She left the bedroom. In the galley-sized kitchen, the smell of food permeated the air. The isle separating the open plan living room and serving as a two-seater dining spot now sported a large wicker basket.
Her stomach pinched, hunger finally making itself known. But it seemed she had to reassure everyone she still breathed, then hoped they left, that is, if Michael didn’t turn up to throw her off the island first.
Back straight, keeping her expression even, she crossed the living room. Her painting spot remained in the corner with her covered easel and stacks of canvases. Now the once empty room sported navy suede couches and a carved wooden coffee table facing the tinted glass wall, through which she could see the entire length of the spacious deck overlooking the sea. A deck currently occupied with her overprotective visitors.
Ely stepped out into the chilly air. The moon hid behind the clouds but casted a muted light over everything. With her adrenaline almost flatlining, heat zinged through her once more. She blew out a tired breath, hoping the coolness would help as she faced everyone.
No, not everyone had gate-crashed the boathouse. Only Kira and Shadow were there, along with their mates. And her brother.
Her friends smiled in support.
Reynner leaned against the wooden railing, his pale hair loosened from its tether, looking like he raked through it several times. He straightened the moment he saw her and strode over.
“I’m sorry, Ely. I overreacted,” he murmured. “It’s just that it was a damn shock to hear my little sister was in a place where innocents are captured and preyed on.”
Only then, with her heart not breaking over Nate, did she notice the fatigue in his navy eyes, the skin stretched over the bones of his handsome face.
He worried.
And remorse pinged hard. Maybe she should have told him, but when she was held in the grip of terror, not knowing what was happening to Nate, she hadn’t been thinking straight. But she knew, too, neither Reynner nor the other guys would have let her go to the Dark Realm. So, she didn’t regret her decision. Besides, she still breathed, didn’t she?
“I didn’t mean to worry you,” she said softly.
His chest rose and fell, he shut his eyes briefly, then nodded. “If you don’t mind, I’ll wait a while before I leave.”
“We won’t let any harm come to her,” Týr added, his implacable features not giving an inch. Man, this male was as hard as her overprotective and equally inflexible brother, maybe more so.
“I don’t think he’ll hurt her,” Nik said, earning Ely’s eternal gratitude.
Her brother and Týr just stared at him.
Nik shrugged. “I have my mate because of him, so he can’t be all that bad.”
Frowning, Reynner leaned against the railing again. But his expression remained unyielding, as if he had reason not to trust demonkind.
And she thought she could get rid of them fast?
Wait. She studied her brother’s hard features, not that she could read him. Reynner had been gone from Ademéras for millennia before she found him again on this world, two years ago. Her stomach pitched, remembering how he reacted when he heard she’d gone to the Dark Realm, realizing then something terrible must have happened for him to hate demonkind. Later, she’d speak to him, find out—
A wave of power rolled over the place, and she stilled. Crap. Her time of reckoning was here.
Michael appeared in a swirl of silvery sparks, his expression as stern as the night was long. Ugh. No rest for the wicked, er, the runaway Guardian.
She rubbed her damp palm down her jeans, the freakin’ heat simmering within her. Not that it ever subsided. In Ys, hell, everything was hot there and she was running high on adrenaline—
“Ely,” Michael murmured, and her heart clocked hard. Those shattered blues had doubtless already taken in her grimy appearance, bloody chest, burned dark hair, and of course, the stench of sulfur on her. Heck,shecould still get a whiff of it.
She chinned up, straightened her spine, and locked her knees, despite exhaustion almost felling her.
“You are well?” he asked.
What?A puff of air could have toppled her over. She barely stopped her frown, confused at his question, then hastily nodded. “Yes.”
“Heard what you did with Azgoreth’s army of guards, thrashed them almost singlehandedly. Well done.”
Her jaw dropped.
Nik smiled.
