Page 17 of Moon Raven Rising
“Let’s addinsatiable,” she teases.
“Mmmm, very much so.” I press myself against her back, my need growing with every touch.
“Trent,”
“Mmmm,” I breathe into her ear. “I like it when you say my name.” My tongue slides up the side of her neck.
“Trent!” She turns in my arms, slapping my chest, and I laugh again, but let her go and grab my breeches from the ground and pull them on.
“Fine, but you will get it for pinching me.”
“Oh, I look forward to it.”
We have spent too much time in the infirmary these days. I know I’m not the only one who wishes that we could just have a few days of peace, but the gods and fate have deemed it necessary to torment us… Ambriel says they are ‘molding’ the future of the realm, but as I see, it’s been nothing short of wreaking havoc on the land.
“Ambriel filled me in on the vision that Alaric shared with the two of you,” Maki says as a greeting when we enter the antechamber. “I know it’s hard to come to terms with, but what Cano has been saying…”
“Cano is telling the truth,” Ambriel says, threading her hand in mine. Sensing my unease.
“So what if he is? What are we going to do about it? We can’t trust him, not after everything.” I grind out. “He should be locked away until Dax is back. He and Raelle can decide what to do with him.”
“Only that is the problem. Dax and Raelle are missing—we have to accept the fact that Cano knows his father better than any of us. If anyone could be of use right now, it’s him, and since I’m speaking freely, Alaric is just as much an asset, if not more. It would not be wise to treat either of them any other way.” There isa moment of silence as I stare at the door separating us from the rooms that hold the Fae she speaks of.
Chewing the inside of my lip, I think about Alaric. I have no argument with what she has said about him. He may be a thorn in Dax’s side, but I have no issues with him. I’ve seen his magic, and seeing what he can do in training alone proves him to be useful. Cano too would be a useful Fae to have around if we were merely looking at his ability as a soldier. It’s trusting him that is the issue.
“You don’t have to trust him to utilize him,” Ambriel says, possibly reading my thoughts—we have yet to talk about the extent of her gift or how it works. I narrow my eyes on her, and her knowing smile makes me think that my instinct is right.
“Fine. We use him, but he stays on a short leash. Flynn should come too. He can be another set of eyes on him. He helped Dax when he was a prisoner in Demetrey. I’m sure he could be of use if we need to go there too. Plus, he is a good fighter.” I turn to make eye contact with my cousin. “You should stay with your people.”
“I’ve thought about it all night. As much as I would like to come with you all, I think it wise I stay here in Loema and keep an eye on my territory. I will do all I can to watch over Ravendene as well. If I need to, I will make a trip there to show the people we are still their leaders. I will also send a group of warriors with you all. This will be no small group as it was last time.” I nod my agreement.
“Then it is settled.” We clasp our hands around our forearms. The grip is firm and absolute as we come to a decision.
“It is,” he says.
“Well, let’s go talk to Alaric and tell Cano he is going to work with us to kill his father or die along with him.” I say, as I push the door open, leading Ambriel in and letting it fall closed behind Maki as we make our way to the door.
Chapter sixteen
Raelle was here. Ithad to have been her that led me to the cave entrance. She led me to my body, but as hard as I’ve been trying since the feeling of her presence left me, I can’t return to it. Instead, I’ve been sitting here wracking my brain about what I can do to either get back to myself or find whatever it is within this godsdamned tunnel system.It has to be possible. The night that I was in her bed must have been real too. I don’t understand how, but I projected out of this cave.To her.
My head falls back against the stone wall, and I let my eyes follow suit. There is no point in having them open just to look at the husk of the man I used to be. I don’t know how long I’ve been here like this. I reflect upon all the time I have wasted being stuck in similar feelings. Time inches on forever, and like no time has passed at all. A limbo of nothingness. Days and nights bleeding into one another. Sleeping and awake many times over, and sometimes just so I don’t have to think consciously.
When all I see is darkness, it’s hard to think there was ever any light.
The cave my body lies in looks the same as it did before. It’s what is outside that has changed. Scorch marks paint the ground with devastation. The downed trees are burned to coal, along with the surrounding brush. Ash and ruin litter the ground, and more floats away with each gust of wind from the otherwise calm sea.
I could say the same for my sanity. A little more gone with each wave of wakefulness, but the time between doesn’t last long. Already, I’m tired again.
Numbly, I replay the events of the evening that I left them here. Hoping I notice something, anything, that will help me get out of here and back to them. Something that might tell me how long I have been shadow projecting. The sky is curtained with the gray of winter, just like when we arrived, and other than the wreckage of the land…there is nothing. My worry outweighs any other thoughts. I don’t know what happened to cause the devastation outside of the cave, much less if anything happened to the Fae I came here with.
Forcing myself to stand with a grunt, I drag my feet to the mouth of the cave and feel the magic radiating from the exit, and my body stiffens. The magic doesn’t feel right. Sickly and thick, it radiates a heavy sense of darkness. My shadows respond to my anger, curling around my hands like a storm.
This has to be Cano and Soren.
I stand there like a statue, thinking about the possibilities… What could have happened to my mate? My friends and the Fae I should have been taking care of… but I shake my head. I had to do this.Didn’t I?
I still need to find what we came here for. I can feel it. Something trying to tug me back into the darkness of the cliffside. Something pulling me into the labyrinth at my back.Lost in thought, my eyes flick to the right when I think I hear something. Cocking my head to the side, I wait. It could very well have only been seconds, but the time between then and now feels like ages as I wait, listening for what I thought I heard.
