One of his dark brows inches upward. “Last time we sparred, it was a tie.”
“Because I didn’t have anyone or anything to fight for.” I look at the bedroom door. “That’s changed over the last month.”
“The last month?” Cael echoes, feigning confusion. “Did I fall into a time warp?”
I fold my arms and return my focus to the asshole across from me. “You know Z-Clan wolves are fated. And you know she’s mine. So stop trying to piss me off and be helpful instead.”
His expression clears, his royal mask falling into place. “I am helping. You just don’t realize it yet.”
I stare at him.
He stares back.
“I hate your games.”
The mask cracks, his lips curling a little into a smile. “You’ll love this one, G.”
I shake my head. “No, I won’t,C.”
He lifts a shoulder, then reaches for the drink Ashlyn left for him on the table. It’s not water, but a beer from my mini fridge.
And not just any beer, but one from the pack I put in there specially for Cael.
Clever seer, I think, suddenly a lot more tired than minutes ago.
“She doesn’t know where Nikiski is,” I say, grabbing my water—I don’t care for alcohol—and taking a long drink. “So we’re no closer to finding her.” I can’t help the subtle hint of bitterness in my tone. Reading those journal entries gave me hope.
I finally thought we might be close.
And now… now I don’t fucking know where to begin.Again.
Cael sets his bottle down. “She might not know a distinct location, but she’s seen visions of where you need to go. Just give her time to share them, and perhaps it’ll give you the clues we need.”
I dip my chin, agreeing with him even as the bitterness spreads through my veins.
It’s not Ashlyn I blame, but myself.
I had one job that night.
Onetask.
“Grab Nikiski.”
That’s all my mother asked me to do.
But when I went into my sister’s room, Spruce was there waiting for me.
His lips parted into an evil grin, his green eyes glittering with triumph.
Than he fucking disappeared with our sister in his burly arms, mere seconds before Cael’s father shadowed into the compound with his Elites.
My father died horribly that night, a fact that’s never bothered me.
But Spruce’s betrayal has forever plagued me.
My own fucking brother.
He took Nikiski to the slave trade—to fucking Prince Tadhg—in exchange for a job. Then Spruce died for his trouble.
