“We will make it work,” I say, determined that I’ll find a way. “If I’m the ruler of Mortem, then I’ll control the gates and I can go back and forth as needed. If Koda or my father is the ruler, then I expect they’ll allow me the same freedom. Roman would demand it anyway, and I sense that as a demon who could challenge the king, he generally gets what he wants.” My lips twitch into a hopeful smile. “No matter how all the chips fall, we will make it work.”
“Yeah. We will.” Taniya gives a soft sigh before she straightens and wipes her eyes. Her expression evens out and it’s only because I know her so well that I sense the storm of emotions that remains below the surface.
“I can only admire our staunch belief that we’ll win in the end,” she says with a shrug. “None of our plans envisage a loss.”
“Never,” I shoot back. “Once we figure out how to help my father, we’ll take down Esta and Crone and end this once and for all.”
“We will,” she says with the same determination I feel. “There's no doubt in my mind.”
She leaves then to refresh herself in her cabin, and I suspect to shed private tears because of her separation from Dastian. My heart hurts for her. Just the thought of being forced apart from Roman makes my power rise in protest. A less intense power, though, as I’ve expended a lot of energy on the morning run.
I join my wolves on the grassy stretch in front of my cabin. They’ve spread out and are sunning themselves, which is odd, since they’re usually all about darkness. I settle in beside Temple, enjoying the familiar thrum of her energy against mine.
For a few brief hours, it’s been easy to forget that we’re at war. That the worlds are ending. That my father is a soulless monster who wants to rip out my throat.
Just as my eyes drift closed, the rune on my neck tingles and my eyes fly open.
Malia's voice sounds in my ear. “They have millions of books here, Noves! It’s unbelievable. I might be back late because I need to sort through the most important books for us to dive into. I just wanted to check in and let you know I’m safe. Myarchangel is keeping a close eye on me.”
And she’s still using the softch.
Any lingering concern I felt vanishes in an instant.
Pressing the rune, I reply, “Thanks, sis. We’re safe here too. But don’t let your guard down.”
“Love you, Noves,” Malia says. Then she’s gone, but I feel better having confirmed her safety. Part of me wishes I was in the city researching too, but knowing my sister, she’ll be back here with plenty of books to keep us occupied.
I really should leave to see if Roman and Koda had any luck with Jareth, but the warmth of the sun and the familiar comfort of Temple's energy lulls me toward sleep.
As I drift off, I wonder if maybe this is what life would have been like for me if I wasn’t a demon, rejected from my pack, with a broken mother and a mismatched family. Not that I’d swap the people in my life for all the sun-filled naps in the world. Each and every member of my pack is worth more than all the riches in the world. Theyarethe riches in my world.
But naps are damn nice too.
I’m adding them to my list of future plans.
Plans I refuse to let Esta steal from me.
* * *
I awake with a start, aware of a presence beside me.
I’m trained to sleep lightly and even with my wolves around me, I’ve never let my guard down when I’m in unfamiliar territory. But Roman gets within an inch of brushing his fingers across my cheek before I’m properly alert.
I must be more exhausted than I thought.
“Hey,” he says as he kneels at my side, his expression soft.
I have no idea what I look like, but I hope there’s no drool.
“Hey,” I say back with a smile, lifting myself off Temple, who let me sleep against her without stirring.
I peer up at Roman, taking note of how much dimmer the light is around us. The sun must already be setting. I rub my forehead, slightly disoriented. “Sorry. I don’t know how I could have slept for so long.”
He leans over and presses his mouth to mine, and I breathe in the rich scent of his energy, the demon power intertwining with my nightmare energy. The moment I inhale his power, I feel stronger and more refreshed. More awake.
“The angel light will sap your strength,” he warns me as he pulls away. “It’s designed to make you feel at peace. You need to block against it. Use whatever shield you can manage.”
“Shit,” I whisper. My nightmare power is new to me, but I’m hoping that keeping it active and wrapped around me will offer some protection, even if I’m worried that darkness is about to seep from my eyeballs. Might look cool but would probably scare the locals.
