Her attention stalled on an added heading to the editorial, about an auto theft. A memory stirred of Darwin mentioning the same thing about…Liam.The boy in The Shelter?
Oh, dear lord. Blood rushed to her head. She’d been right there, in front of him.
“I know where he is,” she whispered, blinking to clear her tears. “The Shelter. I saw him there.”
Nik’s brow pulled in a frown. “The place you visit?”
She nodded, not bothering to correct him that she didn’t exactly visit, but helped relocate abused women and children. “He saw me. He didn’t recognize me. I mean, I know five years is a long time, and we both have changed. I hadn’t realized just how muchIhad transformed after Nate gave me the otherworldly blood. My face, my hair, even my eyes.”
Nik frowned, then said, “Tonight, during patrol, I’ll follow up on this—” he broke off, glancing at the door. “Echo approaches. Did you have anything going on with her?”
She blinked, finally remembering her agreement last night. “I said I’d train with her.”
“Okay. We’ll pick this up later—”
“No-no, I can cancel.”
“No, go. Some time away from this will help,” he said, his attention back on the computer screen. “I’ll be in a meeting with the other warriors in a short while, then a sword session out on the north side of the estate with Dagan.”
When she just stood there, he looked up, and his expression softened. “It’ll be okay,moró. We’ll get him out, I promise.”
With a little nod, she walked out. Yes, Nik would. She had to believe in that. More, she hoped he’d forgive her for lashing out at him.
Chapter 24
Laughter driftedto Shadow from the kitchen where the girls were having a midnight tea break. She’d excused herself a short while ago, her mind too chaotic to relax. Not even the grueling gym time with Echo then watching Shae and Ely duel it out with daggers managed to release the tension within her.
Bob waddled past her where she stood near the trellised walkway just past the kitchen terrace and entered the dark path. She returned to her wrought-iron chair and flopped on the cushioned seat, her mind back on Nik.
The day had been busy, mostly for him, and she hadn’t seen him.
When he saidsome time away from this would help, she didn’t think it was between them.
Yes, they had the evening meal together before he headed off on patrol, but he’d been silent…contemplative, and he’d just brushed her crown with a featherlight kiss before he departed.
She pressed her fingers to her burning cheeks, wishing he was here, so she could hold him and apologize for lashing out. God knew she wasn’t someone to deliberately hurt a person, but that she’d lost her mind in that moment and had done so with Nik, who always put her first—worried about her—weighed heavily on her.
She drew her feet on the chair, wrapped her arms around her knees, and rested her chin on them, watching the moths flitter around the garden lights.
“Hey there.” Kira walked out onto the terrace, carrying two tall glasses of grape juice. “Here you go.”
Shadow lifted her head as her friend set the frosty crystal in front of her. Kira dragged out an adjacent chair and sat. “Are you okay?”
She nodded, then shook her head, and pressed her lips together to stop them from trembling.
“Whatever it is, it will work out,” Kira said softly, reaching out to pat her raised knee.
“I got my memories back.”
“Hey, that’s wonderful!”
She gave her friend a wan smile. “I guess it is, but I lashed out at Nik in my pain.”
Kira’s brow creased. “Why? What happened?”
“We’re okay now,” she hastily said. “But I…I accused him of being partly responsible for my twin’s death.” In halting breaths, she told her friend what happened seven years ago.
“I’m so sorry about Olivia,” Kira whispered, her expression soft with sympathy. “It must have been devastating…” She hesitated, then added quietly, “There’s something you should know, Shadow. As immortals, their laws are very harsh. Nik must have told you about them being imprisoned in Tartarus for failing to protect the Goddess of Life?”
