Page 115 of Bound By Roses

‘I don’t know anything. This is the first night I haven’t felt like I was being watched. I don’t know how long I have before—’

‘Take a left up ahead!’I say quickly when I realize where he is. It’s normal for this part of the palace to be less guarded, but I’ve never seen it this empty. I’m not about to pass up the chance to send a message.

‘There’s no way out from that end,’Ty objects.‘This is the—’

‘I know what wing this is,’I say, cutting him off again.‘Turn left.’

He does, but I can feel his anxiety rising. I know he was headed for the gardens in search of privacy, but I have a better idea. It’s so strange seeing these halls through another’s eyes. It feels like years since I last walked them myself, though it’s been mere months.

“Something’s not right,” I say aloud. “There should be a Guardian at the end of this hall.”

“Maybe they are all asleep,” Erwyn chuffs from behind me, as if that would be the dumbest decision and something to be expected of Lunae’s army.

“No, she’s right,” Merrick agrees, though I wonder how he would know. Jade was always the one slinking around the palace to be closer to me, so unless he reported back, Merrick shouldn’t know the schedules of the Guardians within the palace. “They’re somewhere, but not here.”

I don’t hear what he says to the dragons, but within seconds they’ve summoned their wings and taken to the sky. Rhett is the last to lift off the ground, pausing only to kiss Kaylee before chasing after his kind. I can only assume they’re going to check the perimeter.

‘Stop,’Quinn says suddenly and Ty freezes in place.‘Go back through that open door.’There’s an urgency in his voice that wasn’t there before.

‘Why am I in here?’The room is small and cramped, and I recognize it as one of the storage rooms used mostly for linens.

‘Someone’s coming.’Quinn’s words have my blood running cold. Maybe this was a mistake. I should have just let Ty go to the gardens.

‘I don’t hear anything.’

‘I’ve been a wolf a lot longer than you. Stay down and be quiet.’

Less than thirty seconds later, I hear soft footfalls and even softer voices drifting closer from one end of the hall. “Majesty, he has returned.” The voice is male and I don’t recognize it.

A groan that could only have come from one person. “Finally. I’m growing tired of waiting.”

Imelda.

This was a mistake. If she finds Ty…

The footsteps grow distant and I release the breath I was holding. That was too close.

‘Should I follow them?’Ty asks.

‘No!’I say at the same time Quinn does, though he’s far calmer.

‘Keep going,’I urge him.‘The door at the end of the hall. On the right.’As long as Imelda doesn’t come back this way, he should be fine. He’ll be safer in there than he will wandering the halls now.

Quinn turns his head to me, realization suddenly blooming on his face. He’s only been in this palace once and he’s finally figured out exactly where Ty is. “Are you sure?”

“It’s fine,” Kaylee says from behind us. This is the first time she’s spoken, and she’s watching the vision intently. Of course she would recognize this place too, even if she’s likely never been there herself.

Ty reaches the closed door and stares up at the silver handle. It’s more intricate than some of the other doors, and for good reason.‘I can’t open this.’

I don’t bother to mention that he probably has all the strength he needs to knock it down if he wanted, but we absolutely do not.‘You don’t need to. Scratch.’

I feel his annoyance at being compared to a dog, but he does as I say and drags a clawed paw down the stone door. The sound is gravelly and rough, and I’m bracing myself for him to do it again when the door suddenly opens a crack before swinging wide enough for a pale face to peek out from the shadows.

Arabella’s eyes widen for just a moment before her brows crease. “You’re not Quinn.” She pulls the heavy door open wider. “Get inside. Quick.”

‘You’re going to have to shift and tell her everything,’I say hurriedly.‘Tell her we’re coming and to be ready. She’ll get you out of the palace and then we need you to spread the word among the people.’

‘Abby—’Quinn tries to cut me off, but I keep going. This is too important. He may command this army, but the wolves are mine. I haven’t wanted to admit that—haven’t wanted to accept it, but I feel it. I feel Terranous’s magic flowing through me and into them whenever I tap into the connection they all share. I’d felt it the first time in the spider’s cave when I told the wolves not to let Quinn near me and they’d chosen loyalty to me over him. I can’t say it’s exactly like how Merrick is to the dragons, but the wolves are mine in a way I don’t understand and may never understand.

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