Page 265 of A Warrior's Fate

The last person he’d ever looked at like that was Cora—which meant he was in trouble. More than she’d initially thought.

So, she’d learned on their trek back, Raana wasn’t only a witch but also bore the blood of fae. And putting aside her own fears and confusion, amidst the gratefulness, over what that meant for her healed self, Isla was concerned for her friend. This woman he held a fondness for may as well have been a bak. The pack, all the wolves of the continent, would view her the same way.

The amount of trust that Raana must’ve had in him, magic on her side or not, was great if she’d been willing to risk herself like this. To come here. To surround herself with predators that would’ve shredded her apart the moment they broke the surface if she hadn’t recast the enchantment meant to mask her from them.

Maybe she’d be useful in tracking down the other one.

Adrien left Isla, crossing the floor, and she watched closely as he and Raana spoke.

“Thank you,” he said to her.

Raana shrugged as if feigning it wasn’t a big deal. “Now, we’re even.”

Adrien grinned again, but it fell promptly. “We should get back to my father. He’s already on the boat to go back into the city. Now that the lockdown’s lifted, he wants to leave immediately.”

Isla glanced at Kai, also listening, his features drawn in a scowl. No meeting, no parting words, no congratulations, she assumed. If she could hear him through the bond, she imagined he’d been thinking, good riddance.

“We?” Raana asked. “I thought you didn’t want him to know you were here.”

“It’ll just be a few long lectures and painstaking visits from Winslow,” Adrien said. “I promised you’d get home safely.”

Everyone else’s behavior was just as awkward and unsure now while Raana and Adrien said their goodbyes as when they’d met the Heir and her brother. Though they didn’t know Raana was a witch, only thought she was of Io.

Isla let her arms linger around her friend for a few seconds longer than necessary, and he held her tighter. By the time they saw each other next, she'd likely be the Luna of Deimos, and they’d officially be on different sides.

But before they could go, there was a knock at the door, and silence descended upon the room.

Ameera was closest to the entrance as if guarding it, and pulled it open to reveal Imperial Beta Malakai.

He looked at no one else, not his runaway son, the Heir, or the other bewildered gazes. All he focused on was his daughter, tears lining his eyes.

“You’re okay,” he said, and for a moment, Isla forgot everything else. She forgot about the challenge vote and Io’s agenda.

Isla rushed for her father, and as he hugged her, she could feel him shaking like he was fighting back tears. She let a few of hers fall, and when he looked up at the nearby Sebastian and didn’t get angry, but beckoned him over, a couple more broke through. The weight of the body missing felt heavier now than it ever had, and Isla might’ve cried harder for it. For the words she just couldn’t speak.

Malakai stepped back from them and bowed his head to Kai. “I’m sorry. If I had known…I would’ve pushed harder.”

“Pushed harder?” Isla was wiping her face with her sleeve. “You said no?”

Malakai wasn’t allowed to say what he’d voted, but with the slight tip of his head, Isla knew. He let out a grunt as she nearly tackled him with another hug, and now his body shook with a chuckle.

“I need to go,” he said as Isla broke from him, and his eyes went to Kai again as the alpha shuffled closer. Isla took the few steps needed to stand at his side and looped her arm around his, then took his hand in hers. Malakai gave a tight smile and his voice was strained. “You have her?”

Kai’s grip on her hand tightened. “Always.”

Malakai swallowed hard, failing to subtly wipe his face, and bowed to them both. He turned to his son.

“I think I’m going to stay for a bit,” Sebastian said before glancing at his sister and brother-in-law. “If that’s okay with your majesties.”

Isla furrowed her brows. “Why do you want to?”

“Give my baby sister some support, destroy anyone who opposes you, and I hear this Equinox thing’s pretty fun,” he drawled.

Of course, overprotective, and of course, a party. She wouldn’t want him any other way.

“You’re still not coming over,” Ameera muttered from close by.

Sebastian put out a hand to signal he was aware of that but grinned like he knew it was only a matter of time. He said to their father, “I just want to be sure I won’t be declared a rogue by not coming home.”

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