Page 63 of Death God

“The horseman and his minions tried all sorts of spells on me when they experimented on me,” I said. “Those spells couldn’t influence me for long. But if Spartoi said he had the final spell ready for me, then—” Dread choked me, and I couldn’t get the rest of the words out.

“We’ll need to find out about this spell and counter it,” Freckles said.

“We don’t have time for that,” Sam cut in urgently and breathed hard, fear dulling her warm eyes. “My sister is in grave danger. We need to get her out as soon as possible.”

Shade nodded. “That’s our new plan. We need to sneak Catnip out before Spartoi can get to her.”

“Not until my family is out and safe,” I said firmly. “They’re the priority.”

“To get out, we’ll need to get my cousin, Jay, on board,” Shade said. “He’s the only one who can bring people in and out right now. He’s proved himself loyal to the Alpha King, so his privilege hasn’t been revoked. However, that could change at any second, considering how paranoid the horseman of war is. So we’ll need to leave as soon as possible.” He turned to Sam and me. “Get ready.”

“The question remains: will you be able to persuade the commander?” Freckles asked.

“He’d walk over burning coals for Jared,” Shade said. “He’s a soldier, conditioned to obey his superior’s orders even if he knows they’re wrong. He can’t deal with turning on the Alpha King. I haven’t been able to get through to him yet, but I’ll keep trying. I’ve told him that Jared no longer exists and that if the horseman of war wins, Earth will be under his reign of terror. I reminded him of how War crippled our civilizations and slaughtered billions. My knuckleheaded cousin warned me not to breach that subject again. He claimed that he would never commit treason, no matter what, and told me that he wouldn’t report me to the Alpha King this time only because I was his cousin and he had a responsibility toward me. I’m afraid that Jay might follow the Alpha King to the bitter end.”

“If I can find the great power, we won’t need Going-gray.” I punched my fist against my palm, trying to lift everyone’s spirits. Originally, I’d planned to punch Shade in the arm, but he shied away before I could land a strong fist on him. “I’ll then bring down the ward and we’ll all flee through the portal.”

“That just adds another uncertainty,” Shade sighed.

“We’ll have to take the shot,” Freckles said. “Pip always brings chaos in her wake, but she also often comes through for her friends and allies.”

“Do you know she bit off a princess’s ear during a catfight in the academy?” Shade asked.

Sam narrowed her eyes at Shade. “My sister wouldn’t do that. Pip is the sweetest person ever.”

Freckles and Shade roared with laughter and woke up my nephew, and he asked for ice cream.

I paused my pacing and looked at Shade. “You know what it means if you’re seen helping me escape.”

“I’ll be marked as a traitor and the Alpha King will hunt me to the ends of the Earth,” Shade said, and I’d never seen him this calm. “But there’s no other path now. I won’t run. I’ll lead the rebel shifter army against the horseman of war, who took my brother. I hope that I’ll have more time to show the pack the Alpha King’s true colors, so I can gather a bigger number. But war doesn’t follow plans and waits for no one. Right now, the most important step is to get you and your family out.”

“How are we going to find the great power?” Sam asked.

She was one hundred percent in and trusted me without question, just like when we were children she’d always followed my lead.

“The spirits were sure that it’s in the dark tower,” I said. “I’ve also felt its pull ever since I got here. Time for me to seek it out. But first, we need a distraction tonight.”

“What kind of distraction do you have in mind?” Shade asked.

CHAPTER 17

It turned out that Dylan and his girlfriend were great event planners. They were running a boutique wedding event company before the dark mages snatched them and Sam.

They got the party set up in no time based on my bold idea, which I had borrowed from Spartoi. He’d given me an orgy reception, so I was returning the favor.

Dylan and Phoebe didn’t bat an eye when I told them it’d be a nude masquerade ball before midnight. An orgy party wasn’t my thing now that I had a mate, who turned out not to be having an affair. But I bet Danielle and Paris would love to see this, and I suspected that they were still virgins. Last time, when I was a virgin as well, I’d consulted them about blowjobs, and they’d giggled childishly.

Marlowe, however, would kill everyone before letting them see me naked. He was possessive and vicious like that.

I thanked my luck a few times that my family wasn’t a bunch of judgmental pricks. After decades of being apart and seeing me again, they hadn’t judged me for whatever I was. They just accepted me for what I’d once been to them—their big sister.

“To make this work,” Sam said, “this fancy nude masquerade ball will be held in the Alpha King’s honor. It’s similar to the bride’s family hosting a bachelor party for the groom.”

Ew. But then all this was just a scheme, so I should stomach it.

Sam even recruited the help of our enemies and got a team of dark witches involved in setting up the party, exploiting their labor and talent. While I was extremely hostile toward the mages and the witches, she played the good cop. The witches, all of them carnal creatures, loved the idea anyway. They were all hedonists who were greedy for power.

Word spread to the entire castle that everyone was invited to a nude masked ball in honor of the Alpha King.

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