Page 129 of Wrath

I swallowed. “But you’re wrong. My father wanted me to believe I was nothing, that I could never be happy the way I was. He even made me believe it for some time too. I don’t need to walk in order to be strong. I can protect my mate and family some other way. I may not know exactly how to yet, but I won’t give up. I’m better than that.” I sucked in another breath, the cold air like needles in my lungs. “I’mnotnothing. I’m everything.”

I threw my fist at the mirror with a scream that went on and on and on, wrenched from my chest. It seemed as if the glass wasn’t the only thing that shattered, but the floor too, disappearing out from underneath me and drawing me into itsglacial depths. Familiar claws of panic raked up and down my spine as I fell, fell, fell, fell.

And landed in my chair, directly in front of a wide-eyed Z.

FORTY-FIVE

Z

“One week. You’re saying I was gone an entire week?” Dair stared up at me in amazement, and god help me, I wanted nothing more than to kiss him.

“Eight days to be exact.” Lupe pushed open the tent flap and stepped inside, the rest of my mates trickling in behind him.

They all stopped to greet Dair with those awkward “man hugs” that usually ended with a slap on the back.

Dair volleyed his gaze between me and the others before focusing on the shifter. “Lupe…you’re back?”

“We are.” Bash leaned against the nearest post and kicked out his legs, crossing them at the ankles. “Arrived a day or two earlier.”

“And everything went okay?” Dair pressed.

I wanted to ask him about the trial, but I could tell he had other things on his mind.

What test would my mother put the prince of envy through?

“We were able to free over two thousand humans,” Killian piped in, stepping forward. “Half of them are willing to join our cause.”

“The other half is too weak or young,” Bash said. “We’re going to send them with Davia.”

Davia, B, and Paco arrived six days ago. We all agreed that the innocents should get as far away from the battle as possible. They would go with Davia to her original camp—as far away from the fighting as possible. We would send some of our best soldiers with them for protection. They were packing up as we spoke and should be on the road by the end of the day.

Those of us who remained would fight.

“We were able to liberate five work camps,” Lupe said.

Unlike Bash and Killian, who sounded proud of their accomplishments, Lupe just sounded tired. Forlorn. There were heavy circles beneath his eyes, and I knew that guilt was the cause of them. He had seen firsthand what his father had done, and it haunted him.

“The rest would be too difficult.” Bash frowned. “They’re located in heavily populated cities. We won’t be able to take them out until we have the backing of Lilith and Lupe is officially king.”

My shifter mate’s hand curled into a fist. “Once I’m king, these prisons will be abolished once and for all.”

Dair nodded, taking this all in, before turning towards me. “What’s the plan?”

“The plan?”

A tiny smile flickered on Dair’s face for a fraction of a second. “I know you, Z. After the most recent battle with Aaliyah, you won’t be willing to just sit on the sidelines and wait for her to come to you. So what’s the plan?”

Ryland stepped forward then, bare-chested and with a bandage wrapped around his torso. Despite the healer’s pleas for him to remain in bed, Ryland refused, insisting he needed to help. I didn’t blame him. If the situation were reversed, therewas no way in hell I would willingly stand on the sidelines while those I loved were in danger.

“Now that the shadows are on our side, I’ve been sending them to spy on Aaliyah and her army. We know where her base is, and we’re gathering intel on her next move,” the shadow prince said.

“We plan to intercept her. Take her by surprise. Bring the fight to her,” I finished.

Dair’s eyes widened. “Even without the shifters?”

“We don’t have time to wait.” I glanced out of the corner of my eye at Lupe, who still appeared stone-faced, taut lines visible between his brows.

I edged closer to him and gripped his hand in mine, wordlessly reminding him that I was here, that I loved him, that our time would come.

---