Anton was not going to be happy when he arrived at the location I’d given him to find Connor absent.
By now, Drake had sat fully upright.
Connor dropped the leg he’d had stretched out behind him to the ground.
Since neither of the two were pretending not to know me, I gave them a jaunty wave and a “what can you do” shrug.
“Unbelievable,” Drake mouthed as if he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.
Connor’s features tightened, his stormy expression a replica of Liam’s.
Grateful not to have to face a Fae pleasure den on my own, I started toward the pair.
Connor’s expression turned thunderous, his eyes widening an instant before someone roughly grabbed my arm and jerked me into the side of their body.
“You’re not supposed to be here,” my assailant spat.
Verdant green eyes glared down into mine. Their familiarity the only reason I didn’t stab the asshole in the gut with the pocket knife I’d hidden at my waist. A tendril of my magic reached out, peeling back a tiny layer of his illusion. Baran’s features superimposed themselves over the face of the stranger.
Irritation bit into his face as he gave me a harsh shake that sent pain screeching up my arm. “Do not use your power in this place. Not unless you wish an early death.”
I clamped down on my magic, forcing it back into hibernation.
Baran hustled me away as an enraged yowl came from Connor’s direction. “I take it I have you to thank for those two tailing me all night long.”
Cries of dismay rose from behind us.
Over my shoulder, I caught a brief glimpse of Connor vaulting over couches as he barreled toward us. Drake was harder to spot, a dark shadow along the periphery, dodging obstacles as he followed, the glint of metal in his hand pointing to a weapon of some kind.
Baran bared his teeth at the two. “They’re as stubborn as you.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It’s not.” He shoved me in front of him as we reached the wall. A shrill whistle left him a second later.
At his signal, Fae ghosted into Connor’s path, forcing my brother to stop and fight. He snarled, flashing his fangs.
“I can’t believe I had to waste a favor on this,” Baran snapped, reaching up to touch a rock in the wall.
Drake came out of the shadows, low and fast. His face intent as he closed the distance.
Baran shoved me inside the hole that had just formed. “Get in.”
I stumbled back, my eyes locked on Drake’s.
He wasn’t going to make it. The knowledge was written there on his face.
Baran was already stepping through, the wall closing when Drake drew back his arm and let fly. A pained grunt left Baran as the dagger entered his shoulder an instant before the door sealed itself.
There was a thump from the other side and the sound of banging.
“Iron?” Baran ground out, reaching back to touch the hilt of the knife in his shoulder. “He brought iron to a barrow?”
A string of curses left him.
My lips quivered with the urge to smile.
Nice job, cuz.
