I moved with more haste.
Oreo jumped from the window bench and followed me on my clothing hunt. He snatched a pair of trousers that were sticking out of a drawer and tripped over them on his way to give them to me.
Not even possible world-ending situations like Maddox being left alone with Lord Onyx was enough to keep me from gushing over the puppy’s cuteness. I bent down and gave Oreo kisses and pets, thanking him.
“Where do ya think you’re going?” Rowan asked, sitting up higher in bed. The sight of his sleep-messy red hair falling down his chest made me forget how to put on my pants for a moment.
“To stop them from killing each other.” I stuck one leg in, then the other, and shimmied them up my thighs.
“You might wanna wash up first,” he said. “You smell like pond water and ass. Mine to be exact.”
I slumped against the bed as I laughed. Damn him. I didn’t want to laugh. I wanted to run from the room and stop a possible bloodbath. But he was right. They’d smell me coming before I neared the war room slash battlefield of headstrong males.
“Hold that thought.” I kicked the trousers back off and dashed toward the washroom.
“Don’t trip,” Rowan called after me.
Too late. One foot didn’t come off the floor high enough mid-run, and my toes folded under, making me stumble into the doorframe. “I meant to do that.”
He snorted.
A quick wash and hasty towel dry later, I threw on clean clothes and rejoined my men in the bedroom. Only two remained though. A certain redhead was nowhere to be found.
“Ro went to spy on them, didn’t he?” I asked.
Lake nodded. “He said he wanted to be the first to see if, and I quote, Captain Glutton gets his head whacked off.”
“Oh god,” I groaned and rushed toward the door, flinging it open.
Oreowoofed and darted after me, his little feet thumping on the floor.
“Careful, love,” Briar said as he and Lake followed. “Don’t overexert yourself.”
The two of them soon caught up and placed me between them, each holding one of my hands. A good thing they’d come. For moral support, sure, but also because I had no idea where I was going. I got lost as soon as we reached the staircase.
Briar took over and guided us from the stairwell and down another corridor. The sunlight coming in through the outer windows faded as we moved inward, traveling down narrow passageways that needed a burst of light and probably an exorcism. Still not fully convinced Casper wasn’t floating around somewhere.
“Where to now?” I asked when we hit the end of the hall. There were two possible directions to turn.
“Um.” Briar looked both directions before offering me a sheepish smile. “I didn’t quite hearwherethey were meeting. Perhaps it’s in the throne room? Though, that may be too formal. The parlor?”
“He knows where to go,” Lake said, nodding to the Fenrir pup.
Oreo padded forward and led us to the left, his poofy tail swishing in the air as he walked. Maybe I was putting too much thought into it, but there was something arrogant about his bouncing steps. Being in charge fluffed up his puppy ego.
The narrow hall eventually opened up to a sunlit foyer. Tall, open windows flooded the room in natural light and gave a view of the forest and mountain range rising behind it. The curtains ruffled from the morning breeze, and I breathed in the fresh air. Spring had officially arrived.
My nose tingled at the thought. My allergies went nuts this time of year, further proof that winter was on its final breath. But just as a sneeze was trying to form, voices filtered out from a nearby room.
“What are you proposing?” a smooth voice asked, albeit faint. Unmistakably Onyx though. “Furthermore, what reason do I have to accept said proposal?”
I crept closer to the door. It was ajar, leaving only an inch or two between it and the frame.
“I believe we want the same thing,” came Maddox’s deep voice in response.
“And what is that?” Onyx asked. “What could we possibly have in common?”
“Evan’s safety,” Maddox calmly said. “I may not trust you, but considering your relationship with his father and all you’ve done to help him in recent days, I trust that you don’t wish him harm, at least.”
