling or I'd never focus.

And… if any of the warmth I was feeling was due to an impending heat, and not just my building magic… well, no one could afford that sort of distraction right now. Not when Josh needed us all at our best. The last thing we needed was for all of the alphas—the powerhouses, the planners, and schemers, and the leaders in this situation—to lose their focus.

Martina coughed lightly. Yukio pulled me closer and sent his magic flowing over my skin. Cooling. Helping me focus.

Robin continued as if no one noticed anything odd. "We will pay the vampires a visit this afternoon, while most of them are still asleep and slow to respond to threats. I will do all of the talking," she said firmly. There was a pause that I assumed was a warning look in Sadavir's direction. "And if we are very lucky, we will walk out with either a human, or information. Either is acceptable."

Sadavir hissed.

I swallowed down the urge to comfort him. Not now. Not here. It would only set Robin off. But I couldn't stand for my alphas to be upset. I wanted to fix it. To ground them. To feel that solid, unshakable feeling of security and safety that all of us experienced when I was with them. I fisted my fingers in the hem of my t-shirt. Martina sighed beside me.

It was Dusek who spoke up, interrupting the tension with a surge of fear and darkness. "Even if we don't manage to nab the human this first visit, we'll have more of an idea what she wants and what we're up against. So we can go back in later more prepared."

Robin heaved an impatient sigh. "As I was saying. If our attempts are not fruitful this afternoon, we will return a couple of hours after dawn and raze the cathedral. Without," she added firmly, "giving ourselves away."

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