Dage cocked his head. “Family? Family is honest and puts family first. You skulk and hide. You lie.”
“No,” Ronan said. “We’ve never lied. We took a vow, and we’ve kept it.”
“Guess what?” Dage growled. “The vow is over. We know about the Seven, we know about the Cyst, and we know about other worlds that we can no longer access because of your actions. What we don’t know is why the secrecy.” The king leaned forward, power in every line of his body. “What is it you don’t want me to know?”
The king was smart—there was no question about that. As was Zane Kyllwood.
And both men would do anything, absolutely anything, to protect Hope Kayrs-Kyllwood, the Lock. They could never know the role she was to play in the end. Even Adare didn’t know, but experience told him it would be one of danger and sacrifice. If they had a clue of the danger she’d someday face, they’d try to dismantle the Seven, regardless of the cost to the Realm or to their family.
Ronan stood tall and took one last look at his great-nephew. “It was nice getting to know you, Dage. Good luck.”
Adare exited the room before his brothers, heading down the hallway to awaken Grace. They needed to take their leave and now. Besides, he could use a nap.
He was exhausted.
Chapter 32
Too many people were scrambling around the lodge at Realm headquarters. Hope ran into the rec room, where Libby was sitting, crying with a gift basket in her hands.
“Libby,” Hope said, grabbing her best friend for a hug. “I don’t understand. What is happening?”
Libby sniffled and handed over the bag. “We’re leaving. Going to my mom’s family in Montana for a while. I guess the shifter nations have all left the Realm. We’re enemies now,” she wailed.
“No,” Hope said, setting the bag on the couch. “We’re not enemies. We’ll never be enemies.” She held Libby’s hand. “I’ll go get my dad. He’ll make it okay.” There was no way the shifter nations would just leave the Realm.
Libby shook her head. “It’s too late. We’re all leaving today.”
Paxton ran into the room, his hair long and wild around his shoulders. “Is it true? Do you have to leave?” He grabbed Libby’s arms.
“Yes.” More tears fell down her face and she leaned in to hug Paxton. “I’ll miss you guys so much.”
Pax hugged her back and pulled Hope in for a group hug. “It won’t be for long. I’m sure the shifters will rejoin the Realm soon. They have to.” He was tall and solid holding them, even though he was so skinny.
Tears filled Hope’s eyes and she let them fall. Things weren’t supposed to change. Not like this. “I don’t understand,” she said, her voice muffled against Pax’s T-shirt. “Why do you have to leave?”
Paxton let them go, and Libby wiped off her face. “The Seven broke laws of nature or something like that. They’re super bad and the Realm and demon nations have aligned with them, I guess, and the shifters want out. My dad said something bad is going to happen because of the Seven. Do you know anything about them?”
Hope shook her head. “What do the shifters know about them?”
“Not as much as they want to,” Libby said.
Hope blew out air, her stomach hurting really bad. Her uncles were part of the Seven. A lot of people were, and she was the Lock and now she couldn’t tell Libby. Well, it wouldn’t be fair to tell Libby. She wouldn’t want to keep that kind of secret from her parents. “I don’t think the Seven are bad. What I know of them, anyway,” she whispered.
Libby looked up. “Can you tell me anything else about them?”
“No,” Hope said, biting her lip.
Paxton’s gaze narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. Instead, he patted Libby on the shoulder. “Promise we’ll still talk every day. Do you think we can FaceTime still?”
Hope nodded, feeling lost. “Your parents will still let you be friends with us, right?”
Libby shrugged. “I don’t know what they’ll say, but the three of us are friends no matter what.” She grabbed them both for another hug. “Right?”
“Right.” Hope wiped her face off.
Paxton’s eyes swam, but he didn’t let any tears fall. He held them back, and his nose turned red. “I wish you didn’t have to go, Libs.”
Libby sniffed again. “Don’t forget the business we’re gonna start. Then we’ll all be together again. When we’re eighteen.”
