Violet nodded. “Yes, but I’m not receiving a reply. I’ve started working on that water spell. I think I’ve nearly got it perfected.”
I nodded, pushing my impatience down. After Dalia fell through the portal, I had tried to contact the fae, to no avail. I wanted to offer my condolences for the loss of Dalia, and also get specifics on this war. We had to assume they were either busy fighting themselves or had lost the flower we’d given them so long ago. Violet thought she could make some type of water two-way mirror, but it was a complicated spell, so I was trying not to push her.
“Have you had any more trouble with the council?” Violet asked, changing the subject, her voice flat. She had hated the wolf council as much as I did. I don’t think any of us were sad to see them go.
“Nope, they have all up and disappeared.” I had no time to bother with tracking them down. Nor did I want to. Traitors had better stay away unless they wanted to lose their lives. “At least it looks like they didn’t get back to the royal estate before fleeing. All of the spell books and RedQueen’s possessions are intact and well guarded.”
I would have to search through the Red Queen’s things again when I got a chance. For more clues. “I’m heading over there this afternoon,” Violet added, doing that thing where she seemed to read my thoughts. “You should join me.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
Our conversation came to a halt when a tiny firecracker of a shifter burst out of bushes to my left, ambushing us, holding a long, thick piece of wood in her hands.
“Stop or ye shall walk the plank,” she growled, letting the wolf spirit inside of her free. “This be my treasure trove!”
The three of us immediately surrendered, arms up in the air, faces screwed up in exaggerated fear. Winnie’s red fox familiar, Rhett, was circling us slowly, trying to keep his bushy tail from wagging.
“You wanted to see me, Pirate Winnie?” I said, trying not to grin.
She growled again. “That be Captain Pirate Winnie to you barnacles.”
I couldn’t stop the smile then, or the laughter that burst out of me. “I think you’ve been spending too much time with Chase, Captain Pirate Winnie.”
Kade thought of Chase like a nephew, he was the son of his cousin and he’d known him since birth. Chase was a little older than Winnie, and very smart. He was teaching my sister a world of new words.
She dropped her weapon then, her tiny face crumbling. “I miss Chase,” she wailed. “Why did he have to go?”
I took two steps to her side, dropping to my knees and wrapping my arms tightly around her. “Winnie, sweetheart … I know a lot of stuff is happening that you don’t understand. And I’m sorry that everything is a mess again. We’re being attacked by some very bad people, so the children have to go away. To be safe. If you miss Chase so much, how come you don’t want to go be with him?”
She burrowed closer to me, tucking her little head into my neck as Rhett lay his face on her lap. “I would miss you more, so I had to make a hard decision.”
My heart hurt then, like someone had just wrapped their hand around it and squeezed tightly.
“I don’t want you to go either,” I murmured close to her, a few tears trailing down my cheeks. Queens weren’t supposed to cry, to show weakness, but I had decided to do things differently in my reign. I would not hide myemotions, I would not keep myself from my people. The rules were changing, and I was glad. “But I also can’t stand the thought of you being hurt. I need to know you’re safe, because if anything happened to you, Win. If you got hurt…” My voice broke. “I can’t let anything happen to you.”
I pulled back to see her face, and so she could see mine. “Do you understand? I don’t want you to go. I would do anything to make sure we never have to be apart again, but these bad people … they hurt kids. They would hurt you. So will you please reconsider staying with Chase, just for a few weeks?”
I was trying to make it seem like a question, but I would force her if I had to. I was praying it would all be over within the month, but without knowing the time of the fae attack, I was just guessing. She was quiet, staring at me, watery eyes locked on my face. Finally, she leaned forward and kissed my cheek. “I trust you to keep me safe. I will do as you ask and go to California.”
The tears in her eyes spilled over, which prompted fresh rivulets to track down my own cheeks. I wanted to sob, but I knew that would upset her more, so I just hugged her as tightly as I could.
I felt his presence moments before strong arms wrapped around both Winnie and I. Kade’s warmth encased us. He pressed a kiss to the top of my head, and I felt him do the same to Winnie.
“It will be okay.” His low growly voice was the most comforting thing in the world to me now. “The fae picked the wrong packs to mess with. We’ll take them down and then all go on a vacation.”
His declaration had Winnie’s little head poking up. She struggled back from our hug to see the bear king better. “Hawaii?” she practically shrieked, her tears drying up.
Kade laughed, the rich sound echoing across the garden. Ever since Winnie saw a brochure for Hawaii with pineapples, hula dancing, and the whole relaxed beachy vibe, she’d been begging to go. As he pulled back and I could see clearer, I noticed that Violet and Blaine were no longer close by. They had moved about fifty yards away and were talking to Gerald and Bianca, the Boston alpha. All four of them were part of the new combined bear-wolf council.
“Hawaii is a definite.” Kade brought my attention back to him and Winnie. “Wherever my girls want to go, then we will go.”
His girls.Two very simple words, but they meant so much. Not just to me, but Winnie also. Neither of us had parents anymore, all we hadwere each other. We were a family now. A true family like so many others I used to watch with envy.
“Yay! You’re the best, K. I love you,” Winnie was still shrieking as she turned to me. “I’m ready to go now.”
The heavy pressure in my chest increased then, and I found myself locking eyes with Kade.
I don’t want her to go,I sobbed through our bond, keeping the grief internal.What if we never see her again?
