Page 69 of Fae Devoted
The king gave Samuel a long, flat look, the powerful Ferwyn male assessing but not challenging his wolf’s equal.
“None,” Remington said, rubbing his bare nape; his hair cut short enough to see his neck was unmarked by the Elven Lord’s brand, an encouraging sign. The shifter’s frustration gave the air a sour note. “Assuming we aren’t dealing with a massive cloaking ward…the UP’s towns, Anwyll Colonies, and individual packs are still spread throughout more than sixteen thousand square miles of rugged terrain. It isn’t easy to search for the equivalent of a needle in a haystack, even in wolf form.
“If yoursourcecould give us more direction, it would be helpful. Did they keep dairy cows or goats…livestock of any kind on this homestead? Could they see water or only a tree line? Shit, I’d take knowing the amount of snowfall at this point.”
“The snow was deep and hung around until April. Several outbuildings surround the primary residence, one of them houses a heated pool, and another is a large barn that stores their vehicles. They use underground tunnels to travel between the individual buildings for…training.” Samuel’s voice went low. “The structures all appear run-down from the outside, but the inside and connecting sub-levels were modernized with high-tech security. When allowed to walk outside or leave on assignment, rushing water was heard but not seen. And to our knowledge, there was never any livestock on the grounds.”
“Icelandic sheep,” Tucker reminded his Alpha. Abby recounted seeing the odd-looking animals once, comparing their thick, wool coats to the fleece of a long-haired alpaca onlypuffier.
“A few wandered near the facility’s property line and were chased away by guards dressed as farmhands,” Samuel clarified.
Anand exchanged a knowing look with Lydia. Attention now rapt, the beta leaned in and placed his palms on the conference table. “Approximately how deep was the snow? Certain sections of the UP get heavier snowfall than other areas.”
“Our sources were born in the South.” The prior anxiety in Tucker’s link with Samuel decreased, and the ghost of a smile touched his lips. “Two inches is heavy to them, but at a guess…two to three feet at times.”
“Sources? More than one Na’fhuil was forced to work for the facility?” Commander Baxter asked. “How many halfbloods did this nameless Director hold captive?”
“Three confirmed,” Ethan chimed in, briefed on the private flight from Memphis. The witch clasped his hands in front ofhim, placing the swirling white tattoos circlingeveryfinger, thumb, and knuckle on full display.
“But we have no idea how many Fae descendants this operation has discovered over the years.” Lady Rose hesitated before saying, “Or if the facility is connected to Lord Daimhín in some way.”
“If you believe the brochures, ninety percent of the world’s crude ore passes through the Soo Locks or is transported by railway through our borders,” Remington explained. “Over eighty million tons of it annually. The few Dádhe that visit us here swear they can feel the effect and avoid the area whenever possible.”
“Yes, the metal’s presence is like an itch I cannot scratch,” the queen said; vampires were the most sensitive of the Fae Touched to iron. “I cannot imagine the level of discomfort a pureblood must feel under its influence.”
“Then why would an ancient Sídhe choose the UP to train the halfbloods?”
Tucker heard the disbelief in the king’s question and couldn’t blame him for his skepticism. They’d given the three a lot to take in without an ounce of tangible proof beyond their word and speculation.
“I do not know.” Lady Rose shook her head. “Perhaps the facility was already established in this location when Lord Daimhín discovered it?”
“We’ve known of the return of the Fae halfbloods for months, but it’s still hard to believe.” Lydia’s tight, black curls threaded with silver that ended at her jawline swayed as she shook her head. “And now we’re supposed to accept a pureblood Sídhe has returned to our realm and could be collaborating with a covert group associated with the American government practically in our backyard.”
“Not returned,” Samuel emphasized, tone devoid of emotion. “He never left.”
“So the gateway between Earth and Faery remains closed?” Anand asked.
“Yes,” Lady Rose replied, unflinching green gaze sliding from the beta to the king. “It is closed for now.”
“For now?” If the veins distending in his neck and biceps were any indication, Remington was losing patience. “Care to elaborate, milady?”
Tucker stepped closer to his queen while Ethan unclasped his hands, laying them flat on the table. A glance confirmed neither Anwyll had lit up again.
“Sinclair kidnapped my Ca’anam,” Samuel spoke into the mounting tension, his canines lengthening then quickly retreating. Tucker didn’t need a magical tie to his Alpha to decipher the seething anger Samuel grappled with. The king of the West South Central had yet to pay for his intolerable treatment of Abby, which didn’t sit well with him or anyone else who cared for the sweet halfblood.
“The vamp did what?” Remington’s irises flickered between mahogany and wolf-yellow. If a single Mating Mark reaped the respect of every Ferwyn male, a female who carried the status of Ca’anam was near sacrosanct in shifter society.
Samuel’s jaw worked, his fingertips converting into black claws. Tucker’s canines punched through his gums in response to his Alpha’s renewed rage.
“Nathan sent a vampire hybrid after our Abigail on Lord Daimhín’s orders.” Lady Rose answered for the struggling commander. On the surface, the queen gave off an impression of regal poise, but the scent of her outrage commingled with the males in the room. Only Lydia’s smell differed, emitting shock instead of fury.
“One of the Nine sent a…” Remington stopped, his hands clenched and released, clenched and released, nostrils flaring. “One of the Nine stole Walker’s truemate for an ancient Fae. Why?”
“It is Abigail’s opinion Nathan believes the return of the Sídhe and the subsequent war is unavoidable. She overheard comments while held prisoner that implied the king struck a bargain with Lord Daimhín to protect his region’s people from future harm. Nathan and his House thlán, Mason O’Donnell, made it clear they were unhappy with the duties forced upon them by the Fae but felt they had no alternative but to comply.”
“There’s no excuse for what Sinclair put Abby through,” Ethan snapped in an atypical burst of anger. But he’d witnessed the devastating aftermath of the cowboy king forcing Abby to use her unique magic for weeks on end. He was there when she’d saved Samuel’s life and, in doing so, almost lost her own.
The Alpha’s new mate had wormed her way into the hearts of more than just the pack.
