No wonder there had been nothing I could do to bring him back. He was trapped with beings far worse than anything Earth knew. Louis was the last of my family, even though we hadn’t treated each other as such for many years. Not since we lost Regina.
Lost. Such an insignificant word for hermurder. Stolen. Torn. Destroyed. Much closer, but still not enough.
“We’re going to get him back,” Jessa continued, ripping me from the pain of old memories. “The Compasses are just sorting out bullshit council details, gathering supplies, and then we’re heading back to Faerie. Pretty much straight away.”
I nodded. “Faerie is the easiest way to get there. There’s a direct path to the land between. But you can also open a magical doorway from here, if you don’t mind messing with dark magic.”
The words slipped out before I could stop them. Only for Louis would I consider the use of dark magic. Jessa seemed to think about that suggestion. “That must have been how that supernatural smuggling ring worked,” she finally said. “Dark magic was involved in setting up those fairy-tale houses that lured in the unsuspecting.”
I knew about that also. Just because I chose to remain in my solitude didn’t mean I wasn’t somewhat up to date.
“Yes, it was definitely dark magic,” I confirmed.
Jessa finally shook her head. “Louis wouldn’t want us to mess with that sort of energy, not even to save him, so we better do this the old-fashioned way.”
She knew him very well. Before I could think too much on it, I said, “I’ll help you save him.”
Stupid, Tee.I flinched then, when I realized I’d fallen into the habit of using my old nickname. I told everyone to call me Lizzie now, because Tee—shortened from my middle name, Teresa—died long ago. Being around Louis … it was messing with my head.
Jessa’s smile brightened even more. “Thank you, we would really appreciate your help. Louis especially.” Her eyes dropped to the form in the bed, her gaze running along his long limbs that dwarfed the double-sized mattress. Even in slumber he looked lethal. Dangerous.
I knew that Jessa was true mate to Braxton Compass, dragon shifter, leader of the shifter council in America, but there was definitely some sort of relationship between her and Louis. I found this curious, and I wanted to know how it had happened, because Louis had taken the same path as me for the past decades, avoiding close ties.
“How is it that you know Louis so well?” I asked.
She examined me closely, trying to discern deeper meaning, no doubt. But there was none. I was simply trying to piece together Louis’s life now. The fact that he was even able to live a life when I’d continued to exist in exile kind of grated on my nerves. When did he stop hiding? Why hadn’t I been told?
Jessa smiled then, her eyes on Louis once more. “He saved me when I was a baby, spelled my dragon mark so that I wouldn’t be taken by the hunters. Then, when all hell broke loose with Larky, he stepped in and helped in every way. He also saved my children from being taken and used by a demon. I owe himeverything.” Her voice broke. “We would all be dead without his power and knowledge. He’s one of my closest friends—family—and it is killing me to know that he’s been trapped there this entire time while we’ve been screwing around with our heads up our asses.”
I felt an instant kinship to Jessa. She reminded me of myself when I was younger. I’d been the headstrong one who cursed and snuck out, and sometimes read books about dark magic. Regina had been the perfect one, never causing a moment of upset for our parents. I’d been a poor replacement when she died.
Louis would be in good hands when he returned. He’d have the family he deserved. Now it was time to get it out of the way so I could get back to my … existence.
“You should leave someone to guard him,” I warned her as I moved toward the doorway. “Louis is old and powerful. He has plenty of enemies who would love to take advantage of his current state.”
This time when her gaze dropped to the bed, anger creased her forehead. “No one in Stratford would dare! He saved us all from the demons. We owe him everything.” She sucked in deeply, in what seemed like an attempt to calm herself. “But it doesn’t hurt to be extra vigilant, in case an outsider breaks through our barriers or manages to trick their way inside. I’ll get my father to stick around, assign some of the shifters to the case.”
I nodded, satisfied with that. I knew Jonathon Lebron well, and I trusted him to do a damn good job of keeping Louis safe. We both left the hospital then, sparing Louis one more glance over our shoulders. The moment I was outside, I sucked in a deep breath. It was warm in Stratford, the climate much more hospitable than where I lived in Alaska. The snow was pretty peaceful though.
“You don’t talk a lot, do you?” Jessa asked, distracting me from my inner monologue.
“I’ve been alone for … too many years to count,” I admitted, my voice soft. “You kind of just get used to the silence.”
That wasn’t completely true. I had three best friends up there, a group of supes who owned a hunting lodge near my cabin. The guys were all bear shifters, and they were noisy and fun and growly. They also encouraged my use of curse words, so I was back to my old ways. They were only at their cabin one week a month, though, so I was still alone a lot.
Speaking of, I better try to call them before they freaked out. They’d be due for their next trip really soon, and when they found my cabin empty, they’d definitely worry. I was always there.
“Why do you live alone?” Jessa asked in the blunt way of youth. Yeah, she made me feel every single one of my hundred-plus years.
“Because….” I cleared my throat. “Sometimes it’s easier. Sometimes it hurts less being alone than losing people you love.”
Even my bears… It was scary knowing how much I cared for them now. How much I looked forward to their visit every month. They’d wormed their way into my heart, and I again had something to lose. It was almost too scary to contemplate.
A warm hand wrapped around mine, squeezing tightly before releasing me again. I blinked at the shifter. “I’m so sorry,” she murmured. “Louis was the same way when we first brought him into our world—shut off from everyone—but now he’s family. Part of our pack. And he was much happier. At some point you have to make a choice—am I really living like this?”
“It’s crazy,” I said, unsure why I was sharing so much with her, “but I almost feel like I died when my sister did. Regina.”
Jessa startled, her eyes growing wide. “Louis’s mate?”
