And this was why. He’d tried and failed. More movement and this time Palinouros had another man by the side of the head. This man was also screaming, but he didn’t die like the first one. No, his eyes began to glow a strange red.
Henry knew about the red-eyed men, even though they didn’t understand what was wrong with them. Palinouros did something to them…
Another move and this time Henry knew he was in the present. He was inside a house. Dozens of men stood around them. All of them had red eyes. This was it. They couldn’t see him, but Henry still kept to the side of the room. He looked for what he could see, anything that would help him find this place again. There were several guards coming out of a long hallway. Henry went there, checking behind the closed doors. Nothing.
But then there was one final door. The one at the end. There. That was it. But before he could open it and catch sight of the missing guardian, he felt something. A dark shiver went down his spine. He wasn’t alone.
Instinctively he crouched down, but it was only a second before he realized that it was foolish. His panic must have sent a signal to Dakota though, because he felt the pull. He was being brought out, but he wasn’t ready. He’d seen the house, but not where it was. He’d never be able to find it.
Henry resisted Dakota’s pull and ran back down the hall. The other presence was there, and growing stronger. He ran for a window, one he’d seen across the room. If he could get something, some visual clue as to where they were, maybe they could find it. But there was nothing but trees. Not even another house. He tried the door but he couldn’t open it. He didn’t know how to open it.
“Dakota, help me.”
The door opened and Henry ran outside. Still nothing. He stared at the house, but it was nothing special. Just a house. Not some castle or something that would be easy to find. But it did have a number above the door. 1018.
“I know you’re here.”
“Shit,” Henry yelped. “Get me out of here.”
He went backward through the visions, and that was the only thing that saved him. When he got to the vision of Palinouros making the man’s eyes red, the face he least wanted to see turned his attention to him. Henry had never been so afraid in his life.
“Little Henry, come to play. You’re looking in the wrong place. You need training. I can help.”
Henry couldn’t breathe. Palinouros dropped the red-eyed man and walked toward him. His smile was so dark, promised so much vileness. Henry’s vision changed once more and he was back in the house, the old farmhouse where he’d been held as a child. He could see Ben on the floor beside him, curled up in a ball. Crying. And Palinouros was there, leaning over him, snarling. Then he turned to Henry. “Give me what I want, little mage.”
But he couldn’t. He had to get out of there. Palinouros leaned over Ben again, and his brother cried out in pain. “Get me the little one,” Palinouros demanded. “Maybe then our little mage will cooperate.”
“No, no, no,” Henry whispered. But Palinouros heard. He turned his eyes away from the child version of him and to where Henry stood in the shadows of the vision. “What do we have here?”
And then he felt Dakota behind him. “Help me.”
Dakota’s arms came around him and Henry held tight. He closed his eyes and tried to ignore the sudden sound of Ollie’s screams.
“I have you. You’re safe. Breathe, Henry.” Dakota’s voice was muffled through his own gasping breaths.
“Henry!” Andvari barked. “Listen to me. Breathe. In… and out. In… and out.”
He couldn’t catch his breath. But he did open his eyes. His mates were all there with him. He was back. But he couldn’t breathe.
“In… and out.”
Dakota’s chest rose beneath him, pushing at Henry’s back. His body mimicked the movement, breathing in and then sinking back as Dakota let his breath out.
“Again,” Andvari said.
Dakota repeated the breathing, and Henry was able to focus enough to breathe as well.
“There you are,” Andvari said. He held Henry’s hand and squeezed it tight. “Again.”
Henry breathed, so used to listening to Andvari that it didn’t even cross his mind to not do what he’d been asked. Just as Sawyer had breathed at Andvari’s command, so did Henry. It took a minute, but he was finally able to catch his breath. Sawyer hovered at his side, and Henry leaned forward and flung his arms around his mate.
“I’ve got you,” Sawyer said. “You’re safe now.”
Henry nodded into Sawyer’s chest. Dakota moved behind him, but Henry reached back and grabbed his arm. He didn’t know how to ask, but he didn’t want Dakota to move. “I need to call my brothers,” Henry said.
“Of course,” Sawyer said.
“I’ll get my phone,” Eduard said. A moment later he was back, pressing it into Henry’s hand. He’d already pulled up his home number, and Henry hit the button with shaking hands.
