Dage stepped forward. “A fact we could’ve used to our advantage had we been given all of the facts.” The king was obviously not pleased at being kept in the dark, and now that Garrett had told them all about Hope being the Lock, he was downright pissed off. As was Talen.
Garrett shook his head. “Logan and I joined the Seven to protect Hope, and you know it. Our entire goal was to take out Ulric before any ritual became necessary.” Now that Ulric might have landed back in this world, they would have a chance of battling him. Hopefully Dessie was alive. He had to get to her. Fury roared through him, but he shoved the fire down, going stone-cold.
Talen stepped forward. “We’ll send four teams of sixteen soldiers, one to each holding. Both Zane and I have taken our territories to red level, and our soldiers are armed and at all stations. We have to assume the Kurjans will make a move on us right now.”
Garrett studied the blips on the screen. Where was she?
Promise, Ivar’s mate, looked up from a computer next to the wall. “I have several worldwide disturbances being reported. Earthquakes, rare windstorms, hurricanes…” She bent her head to study her screen more closely. The woman was a brilliant physicist who’d been studying the portals, the worlds, and the escapes for years. “They’re similar to what was recorded when both Ronan and Quade’s worlds fell. I think Ulric is home.”
That meant that Destiny either didn’t make it when the world fell or was now here with one of the most dangerous monsters to ever have been born. Garrett stared at the map, trying to figure out where she’d be.
Talen secured a knife at his leg. “Which one do you want to take, G?”
Since Garrett hadn’t mated Dessie, not completely, he couldn’t get into her head. He couldn’t find her on a map. Frustration tried to trickle into his mind, but he shoved it out. “Promise? Which location is most likely to be Ulric’s landing zone?”
The woman looked up at him, her dark brown eyes concerned. “I’d be guessing, Garrett.”
“I know,” he said. “Your guess is better than most scientists’ lifelong knowledge.”
She looked at the map. “Best guess for me would be Butte, Montana. There’s a tar pit there hiding the ruins of an ancient Cyst holding, and it’s believed to have mystical properties.” She shrugged. “Which, of course, don’t exist. However, the physics of the place suggest a boatload of interesting cosmological abnormalities.”
“I’ll take Butte,” Garrett said.
His dad cut a look at Dage. “You’re with him?”
Dage shook his head. “No.”
Garrett frowned. There was only one reason Dage wouldn’t want to go with him. “Is that where—”
“Don’t know.” His dad cut him off. No doubt there were several warriors in the room who didn’t know of the Realm’s missions.
Logan stepped up on one side, while Sam took the other. “We’re with him,” Logan said.
“So are we,” Benny said, with Adare next to him.
Bear finished buttoning a loose shirt, no doubt so he could shift quickly. “You’re not going without me.”
It was good that the warriors on his team had all fought with him before. They knew each other’s thoughts and moves. The remaining warriors in the room separated into the four teams, led by Garrett, Talen, Dage, and Zane.
Bear looked at the foursome. “Shouldn’t the kings stay behind and defend the kingdoms?”
“Would you?” Dage countered.
“Nope.” Bear smacked Garrett on the back. “Let’s go get your girl. Knew she was a Keeper from the first time I met her.” He sauntered out the door, followed by the rest of the warriors, leaving just the four leaders.
Talen studied him. “I could cover your back.”
“It’s covered,” Garrett assured him. “I’d rather you took the secondary location, just in case she’s there. I want one of us at each.” He looked at his family. “Thank you.” They were going to war after not having fought for a long time, and there was a chance one or more of them wouldn’t make it back.
Dage handed him Dessie’s knife. “You might need this. Don’t be afraid to take off a head or two.”
It wouldn’t be the first time. “I should’ve told her I loved her.” He had said everything but the words that really mattered.
“You will.” Talen clapped him on the back. “Let’s do this.”
Garrett turned and headed out into a fall storm. The knife would get more than one taste of blood that night.
He had to find her.
