Page 197 of The Lands Defying
“Hey,” I say, smiling at him. “Come here.”
They have all met Runa and Drax, but Axis hasn’t been this close to them.
Axis eyes me for a moment, but then walks toward me. I feel Darius tense as he comes to my back, and I would roll my eyes at him but the truth is…I don’t know what will happen.
Kade is still having…issues with what is real and what isn’t. He has outbursts, random bouts of anger and I’ve seen him a few times with cuts on his lips and bruising, but Darius told me to keep out of it. That it’s better for him to go to him for a fight than picking one with the wrong person.
I’m thankful in a sense that Darius is willing to do that after everything. It’s not lost on me that Kade isn’t Darius’s favorite person, but he won’t kill him.
He promised me.
When Axis is within distance, I place a palm on his head and stoke behind his ears. “Did you have a good run?” I ask, he huffs.
I smile at him and watch as Runa slowly comes to us. Axis tenses, turning his head toward her but then he slowly relaxes. Runa dips her head and nuzzles his neck, and when Axis leans into the touch, I want to cry.
Darius wraps an arm around my waist, sensing my emotions and I place a hand over his, squeezing it in gratitude.
Drax comes over next, never leaving Runa alone for long, and when Axis looks up at him I see it then, the change.
Not from wolf to male, from Axis to Kade.
I swallow my surprise at how easily that came for him after fighting for control for so long, but the longer Drax stares at Kade, the more he comes through and straightens.
He shakes out his fur, stretching a little and then he walks toward Drax.
I hold my breath nervously, but Drax nudging the top of his head with his nose is all that occurs, and they are all off, running through the trees.
I sag back into Darius with relief.
“I never thought he would ever get control,” Josh says, looking to where they ran off also. “I’m glad he’s getting better.
“I am too.” We can only hope it lasts.
Fifty Eight
Rhea
We are going to torture a man today.
No, not man, a monster.
Frederick has been kept in a makeshift shack on the outskirts of Eridian, in The Deadlands. I had pushed his being alive out of my mind for a little while, not ready to face him. But I am now.
Darius says he’s held securely, that he is guarded all times of the day, but having a Higher that close to us— to my family, has me wanting to tear my skin off.
It feels…wrong.
We port in at the top of the cliffs, and I look to Darius as he glances toward the Unforgivable Sea. I step toward him and look more closely at him, no, he’s looking at Lovers Falls from up here.
“Hey,” I say gently, reaching out for his arm, ignoring my own shiver running down my spine.
He blinks, seemingly coming out of whatever moment he was in, and looks to me. “Yeah?”
“Are you okay?” I feel awkward asking, and I regret it instantly when he smirks.
“Are you caring for me again, little wolf?” His arms wrap around me and I try to push him off.
“Forget it,” I mumble, not in the mood for his teasing.
