The griffin moved his nose away from the sleep shirt and gave me one regal nod. I leaned forward and snatched the sleep shirt, raising it to my nose.
“Smells like griffin,” I snarled. My witchling’s sweet scent was nowhere to be found. The griffin looked into my eyes, and I sighed.
“Keep it.” I handed it back. Lia stalked into the room, jumped onto the bed, and casually hissed at the griffin, who watched her curiously.
His tail moved, and the feline crouched, ready to leap.
“Don’t eat the cat.” I warned the griffin. “Danica would cry.”
I left the room and made my way down to the conference room. It smelled of stale coffee and exhaustion. Everyone went working as I walked in, and my eyes met Nathaniel’s. I raised one eyebrow as I passed the Alpha. “You look like shit.”
He let out a low growl. “Ditto, demon.”
Tobias stepped into the room, a large platter of sandwiches in his hand. “I think it’s time for everyone to have a bite to eat,” the butler said.
Nathaniel nodded at him. “Thank you.” He picked up a sandwich and took a bite, and his wolves took that as a signal to help themselves.
Sitri’s eyes widened. “This is delicious,” he said, lifting the top piece of bread to contemplate the meat, cheese, and salad Tobias had put together. Bael took a bite as well, but instead of inspecting the contents of his sandwich, he was surveying Tobias. Nathaniel shot him a look, and Bael sent him a shit-eating grin straight back.
“I will not war with the wolves over their butler,”I warned Bael.
He glanced at me.“Of course not, boss. If I stole him, the wolves would never know.”
“You better be attempting to be amusing–”
Ag stepped into the room, and I instantly knew I wasn’t going to like what he had to say.
“I have a message from Taraghlan,” Ag announced.
The room turned silent. The pocket realm was due to be delivered today. If the seelie king was sending me a message instead of providing me with the pocket realm, something had gone wrong.
And his people were going to die.
“Speak.” The word was more of a growl. Ag sent me one considering look that would have gotten anyone else killed.
“The bubaks knew Taraghlan’s people were coming. They took the artifact and ran.”
Cold rage spread its tendrils through every inch of my body. I had given the seelie king a chance to keep his word, a chance to choose the right side.
Our forces were due to be in the underworld days before the night of a hundred thousand stars. But this delay could mean my little witch was left to fend for herself.
No. I wouldn’t allow that to happen.
“Ran. Where.”
“We believe they headed to Alychia. One of the most dangerous regions of the seelie realm. Our spies believe the bubaks have been attempting to find a way to use the pocket realm to secretly breed so they can grow their people,” Ag said. “All it would have taken was a single rumor that we wanted it.”
The beast inside me, the one who had lost his mate, who had been ruthlessly collared by my determination to remain logical and in control…
It broke free.
I felt my wings extend. Heard Evie scream as one of them went through a wall. Saw Nathaniel leap toward her and cover her body with his.
Dimly, I was aware of Ag and Bael speaking in quiet voices, urging me to fight the need to slaughter anyone who kept me from my little witch.
They. Ran. From. Me.
My wings retracted with a snap as I strode out of the room and leapt off the balcony.
