Page 80 of Secrets and Ruin

“Thank you. I think we’re ready to make this bargain,” I said, trying to smile.

She straightened, nodding. Fae magic filled the room, swirling around, slightly off from what I normally felt, maybe because of her half-fae status. Fae magic, no matter how it felt, always knew when a bargain was about to happen, though.

“I, Jacky Leon, also known as Jacqueline, daughter of Hasan, promise not to harass you here in the Black Forest, to never come back with the intent to disturb your peace and the life you have here so long as it doesn't threaten my own or the lives of anyone I claim as mine. I promise when Rainer Brandt is dead, Nikolaus will begin his preparations to leave the Black Forest and the surrounding area and be fully out of the area within the year. I will not send any of mine back here to take any sort of action against you for this incident.” I paused, thinking about what else to add, and remembered what she said about her end of the bargain with Rainer. “And I promise Rainer Brandt will die before I leave the Black Forest, forever more freeing you of the bargain you have with him and dismantling the Black Forest Pack you knew once and for all.”

“I, Adalni, promise to release you and yours and no longer interfere in the affairs of werewolves or werecats related to you. I will stay in the Black Forest unless need pulls me from it, and in those cases, I will not partake in the magics of my mother and will return once I have gotten what I need.” She made a face. “I’m not sure what else you might want to ask for.”

“Would you be willing to work with someone to keep this place safe for humans?” I asked. “I’m not trying to trap you here. Just make this agreeable enough to get out of this mess.”

“I promise to work with whoever might honorably wish to uphold the safety of this place, for all its inhabitants and guests,” she said, nodding.

The fae magic knew that was the last thing we needed.

“This will wake him,” she said, placing a tiny pouch on the table. “Just a pinch. Flick it or blow it on his nose. Then hurry. Rainer didn’t want me to act until he knew for certain he could get to his brother quickly.”

Then she left the house, grabbing her pack and a cloak as she went.

Both my legs were working now, so I moved, heading to the table. My fingers still felt odd, but every second that passed, they felt less awkward. I grabbed the pouch and was able to get a pinch of the powder inside, then looked at Landon on the floor and sighed.

“We’re never coming back here. Promise,” I said as I knelt beside him and blew the powder over his nose.

He jerked up, nearly hitting me, but I pulled back just in time. That led to me falling on my ass, hitting my sore back on the couch.

“What? Jacky?”

“We need to leave.” I was already getting up. “Rainer is going after Niko and Dirk. We have to catch up.”

“Explain and run,” he said, jumping up.

I followed him out. Adalni had left the red cloak hanging on a tree branch over one of the many small trails that wandered away from her home, and I knew what she intended.

“That way,” I said, taking off at full speed.

33

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

“Could this get more complicated?” Landon said between breaths, running down the trail right behind me. I jumped over a log and looked back.

“I don’t know, but I’ve got some ideas for what happens after we finally deal with Rainer,” I called back before turning back ahead of me.

“I can’t wait to hear them!”

Everything in me didn’t want to run, but the motivation that we could be too late to help Niko and Dirk was enough to keep me moving at top speed.

We heard the fighting before we saw it. I saw a tree go down, the crack of its trunk snapping, sounding like thunder.

“Dirk!” I screamed, hoping he would call back.

With no response, I kept running down the trail until I had to get around the felled tree. I knew Landon was right behind me, but I looked back just to make sure since we had to get off the proper path. He was entirely focused on something beyond me, and I tried to find it.

As we reached a thinner portion of the forest, I saw Niko first. He had clearly taken hits, his nose bleeding and leaning too hard to the left as if he was dealing with some broken ribs.

I looked for Dirk, hoping to see him, and saw Rainer come out of the trees, brushing himself off. He was glaring at Niko, not yet noticing Landon or me.

Stepping back, I grabbed my werewolf before he could jump into the fight.

“Find Dirk,” I ordered.

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