I grimace, knowing that while Gianna is strong, Brigid is right—Gi isn’t a Blade.
Leigh jumps in. “Gi has the right to be there, Wilder. If you do this, you need to take her. I want Isolde here with me, anyway.”
I sigh. We shouldn’t be arguing. “If I bring you along, do you promise to follow orders?”
Gi nods. “I am good at that.”
My head falls. We’ve had countless fights this week because of Gi’s refusal to listen.
“Hate to break up this merry little party, but we have a problem.” Eddo raps on the door with his knuckles.
“What is it, Papa?” Brigid asks.
Eddo hands her a note with the Lua seal—two wolf heads beneath a crescent moon. Brigid eyes it, then crosses the room to give it to Leigh.
“For you,” she says, her cooperation a stark contrast to her earlier stance. It’s ironic seeing Brigid and Eddo here now, after they’d been so unwilling to help when I first arrived, insisting I either leave or join Stellan’s fight with no middle ground.
Leigh takes the note. We all wait quietly as she opens it.
Her eyes move left to right as she reads, then she sighs and lowers the paper. “Eddo, you may not like me, but if you want to keep Corona from falling under wolf rule, you will need to gather as many Blades as possible to fight in my name. Zeus has requested a meeting at Charon Bridge. He’s asked me to surrender at dawn.”
Brigid’s voice is tight as she responds, “What happens if you don’t?”
Leigh sighs. “War.” She looks at Bennett. “You need to work fast.” Bennett nods. To Eddo, she says, “We need to evacuate the city, just in case.”
“Understood, Your Majesty.” A flicker of resolve burns in his eyes, which reminds me why I enjoyed working for him so much.
Leigh faces Gianna. “Gi, contact Hebe Hospital. Tell Doctor Dunn we need the cure, like, yesterday.” Gi nods, already reaching for her phone. “Now, everyone, get out. I need to talk to Wilder alone before I go to sleep.”
As I exit the bathroom,the frigid air from the open window gives me goose bumps. Water trickles from the short strands of my black hair, trailing down my neck before disappearing into the plush fabric of the towel wrapped around my body. The scent of soap lingers in the air, mingling with the smell of sex as I climb the steps to the lofted bedroom.
Vane sits on the edge of the bed, the tangled sheets covering his naked body. Despite the satisfaction that should come with sated desire, his brow furrows as he rests his head in his hands, his elbows pressing into his strong thighs. A pang of unease twists in my stomach.
“Did you change your mind?” I look at my packed bag on the floor. We are supposed to get ready to catch the next train out of the city, but Vane hasn’t moved.
I tighten the towel around myself, suddenly feeling exposed.
Vane meets my gaze through the veil of his long lashes. With warm palms, he draws me closer by my hips. A hesitant smile tugs at the corner of his lip.
I swallow, my stomach twisting. Is he about to let me down easy? Has Vyvyan summoned him home? If he’s leaving me, I won’t beg him to take me with him. I am not going back to the Nest. I believe I’ll be okay alone for the first time in my life, but I’d rather be with him.
“Well?” I prompt. “You don’t have to say it. I know you are going back to her.”
I try to pull away from Vane’s grasp, but his fingers tighten. The bruises and marks left by our rough encounters have already begun to fade, but I wish I could have him tattooed on my heart. I won’t forget him.
“Vyvyan?” His thumbs trace gentle circles on my skin.
I nod, not trusting myself to speak.
Vane smiles, and I frown. Is he mocking my misery? “Have you already forgotten?” he asks. I lift a brow. Vane kisses my stomach before resting his cheek against me. “I am yours. I’m not going back to Vyvyan.”
I release a breath as I cup Vane’s cheek, forcing him to look me in the eye. “Then what’s bothering you?”
Vane presses his lips against my palm. My eyes flutter shut, and I press my thighs together, trying to stave off the growing ache. What we did in the cemetery unleashed a relentless need whenever I’m in his presence.
“Vane,” I groan. For this to work, we need to be honest with each other. I won’t let him distract me.
True intimacy lies in vulnerability and shared secrets.
