Page 227 of The Cruelest Undead

“You’ll leave again, and I fear the ramifications of that. We’re the strongest society, but only because the others fear you. If we stir the pot, we might get displaced. I’m the only guardian here. We run without a Mistress. That could cost us our lives.”

“You’re marked,” she said.

He squeezed her hand.

“Some of us are, but…this is home, and breaking the rules without them being afraid after the fact will put bullseyes on us.”

“I’m sorry that I have to go after,” she said.

Let me out,Rinnon said.

No, because you can’t smite Percy. He is just being honest. He’s legitimately afraid of the ramifications of us tearing the societies apart.

I won’t hurt him. I promise you.

Reluctantly, Flynn set him free, knowing that he could pull him back down if he got spicy.

When they felt the energy shift, they all looked over at Flynn. It was when he opened his eyes, and they weren’t icy blue that they knew who was there.

Percy immediately took a step back, but Jacques reassured him.

“We don’t hurt family for being honest with us,” he said.

Still, Percy was worried.

Only, The Big Scary wasn’t focused on him. He was focused on Jolie.

“Little One, it hurts you not to be here in this city with your family.”

She said nothing, but he didn’t need her to. Mates knew each other’s hearts, and he could feel her misery.

“Why didn’t you just tell me you are not all that fond of the lair in Paris?”

She shrugged.

“Because it’s your home, and when you possessed Flynn, we knew that we had to adjust.”

“But you’d rather be here?”

Jolie stared down at her feet.

Immediately, Rinnon lifted her chin with his fingers, and he saw the tears in her eyes.

“My queen doesn’t look at the ground and bow her head to me,” he said. “She is my everything. Do you want to stay here?” he asked. “With the life you, Flynn, and Jacques created?”

“We can’t,” she admitted. “You have to be protected. The lair does that. It keeps our children safe.”

He glanced over at Jacques.

“Death. I need a boon.”

Jacques’ eyes changed, and he morphed.

“Yes?”

Well, here went everything.

“I believe that I can move my lair, but I don’t know how. I know I knew at one point. Can you give me those memories back? What would it cost?”

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