“Kade, I could be gone for weeks in Earth time. What will happen if someone attacks your people?”
His stance remained calm, but now his eyes were burning hot coals. “Gerald and my mother will wipe them from the face of the planet. I’m going, Ari. You need my help to control the mecca. That’s the end of it.”
I wanted to fight him more on this. My gut was telling me to push back, but my heart wouldn’t do it. It was so selfish, but I didn’t want to do this without him.
“King Kade has a point,” Monica piped up. “What if you have to use the mecca in the fae lands and he isn’t there to bail you out?”
Yep, that was a fair call. When it came to mecca things, Kade did have a wonderful, annoying habit of saving my butt.
Knowing I’d never win this argument, and since my heart wasn’t in it any longer, I conceded.
“Fine, Kade and I will go to the Otherworld. The rest of you will stay here and make sure that the wolf and bear shifters are protected in case the fae attack while we’re gone.”
They opened their mouths to argue with me again, and I let out a growl that shut the conversation down fast. The Otherworld wasdangerous, fae were dangerous. I was trying to save my people here. Why couldn’t they see that?
Kade stepped up to my side then, from where he’d been propped against a wall. “I have a plan,” he said. Nix was perched on his shoulder looking down at Finn. Our familiars were probably having a silent conversation.
“Arianna, Nikoli, and I will head east. The treeling said that was the quickest way to the dark fae lands from where the mecca stone would place us. Monica, Blaine, and Victor follow soon after, head a few clicks west of our trail, but start curving around to meet up with us eventually. It will look like two small traveling or hunting parties, but if things go wrong we can assemble quickly as a group. Jen and Calista can stay behind, taking two of the spare seats on my council, handling any affairs you think would be in the queen’s best interest.”
In that moment, the fae could have burst into the room and slaughtered us all. We were that stunned. It was one thing to try to form a mate bond with a wolf shifter, but Kade had just offered two of my wolves a seat on his council. Even if it was just temporary, it was still completely unprecedented.
Jen stood taller, her eyes wide, face lit up. I think she liked that plan very much. Calista would be absolutely ecstatic when she heard thisnews. She was currently off doing some sort of conference call with the alphas in the borough, keeping updated with the changes from Selene. I couldn’t wait to tell her; this was a huge opportunity for her, one she deserved. The Red Queen’s council hadn’t changed in over a hundred years, so she had known she’d never have a shot there, despite her qualifications.
Outside of the council seats, I could see everyone else was more than okay with Kade’s plan. I was the only one not happy with all my people coming to the Otherworld, but I would tentatively admit Kade might be right. My plan to go alone would put me at a greater risk. Bringing a magic born along was definitely a huge help. Teamed with Kade and me, we might have a shot at defending ourselves against a small party of fae attackers.
“Sounds like a plan to me,” Blaine said. Monica and Victor agreed as well.
“Well, I guess it’s decided. We all go together.”
Unease rolled in my gut. This was the best plan, but it still wasn’t a great one. There were no great plans when it came to traveling to the Otherworld and taking on the Winter Court. I made a silent promise to myself: if one more friend or loved one died at the hands of the fae, I was going nuclear and taking out as many of those pointy-eared bastards as I could.
Kade interrupted my murderous thoughts: “Time is of haste. Prepare your traveling packs. Make them lightweight and practical. Nikoli will give you each a healing tincture that may help against any fae magic or peculiar encounters.”
Peculiar encounters. I didn’t even want to know what that meant, but the ercho came to mind.
“Wear plain clothes, nothing branded or overly fashionable. We want to blend in,” I added. No doubt we’d be attacked on sight if we strolled around the Otherworld in our designer Earth gear.
Blaine and Victor nodded and then they were gone. Monica and Jen said their goodbyes as well, until I was standing before Kade. His deep copper eyes were soft. He ditched his king mode now that we were alone, back to being my mate. Mate.That word held so much meaning in the shifter world. Even without a ceremony or rings we were mates, no one could deny that.
“You realize we could all die right?” I said, wishing that no one had to risk their life but me.
He stepped closer and brushed his fingers along my lower back, sending chills up my spine. “In bear culture, we take honorable deaths very seriously. What better and more glorious way to die than trying to save a beloved friend?”
I sighed and leaned my head against his chest. “Would you stop being so perfect.”
He chuckled, rumbling deep in my ear. “It comes so naturally to me though.”
Hah! I smacked his arm and was about to lean in and kiss him when Calista burst into the room.
She was dancing on the balls of her feet, clutching her tablet.
“What’s up?” I asked, stepping back a few feet from Kade to bring the PDA down a notch.
She thrust the tablet in my face. “Operation reinstate Arianna’s crown is in full effect!”
“Operation what?” I laughed, before sobering enough to read the long text before me. Kade and I were both careful not to touch the device. Even so, we were close enough that I could feel the static electricity. Stepping back a little, I read.
My dear beloved wolves,
