“No, I don’t think I will.”
Chapter 40
Rylo
Athick lock of dark hair stuck to Rylo’s neck. Peeling it off of him, Rylo looked down at Morgan’s sleeping body tucked in close to his own. His arms held her close enough that he could feel her soft breath on his face. Her skin still hadn’t lost its coolness, despite being wrapped in his heat. He closed his eyes, wishing to slide back into his dreamless sleep with this woman wrapped tight in his arms.
Rylo was glad he didn’t give in to the temptation to have sex with her. Yes, he wanted to bed her. The restraint he’d used the Night of Feasts was gone. Especially now that he was sure she wanted him without the aid of Bayberry wine. But that wouldhave to wait. He wasn’t about to take her on a dingy fur atop a dirt floor with one of his oldest allies. No, he had the patience to wait. Wait until they were back at the Towers. Wrapped in sheets of silk, her cool body pressed against his heat. The moon to his sun.
But before that could happen, he needed to explain to her what he saw in those caverns. The horrors that those witches were capable of inflicting on his folk needed to be stopped in their tracks, and that was why he knew Morgan wasn’t going to be happy with what he was going to suggest. It didn’t matter. Yes, he wanted her for his lover, but he also needed her to hold up her bargain to do all she could for Nephel first.
Morgan stirred in his arms. He let his grip on her loosen, and she sat up, giving him a sleepy smile.
“Good morning,” she said, brushing a curl from his forehead.
“How did you sleep?” Rylo asked.
“For being under a dead animal on the dirt, surprisingly good.”
Rylo let out a dry laugh. “We are in agreement there. If all goes well, we should be back in the Towers tonight.”
“And what happens next?” Morgan twirled her hair between her fingers.
“Next? I’m afraid after what we saw and did, war. It’s been Goldoth’s plan for years and I don’t think there will be a way to stop them now that we’ve stolen their relic. But before that, I need you to understand what we will be facing. It’s not as I expected.”
Rylo told Morgan everything he’d seen after she left dinner with the Goldoth royalty. He shared about seeing the strange humanoid twins, and how when they reentered the room, the twins displayed their magic. He shared how the Goldoths had been breeding humans to work their tunnels since the Cleaving,and how they no longer even resembled Morgan, Avery, or Susan.
Morgan listened without interruption, seeming to absorb all that he told her.
Her face was twisted in disgust, but he didn’t know if it was for the actions of the Goldoth fae or their witches.
Finally, he shared how he escaped the caverns just as the sister, Tyranny, seemed ready to strike a dead fae on him.
The silence between them stretched on for far too long. What was going on in that mind of hers?
“I saw the mines and the human slaves. I thought they were some kind of fae. That’s where I—that’s where Elio is.”
The way Morgan said those words, Rylo knew she was keeping something from him. The truth of how Elio died. His stomach twisted in anticipation. How had Morgan escaped when Elio was so much stronger, so much more experienced in battle?
“Tell me what happened to him.”
She chewed on her bottom lip, breathing in deep.
“I didn’t mean—“
A squalling cry came from the other room, cutting her words short.I didn’t meanwhat? Rylo wanted to shout at her. But he kept it in as Serieff and Aniel walked into the room, carrying the crying baby.
“I hope you slept well, Rylo.” Serieff’s voice was deep and scratchy, so typical of the Hylax. “I’ve considered what we discussed yesterday, and I am willing to bring your request to our folk. If what you say is true, the threat does not seem to be coming from this woman in our room and the one to the north. It’s to the south we must turn our attention.”
Rylo gave a quick nod in agreement, but his mind was still desperate to know what happened to his dearest friend. He reached out for that strange connection that Morgan had made between them. The scars of the connection hadn’t faded sinceshe first entered his mind. Following the path, mind to mind, he stretched and pushed through the cool calm recesses of her mind. It was so much easier when they were closer like this.
He watched Morgan shudder with recognition, looking at him with eyes the color of fresh ferns.
You didn’t mean what, Morgan?
Morgan turned her head, not making eye contact as shadows began circling between them. Shadows entered the connection between their minds, fading everything to a deep black.
I deserve to know.Rylo practically shouted it down the connection, but his hold on her mind had already dissolved.
