Page 54 of Their Promise

I nodded and pulled the blanket up to my chin. “Tomorrow.”

Chapter

Fourteen

I awoke on the couch, the trio sleeping nearby, and hurried down to the command center to read more about demons.

There was no information that helped with the draw I felt or the incident last night.

Honestly, I knew the incident yesterday had nothing to do with the demons or the necklace though.

I tried to remove the necklace, but when I reached to unclasp it, my fingers shook so hard I couldn’t even grasp it, and I ultimately couldn’t force myself to do it.

“I figured I would find you here,” Trey said as he walked down the stairs and sat at the table next to me. He wore a pair of black sweatpants and a matching black t-shirt and his normally perfectly styled hair was messy.

“I’m sorry,” I whispered, “about last night. I …”

“You don’t need to apologize. We knew she was an awful person before we knew about what she’d done to Estelle or her picking on you. It solidified the assumptions we already had about her, though.”

“With this darkness … I don’t think I’m suited to be a prince’s mate,” I whispered.

He scooted his chair closer to mine, kissed my cheek, and said, “Darlin’, you are perfectly suited to be a prince’s or a king’s mate. You stand up for the weak, for those who can’t stand up for themselves. That’s precisely what the clans need.”

“Can we schedule another date?” I asked softly. “I feel like I messed up your plans significantly.”

“I would love to schedule another date,” he said with a smile and brushed some hair that had fallen into my face behind my ear.

“Lily?” Mason called as he ran down the stairs. He exhaled and sagged against the wall of the stairway. “You are here, phew.”

“Did you think I ran away?” I asked.

He shrugged. “The thought had crossed my mind.”

“Today’s hunting day, remember?” I said with a smile.

He returned my smile, but it quickly disappeared when Kayden said, “And our date.”

Right! The concert!

“I’ll pick you up at six, okay?” Kayden said.

“Okay,” I agreed. Changing the subject, I said, “I had an idea in my dreams. What if we use a phone, on a live videocall, attach it to a rope, and slide it through the portal? Then, if it gets destroyed, hopefully, we’ll get a little video first. And maybe, if we’re lucky, there won’t be bull-men and we can pull the phone back having learned a bit more about their side of the portal.”

“I like it,” Trey said with a nod.

“Sounds good to me,” Mason agreed.

“Only if she’s not the one to put the item through,” Kayden said and folded his arms across his chest.

“I’m hurt and annoyed by that statement,” I admitted aloud.

“We can buy a burner phone while Mas and Lily are hunting,” Trey said to Kayden. “And figure out a rope system that will work.”

“I think we should ensure she’s not nearby at all,” Kayden said.

“Whydidyou walk towards the portal?” Mason asked.

“I felt it was safe to approach,” I said, since that was true and didn’t reveal more than that to them.

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