Vitas shook his head. “Not going to get used to that any time soon.”
I shot him a look. “Don’t have to. Just have to learn how to do it. You have the… stuff ready to go?”
“Yes. We just need a target. An appropriate one. We can’t just lob this stuff through the air and hope that a random building was important enough.”
Holding up a hand, I stopped him. “I know.”
Now that we knew we were being watched, it was easier to find the sounds in the forest as we walked. The other’s footfalls were silent, but not completely. Just a small rustle here and there. Easy to pinpoint.
Roran jogged back up to us about fifteen minutes later and looked exhausted.
“Just one in you?” I asked as he dropped a kiss on my lips.
“Just one today. I don’t need anymore.”
Carolee gasped. “You found something.”
He nodded. “I found an actual armory. It’s on the way to the stronghold if I don’t miss my guess. It’ll be a perfect target.”
Vitas nodded. “Will we be able to actually recover anything?”
“If we’re patient and careful, yes, I think we can. As many long guns as we can carry, more than enough ammunition.”
I stared at him. “Will we be able to get back?”
“At that point, as long as we head straight for the Chasm, yes. No climbing the hills. If we get guns, run. Just run for the Chasm. The road nearby will take you there. It’s the right place for it.”
Vitas and Carolee nodded, fading back to tell the others.
There was sharpswishthat cut the air at that moment.
Everything went black.
Japri, Ultima Esperanza, Chile
Pacific Coast
“WHERE THE HELL IS OUR ASSHOLE KING?”ISTOPPEDthumping my fingers on the conference table and lifted my cell phone from my pocket. I glanced at the time, beyond irritated at the situation. My jaws clenched together at the readout. “He’s a half-hour late.”
King Niallan’s first day on the job.
He was already slacking. Not surprising, though.
I placed my cell phone down on the table as calmly as I could and glared at the Overlords—and their continued silence. They hadn’t said a word since we walked in here for our important meeting.
Air hissed between my teeth as I growled, “No one knows? Really? I don’t believe that.”
Lord Cato sighed, his chest heaving with the action. He glanced up from his own phone and met my blue eyes. My father muttered, “If I tell you, your majesty, will you quit asking about the attack? You know we can’t speak on it without our. . . as you so delicately—and correctly—put it, ‘asshole king’ in here.”
“Fine.” My voice rumbled, my tone full of aggravation and boredom. I flicked my fingers in his direction. “I’ll shut up about it until he’s here.”
His brown eyes crinkled with amusement. But he stated seriously, “King Niallan’s outside the stronghold creating a druid shield of protection.” Lord Cato tipped his cell phone’s screen in my direction, allowing me to see our ‘asshole king’ was, in fact, working druid magic outside. “I believe the other Overlords and I have been watching his progress while you’ve been prattling on nonstop for the last half-hour and failing miserably to garner information without the king here.” He blinked, and added, “Darling.”
I shut my gaping jaw. My blue gaze tracked over each of the remaining Overlords, who continually stared at their cellphones and kept their lips sealed. I cleared my throat and sat straighter on my chair. “Well, someone should have mentioned that.”
I didn’t look at a certain lord.
Sexy and aggravating fucker.
