Another flash of light,then hard tile slammed into my feet.
“Carwynn!” Wyatt beamed for a second before his face paled. “What is it? What’s happened?”
My eyes darted around, trying to place where we were through the haze of my emotional plummet.
David and Wyatt’s house. Luckland.
Utterly stunned, I froze.
I figured he’d immediately ship me back to the Human Realm—grounding me like the petulant child he still thought I was, letting me know my free-trial period of being in Ferie had expired.
My blood pressure slowed the moment I met Wyatt’s eyes again. His concern was obvious as he hastily wiped his hands on a dish towel and headed straight for me. In a way, his worry grounded me, hitting me right then with just how much I’d missed his kind face.
David had been my rock in bad times, but Wyatt, he’d been my sunshine. A warm, energizing presence that always found a way to cheer me up.
The white marble kitchen was huge, exuding all of Luckland’s glitzy style. A beautiful, yet simple gold chandelier hung above the center island, small light orbs sparkling like stars. Across the island, steam curled up from a wide chrome stove.
He must’ve been in the middle of cooking, completely unaware of what we’d been through. Honestly, I was thankful for that. Wyatt would’ve jumped at the chance to fight the creature, no doubt.
Shorter than David, but far more rugged with smooth caramel hair and skin. The build of a soldier.
It was obvious he missed his warrior days, always itching for a good fight. He’d pushed David multiple times to let me train with him. Unsurprising, the answer was alwaysno. But that never stopped Wyatt.
His fiery nature brought me comfort, but if he’d been there tonight, if he’d seen me like that—I don’t think I could’ve handled it. The shame would have broken me.
Strong arms pulled me in, a hand stroking my back in slow, soothing circles. Short brown locks tickled the side of my cheek.
Ouch.
God, how much could one person possibly workout? The hug was a constricting corset, squeezing my ribs together.
“You’re going to snap me in half,” I wheezed.
Warm palms cupped my face, chocolate eyes melting into mine.
“Sweetheart,” he said with a warm smile, “that means we need to put some more meat on you!” He glanced over his shoulder at the boiling pot—his go-to love language. “I’ve just the thing for that!”
He stepped back to take me in and stilled. Eyes zeroed in on my torn clothing, the splattering of dried blood.
“Tell me. What’s happened, Carwynn?” He frowned.
Another flash of light cracked through the room—Huck and Pudge arrived. David came in behind them, face lethal.
For a minuscule moment, I’d been swept away in the familiar relief of Wyatt.
But then I remembered . . . they’d been lying to me.
One breath, and my security was gone, quickly dragged to the sting of the present.
Wyatt’s eyes darted between us. “Tell me what’s going on, right now!”
I spun to face David. My anger boiled up again, rumbling through my veins.
“Don’t drag me away like a child!” My voice strained as my lungs quickened.
They had used me. Hadn’t they? Lochlainn for sure—ousting my ability to his men, forcing my hand to help him before even asking about finding the runner. Anger mixed with a brewing disappointment in myself. “Maybe you’re right. Maybe they did use me, but despite what you say, they didtryto help me.”
His eyes narrowed.
