“He doesn’t mean it the way it sounded. I killed for him, and he’s honor-bound to kill for me,” I explained quickly. “At least, that’s how he put it.”
Nathan muttered, “Khal-what now?”
I ignored Nathan and looked at Vee. “You followed us?”
His head lifted. That monstrous snout almost brushed my hand.“Debt must be paid. I know where a portal is that you seek.”The air snapped with shock.“I have not traveled there in many years, so I can’t know its condition. But it is near to us.”
Oren materialized suddenly, voice low and dangerous. “Why help us?”
The Varruk rose to his full height—nearly seven feet—muscles coiling, teeth flashing. Looking like a monster from nightmares, but there was intelligence behind it—something ancient, wounded, and bound by his own code. “Because she did not kill me when ordered.” His gaze swept over my men. “Because they would kill her, and that cannot be allowed.”
Then his eyes landed on Torren.
Hard.
Knowing.
For the first time, Torren didn’t look like the confident, arrogant man he usually presented. Neither spoke, but something important passed between them.
Nathan’s hand tightened around my hip, voice low. “Reverie… are you sure he can be trusted?”
There was a warm, instinctive certainty in my chest. “He’s not our enemy.”
Pantar moved to Vee’s side, enormous heads inches apart. The Fellat didn’t growl or try to attack. Instead, he reached out with one tentacle and slowly touched Vee’s shoulder.
Nathan blinked. “Are they fucking bonding?”
Zane laughed, “Looks like it. This Faction just leveled the fuck up.”
Vee turned, pointing a claw toward a rocky ridge behind the cave.“The portal is close. But others hunt it. They hunt you.”
Jet stepped beside me, voice tense. “Reverie, if he knows the route, he might be our only chance.”
Oren nodded once. “We move with him. Quietly. Quickly.”
Vee crouched, lowering himself as if he expected—Ancestors help me—to carry someone.
Zane whispered, “No way. No. Absolutely?—”
Nathan shoved him toward Vee. “Shotgun. Enjoy.”
“REVERIE!” Zane shouted, shoving back at Nathan.
“Man the fuck up, brother.” Chloe laughed so hard she was leaning on her men to keep from falling.
I couldn’t stop myself from laughing. Even now—dirt in my hair and an army hunting us—my men were chaos mixed with love.
We headed toward the portal with a monster who owed me his life and a Fellat who trusted him enough to betourlives on it.
And somewhere behind us, I hoped Selene was sick with stress, worrying that the girl she tried to break… was coming back with an army of nightmares to finish what she started.
Chapter 22
Kharox
They did not hear the forest the way I did.
The trees whispered of hunters.
