Page 114 of Forever Touched

When the kiss ended and Everett straightened with a self-satisfied smirk, I wobbled unsteadily on my feet.

“Not that this new side of Everett isn’t exciting, but we need to head inside before the sun burns my wife to a crisp,” Kade said, bringing us back to reality.

“Just a few more minutes,” Isla protested, still staring at me and Everett with a dreamy grin on her heart-shaped face.

“No can do, shortcake,” Kade replied. “I’m not risking your safety.”

She yelped as he threw her over his shoulder in one swift move and started for the stairs. “Overprotective brute,” she grumbled with an eye roll.

“Don’t forget dirty and old.”

“And annoyingly bossy and—”

He reached up and smacked her butt.Hard. When she burst into a fit of giggles, Noah muttered, “NowthatI didn’t need to see.”

“We should head inside too,” Loch said to Everett, sliding his arm around Kenna. “Father wants to see you. We have a lot to discuss.”

I noticed Silver at Kenna’s feet and smiled at the familiar.

She seems nice, Pepper observed, peering over my shoulder at the fox.

She is, I easily replied, remembering how she’d tried to warn me about Heath last night.I’ll introduce you to her soon.

But not now. Not when I was about to see the king again.

I recalled his warning to me the first time we’d met, how he hoped I didn’t prove to be a disappointment. Nearly stabbing his son and controlling the minds of his court probably fell into the “disappointment” category.

Everett tucked me against his side while we moved toward the stairs as a group, making me feel a little better. But as we approached the spot where my broken mortal body had died, memories of the pain I’d endured flitted through my mind. The spot was empty now, all traces of the horrific event washed away by last night’s rain. Even Heath’s headless body was gone.

“We burned it,” Loch said, noticing where my attention had strayed. “We burned most of the other rogues as well. Only a few escaped.”

Everett pulled me closer as if to comfort me. “Any news on the Faircrofts?”

“Not yet, but it’s only a matter of time. They’ll reach out to their contacts, and when they do, we’ll be ready.”

“What do you mean?” I questioned Loch, tearing my gaze off the patch of ground to study his profile. “Did you capture some of the rogues?”

“No. They wouldn’t surrender, so we didn’t spare them. But the ex-rogue, Rocky, has been very helpful.”

My eyes widened. “Rocky? He’shere?”

“Yes. He’s been telling us everything he knows. Apparently, he overheard a lot of conversations between Deloris Faircroft and her business partner, Heath Clancy. They were a part of the original rogue revolution six years ago and have been planning this coup ever since. But I’m guessing you already knew that.”

“Yes,” I replied, ducking my head.

“We don’t blame you, Adalyn,” Kenna gently said. “I was once taken from my family and used for my abilities too. The important thing is that you learned for yourself what to believe in. You rejected others’ definition of you and became your own person. You chose to fight back, despite the personal cost. Your courage saved many Venturi lives last night.”

I tried to give her a smile but couldn’t quite manage it. Something was still weighing on me, something that would no doubt haunt me until I resolved it. Until Ifacedit.

“My father . . .” I haltingly began. “He was an elder and chose to fight against the royal family in the battle six years ago. I know now that he was misinformed, that you aren’t the monsters we were raised to despise. At least, not anymore. But I never found out who killed him. Mistress—I mean, Madame Faircroft—told me that a Venturi did it. Knowing that it could have been one of the vampires I helped save last night, or one ofyou, is still eating me up inside. I need to know who did it. Not to avenge my father’s death. I don’t want that anymore. But . . . I need closure.”

As we reached the top of the stairs, Everett slowed. Studying his brother thoughtfully, he finally said, “You know something.”

“I do,” Loch replied. “As I said, the ex-rogue told us everything, including who killed Adalyn’s father that night.”

My heart stopped.Timestopped.

Struggling to breathe, I whispered, “Who? Who killed him?”

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