To that, Damon continued, voice darker, “We found enough evidence of his practices that we believe we may know the identities of his supposed High Council, and at least one is in our hold. We also have the demon torturer known as Doyle Garrik, as well as the healer, Marion Moss. Both are being held in the dungeon, awaiting verdict. Elara Blackwood has assumed control over interrogating our prisoners, while Blythe Windermere has been working tirelessly with survivors. At this time, we have yet to help any of the shifters through a complete shift, though several of the females were able to identify their young. We may have a breakthrough with that.”
My stomach sank, though I could also understand it. They likely felt safer shifted, though without being there, I couldn’t be sure.
“We have sent scouts further into Luna for Dante, but reports are coming in from Avalon of his presence at the palace.”
“He’s making his last stand there,” I said quietly, looking up at Damon. The light of the fire flickered across his face, highlighting his features. “He wants us to go to him.”
“It doesn’t sound like he knows where we are, but with him being so close, we need to be careful,” Maeve said from where she leaned against the wall by the fireplace. “Adrian, can you increase the power of the wards?”
“Yeah,” my charm mage said, clearing his throat. I glanced back at him, but he wouldn’t look at me. At least there was colour in his face again, the bruising around his eyes gone. “I’ll work on that.”
“Anything in there about him looking for Ivy?” Elias asked, resting his elbows on his knees, concern darkening his eyes. “Have the scouts noticed an increase in his soldiers searching the realms?”
Damon glanced at me, our eyes locking for a moment. The hesitation told me everything we needed to know. “Increased activity around the different access points throughout the realms,”he continued darkly.“There have been two attempts to enter Hell through the Titan’s Channel—both failed, and the Leviathan ensured they were taken to the depths. Our allies in Faery have confirmed Dante’s attempts to reach them for alliances and protection should they hand over the Queen. Headmistress Sylvia at Oberon Academy reported several harsher attacks, assumes they are related to the Queen’s escape.”
Bile rose in my throat as I covered my mouth with my hand and squeezed my eyes shut. I couldn’t hide forever.
“It’ll be okay,” Elias murmured, capturing my knee with his hand.
“We don’t know that,” I replied, dropping my hand and meeting his stare. “He won’t stop. Not until he has me. Maybe he won’t have me for the next eclipse, but there’s another a month away. And then another. I can’t hide forever. Not when he’ll tear apart the realms in the meantime.”
“Avalon’s blood moon, we believe, is his goal,” Damon said, voice quiet. “Doing it here—in Avalon, in the world created by a Queen for the safety of all creatures—serves a better purpose for him. And if what Hyperion revealed is correct, he has one chance.”
“We don’t know that,” Xerxes replied from his position near the door. “His bid for power may be far more important to him than the symbolism.”
“We have reason to believe it does. At least, to Hyperion Black, it did.” Damon shrugged, crumpling the letter up and tossing it into the flames. “He’s here, and he has taken over the palace. His plan is already in action; all he has to do is wait until the blood moon and find a way to smoke Ivy out.”
The storm worsened,each strike of lightning flashing behind my eyes and pulling me out of my fitful sleep.
I crawled out of bed, heart racing, eyes darting to the window. The wind howled, rolling into the trees with a terrible force, sending debris from them into the windows, rattling the glass.
I grabbed a cardigan, one of the few things sent for me, and left the safety and warmth of my bedroom. I only spared a single glance back at the three sleeping figures sprawled out on the bed, their hulking forms shifting slightly, as if they realised I was missing. But when they didn’t wake, I closed the door softly behind me, releasing a harsh breath as I did.
The rest of the house was quiet except for the howling wind and thundering rain. I crept past Orion’s room, pausing only slightly to look in.
The door opened a crack, revealing the soft light of the sun lamp by his bed. Since being here, I hadn’t seen him in my dreams.
I was terrified to walk in and reach for him, only to have it made real.
Either he was still alive, or he wasn’t. And I couldn’t tell if I was ready for either option yet.
“Why are you not sleeping?”
I spun, heart pounding, to find Damon standing by the banister of the stairs, leaning against it without a care in the world. From what I knew, he’d claimed a bed down the other hall.
In his hand, he gripped a short glass filled with a familiar golden liquid. The smell of honey was faint, but when I sucked in a deep breath, I could almost taste it on my tongue.
“What?” I asked, crossing my arms.
His eyes glowed a deep red, boring into me as he brought the glass to his lips. “Nightmare?”
I shook my head. “No, just can’t sleep.”
“Why is that, wife?” he asked, swallowing what remained of the deadly wine in one go. “What makes you so restless?”
A shiver rolled down my spine as he pushed off thebanister, leaving the glass on the edge. Those eyes continued to stare right into me in a way that had my skin prickling.
“I don’t know,” I replied quietly, watching him as he stalked towards me. “I just feel?—”
