Page 85 of Secrets and Ruin

“How bad is this?” I asked as I stripped off my old, ruined clothes, covered in dirt and blood. In the clean home, I could very much tell how I smelled. She reached into a dresser and pulled out a clean set of pajamas.

“Heath reached out to me.” She handed me the pajamas and led me into the bathroom attached to the guest room. “He and I learned about Davor’s involvement. We were trying to figure out how to handle the situation where the family would come here and help all of you, what to be prepared for, that sort of thing. Our father stumbled onto us, figuratively. It was a case of bad timing, and that’s all there is to it. It was Father who decided to contact King Brion.” The shower was already on by the time she stopped talking, and she tested the temperature. “You are more purple than I have ever seen you, Jacky.”

“Last Change werewolf hopped up on fae magic and desperate to kill his brother,” I explained as I stepped gingerly into the hot water.

She stayed for the entire shower, then helped me out. I was weaker by the minute. My head hurt. I was exhausted. Sinking into my sister as she held a towel around me, I took a shaky breath.

“Thank you. Who all is here?”

“Oh, everyone,” she said, helping me dry off. “Mother and Father, all of our siblings, Kushim, Aisha, Makalo, and even my baby, who won’t remember this. Mother, though, has been wandering the grounds with Niko’s permission. He’s never given her free rein here, and she’s using the chance to expose herself to magic she doesn’t often get to see or feel. You might not see her.”

“Think she’ll be at the talk?” I asked.

“I couldn’t tell you. She’s been hard to read recently, and that’s saying something,” she answered. “Sit.” She moved me to the vanity, and I sat as commanded. I didn’t care that I was naked with only a towel wrapped around me as she brushed my hair. My eyes started to drift closed.

“Jacky, I need you to understand how serious this is. I know you just got done with something that probably seemed like hell on earth, but this isn’t over yet. Our father is on the warpath. He isfurious. Do you understand?”

“He’s always angry at me these days,” I said, sighing heavily.

“If you don’t say exactly the right thing, I can’t promise you’ll get to go back to your territory,” she hissed.

That made my eyes snap back open, going wide at the thought.

“Landon and Dirk? They can make exceptional hostages against Heath Everson,” she continued. “The only reason Dirk might get off the hook is he’s Niko’s son, but Niko is also in a lot of trouble with Father for never telling the family exactly what he’s been doing here and why. He’s been meddling in the affairs of another supernatural in their own territory. He’s not a werewolf, so he didn’t meet the requirements of the bargain King Brion made. He should havenevercome back here.”

“He didn’t know,” I said, shaking my head.

“That’s already been explained, and King Brion took no insult, so he’s clear there. Father is still furious that he told none of us in eight hundred years.”

“Did Hasan everask?” I demanded. “Didanyone?”

Zuri sighed.

“Probably not. I never did. I don’t think any of us did, though Davor’s in a bit of trouble for knowing some of the basics without alerting anyone. When I was talking to Heath, I told him I would never judge either of you for giving Fenris the chance you did. That none of this was either of your faults. At least you came from a place of love and acceptance. Goodness. Most of the mistakes our family seems to make are from the quiet neglect we seem to perpetuate. That’s how this got this far.” She stopped brushing my hair and stepped away.

“Get some sleep, little sister. I’m going to reach out to Heath for you and let him know you are safely back and asleep. Father won’t tolerate you talking to him right now.”

“And here I was, waiting to ask,” I said with a soft growl. I had been waiting. Zuri was being really pushy about getting me bathed and ready for bed. I didn’t fight her because I knew she was thinking about it as well. I didn’t want Heath to see me looking the way I had.

“Tell him I love him,” I finally said, swallowing back the pain of not getting to say it myself.

“I will. Tomorrow, you have Jabari and me in your corner, and we’ll do everything in our power to make sure our father lets you go home. We’ll be meeting in the grand dining room for breakfast. Breakfast and a family meeting. Someone will come get you so you don’t get lost.”

“I don’t like when you’re scared, Zuri,” I finally admitted, staring at her reflection in the mirror.

“I’m not scared for me,” she said, leaning down to kiss my cheek before walking out.

I slipped into the soft, clean pajamas. I thought of Rainer’s final moments as I closed my eyes.

35

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

Asoft knock at the door was the only warning I had that my time had run out.

I woke up early, earlier than reasonable, and found some clothes to put on. Either Zuri had quickly bought something for me, or Niko had kept my sizes stocked in this room. There was everything from undergarments to a perfectly fitted pair of jeans and a tee, the exact blend of loose and clingy in the right spots. I even found a new jacket, a supple leather that had been pre-worn, so there was minimal stiffness.

I was over forty and had no business wearing leather jackets as if I was still in my twenties going to rock concerts, but I couldn’t resist pulling it on and letting the normalcy comfort me.

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