A proper alpha burial meant he’d be buried in the Garden of Alphas alongside my father and other alphas who’d died after serving their packs for decades. That piece of trash could be buried in the woods, or we could burn him like Declan.
“No way. Proper alpha burials don’t go to shady challengers,” I growled as I walked to the adjoining bathroom off the study.
Noble grimaced again. “That’s what I told her. But she’s asking for an exception. Begging, really, saying the high mages spelled her father and tricked him into attacking you. She’s saying he was loyal to you.”
Tricked? Doubtful. Magically spelled I could buy but with his permission, no doubt. I ran the cold water and cupped my hands, splashing it on my face. As I straightened, Noble set a toothbrush and toothpaste on the ledge.
“Thanks,” I told him.
I brushed my teeth, noting the dark circles under my eyes as well as the five o’clock shadow. I looked beyond tired—pathetic, really.
“Any news on Nai?” I asked with a mouthful of toothpaste.
Noble was quiet, but I wasn’t sure if he didn’t understand my garbled question or if he didn’t want to answer.‘Justice? What’s the word on that lead?’
Did my second-in-command even sleep last night? He’d said he had a lead, and then I fell asleep. I should be the one staying up all hours of the night, looking for her.
‘Sorry,’Justice said, his words slurred.‘I just nodded off for a second.’
‘That lead?’I prompted, swishing out my mouth.
‘Yes, so Surlama’s sister, Kalama, is still indentured to the crown, and she has enough power to break those spells.’
And not high enough status to be brought back to High Mage Island with the master teachers for the meeting.
My eyes widened, and I looked at Noble. ‘Surlama’s sister? Can we even trust her?’
‘Do we have a choice?’Noble and Justice both said in unison.
Touché.
‘I’ve strongly encouraged Kalama to break those spells.’Justice yawned,the long, drawn-out breath echoing through our bond. ‘She’s working on them now.’
‘Strongly encouraged?’I asked.
‘I may have threatened to kill her if she didn’t do it,’ Justice shot back. ‘It was three a.m., and I’m not in the mood for pattycake.’
I grinned.
‘I’m giving you a promotion,’I said just as he strolled into the office.
He looked even worse than I, his black hair messily flattened on one side and sticking up on the other.
“I’m already your second.” He yawned again. “You can’t promote me any higher than that.”
I looked to Noble, who held up his index finger. “Technically, he’s right, but … you can make him head of the interrogation team.”
I faced Justice with a grin. “Done.”
Justice cracked his neck. “Since when do we have an interrogation team?”
“Since now,” Noble chuckled.
We all laughed with our normal brotherly banter, and for a brief moment, Ialmostforgot Nai was missing. But with my next breath, the gaping hole in my heart returned. Honor. Nai. They were family, the missing pieces of my heart, and I needed them.
‘Nai?’I inhaled and shifted my thinking from my mate to my brother.‘Honor—’
A loud knock at the door shattered my thoughts, and I groaned.
