Page 42 of Midnight Deception

Not to mention Atlas, my mate. Before, when we both hated each other, the thought of leaving him here was an easy one. Sure, my bond wasn’t happy about it, but I could live without him. Things are different now, though, especially after last night. We’ve still not completed the bond, but I understand him better and his reasons for behaving the way he did. I don’t think I could just walk away and leave him now. Then there’s our sexual connection…

I had a great night’s sleep, most likely thanks to those sexual exploits, and I didn’t even dream. While I woke feeling refreshed, I feel unsettled, my soul crying out to be out in the forests and under the moonlight. Going this long without feeling the moon rise and set while dancing among the wolves is making me feel jittery and caged.

Thanks to the fact that I didn’t dream, I’ve not had any of my waking dreams, and as such, I’ve not been able to touch base with Joel and Syn. I can feel that they are both alive and unharmed through our connection, but thanks to the bond being muted, that’s all I’m able to tell. This doesn’t help with the worry churning in my gut. Even the presence within me is unusually quiet, sitting back as if unable or unwilling to engage, but that might be because of last night’s exploits.

A knock at the door breaks me from my melancholy thoughts, and I rush over and practically rip it from its hinges.

“Take me to Nicolai,” I demand as my eyes land on Kano, not giving him a chance to even say hello.

Taken aback, he blinks at me for a moment before crossing his arms over his chest and levelling me with a look. He doesn’t like being told what to do, that much is clear, however he doesn’t seem too put out.

“Whoa, good morning, Laelia. Nice to see you too.” Sarcasm practically drips from his words as he gives me a half-smile. Taking a deeper look at me, his smile drops. “What’s going on?”

Realising that I’m not doing a very good job of concealing my overwhelmed state, I deflate. “Sorry, I’m just—” I cut myself off with a shake of my head and release a long, pent-up breath. “I’m out of sorts, I guess. There’s so much going on here that I have no control over, and now Nicolai has been dragged into it too. Then there’s the sect that wants me dead, and the queen who definitely has some secret plan for me—”

Hands land on my shoulders, and I lift my lowered gaze, focusing on my half-brother and his frowning face. “Laelia, stop.” He looks me over, obviously not happy with what he’s seeing. “Is it the sickness again? I thought spending time with Atlas and releasing your magic was helping?”

I can’t blame him for assuming that the mate sickness has returned, but he’s right, the release of my power and the physical contact I’m getting from Atlasarehelping. This is more than that. When Atlas left this morning, he simply pressed a kiss to my lips, got dressed, and then left without a word, which is probably only adding to my confusion.

“I don’t think it’s the sickness. I just feel… trapped and overwhelmed.” I give my half-brother a shaky smile. “I’ll feel better once I see Nicolai.”

He continues to watch me warily, as if testing the weight of my words before releasing my shoulders and nodding slightly. “Let’s get you to him then.”

My heart flips in my chest, and we leave my rooms in silence. He leads me through Haven, and I know I should be taking note of the corridors and rooms, learning the routes in this maze-like building. That’s not what I’m doing though, my mind twisting over all the possible scenarios of what Nicolai has been through. He didn’t look sick. Dirty and tired, yes, but not close to death like he was before. I need to know what happened to him. Is he healed now? Was it the werewolf healers, or did the witches find a way to cure him?

Kano slows to a stop, and it takes me a moment to realise he’s no longer at my side. Turning in confusion, I find him behind me wearing an amused expression. He gestures for me to walk to him, obviously wanting to speak to me about something. Why it has to be in that exact spot, I don’t know, but I oblige. Bemused, I close the distance between us, my eyes flicking around the deserted corridor. I recognise this part of Haven, I’ve been here before.

Narrowing my eyes, I look down the corridor I’d just been walking down, and sure enough, I see two guards in front of a door, confirming my suspicions. Kano is taking me to the queen.

I swing around to look at him again, my face like thunder. “Why are we here?”

He winces at my sharp tone and rubs the back of his neck, looking genuinely sheepish, an expression I’ve not seen on him before. “She wanted to see you before you saw Nicolai.” He grimaces before I even react, knowing that I’m going to be indignant about his previous silence.

There was no mention of visiting the queen, and he could have told me—should have told me before we got here. Hands on my hips, I widen my stance as if I’m about to go into battle. “You couldn’t have warned me.”

“I wasn’t sure if you’d come,” he answers with a shrug, but he doesn’t do a good job of hiding his guilt, telling me that he feels bad about lying by omission.

I want to snort and respond that I’ll do anything to see Nicolai and make sure he’s okay, but I hold my tongue. I like Kano, but I’m still not sure where his loyalties are when it comes to the queen. Pressing my fingers to my temple, I make small circles on the skin to ease the pressure that’s building. I try to hold back my irritation, so I don’t say something I’m going to regret later. Rolling my shoulders, I drop my arms and meet his questioning gaze.

“Let’s get this over with.”

He laughs at my grumble and begins walking again, expecting me to follow, which, of course, I do. The closer we get to the guarded door at the end of the corridor, the more I notice a change in him. He stands taller, the smile has dropped from his face, and he carries an air of authority that gives off a warning not to mess with him. The guards snap to attention when they see him, the doors opening by themselves at the small gesture of one of the males.

Steeling myself for whatever bullshit I’m sure I’m about to face, I take a deep breath in the hopes that it’ll keep me calm. Just when I need it, the goddess’s presence settles over me, her divine magic giving me strength. She doesn’t speak to me, but I sense her intention as her love fills me. Whatever happens, I have the goddess on my side. With that surety guiding me, I stride into the room.

Like last time, the queen is lounging on the luxurious couch and the fireplace is ablaze, keeping the room so hot I already feel the prickle of sweat on my brow. How does she stand it being so warm in here? The answer is given to me as I look up at Atlas, who stands behind the couch, the scent of his magic in the air.

The absurdity of the situation almost makes me laugh aloud. She has the room so hot she needs Atlas to use his ice magic to keep her cool? The purpose of the blazing fire is a mystery, but the queen always has a reason for everything. At the moment, I’m leaning towards the idea that she just enjoys making others uncomfortable while she looks cool, calm, and put together.

Glancing around, I don’t see Luna, but the queen’s strange, dark companion is sitting in a chair in the far corner of the room, the shadows almost engulfing him. His black eyes flick to me, and I look away with a shudder, feeling thoroughly creeped out.

The doors shut silently behind us, and I already feel claustrophobic and trapped, my chest tightening as panic threatens to overwhelm me. A tiny tug on the bond has me looking up, and my eyes lock with Atlas’s. His stare is intense and gives nothing away, but I can feel his question through the bond. He can probably sense the pandemonium in my mind right now, and he reached out through our connection. Even just that simple mental touch helps settle me, and when his eyes heat, I’m reminded of last night.

I fight the wicked smile that’s trying to pull across my lips, but I must do a poor job as the queen clears her throat, popping the bubble between us.

“Am I interrupting?” Her sickly sweet voice makes me want to roll my eyes, but I know better than that, especially because she’s got Nicolai in her clutches. She’s jealous of my connection with Atlas, which is probably why he’s here now, using his power at her whim, showing off exactly whom he belongs to.

The possessive nature of my wolf shifts in me, wanting to snap and snarl, claiming him asmine, which is exactly what she wants. If I act out, she has an excuse to hurt Nicolai. That’s not about to happen, so I push back my pride and slap on a fake, pleasant expression.

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