The robe that Kara wore slipped off her shoulders and dropped to the floor. She placed her hand into the elf king’s. Peri’s eyes traveled to the next piece of paper when it started moving. Now, the two figures on the page lay on the bed. Kara’s body shook as she straddled Ludcarab. He wrapped his hand around her head and pulled her face down to his. Their lips touched, and Peri swallowed down bile that rose in her throat. She felt her power growing in lockstep with her rage and knew her skin must be glowing with it.
“No.” Tenia breathed out, her voice shaking with horror as they watched the elf king take what wasn’t his. Peri knew Kara would not be doing this of her own volition.
Movement on the next page drew Peri’s attention. Now Ludcarab lay still, his eyes wide with shock and horror. Kara sat up. She lifted her hand, and a blade suddenly appeared in it. The healer didn’t hesitate. She drove the dagger down into the elf king’s chest, straight into his heart.
“It is time.”
Peri’s head snapped up as the Great Luna’s voice filled the cave. The high fae bowed her head and saw Tenia out of the corner of her eye do the same.
“Judgment has come to the fallen king who has dared to touch one of mine,” the goddess said, her voice so powerful and full of rage that it rattled Peri’s bones. “It is time to gather the scattered pack and find your lost healer. It is time for the prodigal to be reunited to those he hurt and atonement to be paid. It is time for the pack to welcome a new son. Soon, hope born from this evil act will be revealed. Everything happens for a reason in its appointed time. And everything works toward the good of those who love me.”
Peri felt peace beyond any understanding fill her, regardless of the horror she’d just witnessed in Torion’s drawing. She felt the Great Luna’s love and knew it would be that love that drove her to fight for her pack, rather than the hatred of the Order. She felt a righteous anger, not one born of her own need for revenge.
The power faded from the room, and Tenia quickly gathered the papers as soon as they realized the Great Luna had gone.
“I think I’m going to be sick.” Tenia’s hands shook as she tried to stack the papers.
“There will be time for that later.” Peri stood. “Right now, we need to get to the veil and share what we’ve learned. Then we haul ass to the hunting party.”
A minute later, Skender returned with Torion. He took Tenia’s other hand, the one that didn’t hold the pages that revealed the horrible prophecy Torion had drawn. It made Peri sick to realize that the child had seen it even though Skender had taken him away. The boy had been the one to draw it, after all.
Movement caught Peri’s eye, and she turned to see Galan still hovering at the opening. Next to him, his mother beat her wings, which held her bobbing in the air outside the cave. “We are here when you need us,” Serapha said. “You have our allegiance, Perizada of the fae.”
Peri bowed her head to the draheim and then looked back at Tenia. “Let’s go.”
They flashed and reappeared in front of the veil. Peri didn’t waste a second placing her hand against the invisible barrier. It dropped in a heartbeat, and she stepped through. Tenia, Skender, and Torion were right next to her.
The group, most of which had been sitting down, jumped to their feet. Some had taken on attack stances, while others simply stood with wide eyes. It didn’t surprise Peri in the least when Jen was the first one to get over the shock.
“Finally,” the blonde growled. “Someone to kill. Elle,” Jen yelled to the fae and held out an open hand. Elle threw a blade, and the she-wolf caught it without looking.
“What the heck is going on?” Heather asked.
Peri didn’t take her eyes off Jen. She tried to decide if she should just let this play out so Jen could exorcize a little of the crazy Peri could plainly see in the blonde’s eyes, or if she needed to stop it and force the beta female to comply.
“Jen,” Jacque called out.
“Not now, Red. And if you give me an alpha command, I will make your life a living hell, alpha or not.” She broke into a sprint. When she was a few feet away, Jen leaped toward Skender, the blade swinging.
Skender shoved Tenia and Torion to the side, and Peri grabbed them both, pulling them behind her.
“Peri,” Tenia shouted. “Stop her!”
“I’m sorry, Tenia, but this has to happen.” Peri snapped her fingers, binding Tenia and Torion where they stood.
Skender didn’t move an inch as Jen’s blade slashed across his chest, ripping through his shirt and the flesh beneath it. Neither did he cry out or even wince.
“Skender!” Tenia yelled. The anguish in Tenia’s voice nearly cracked Peri’s resolve.
Jen whipped around and dropped to the ground, sticking out her foot and sweeping Skender’s legs from beneath him. He hit the ground with a thud. Jen was on him a second later, her hand on his throat and the dagger held over her head. The image was eerily similar to the one Peri had just seen on the paper that Torion drew. Peri flung out a hand and the blade flew out of Jen’s grasp. It sailed away and embedded itself into a tree.
A second later, Myanin stood behind Jen with her own blade to the blonde’s throat.
“I’ve grown to like you, Jen,” Myanin said, her voice soft but threatening. “But killing Skender would hurt Tenia and her offspring. And no one gets to hurt them, no matter what reason you have to justify his death.”
Jen didn’t appear fazed at the loss of her weapon or the knife held against her flesh. The crazy she-wolf actually leaned into the blade, causing it to cut her skin. A trickle of red ran down her throat, and she smiled as if she enjoyed the pain. Peri mentally rolled her eyes. The nutjob probablydidenjoy it.
“Myanin.” Gerick walked toward his mate. “This isn’t your fight. This is wolf business.”
