I looked up into his deep blue eyes and he took a steady breath. “Alpha, I regret to inform you—”
I put up a hand. “Don’t be so formal with me, Rab. Just tell me. What happened to Sawyer?”
I steeled myself, preparing for some godawful news about my mate. He was paralyzed, maimed, kidnapped.
Rab swallowed hard. “A month after you left, Sawyer was found guilty of murdering the prince of Vampire City, Vicon Drake. He was captured and taken to Magic City Prison.”
The room spun and I staggered backward as the air whooshed out of me. “No.”
“You weren’t there to testify to the claim of … sexual assault … and they had Sawyer’s DNA all over the crime scene.”
No!I broke down into sobs, my back slamming against the concrete wall as I slid into a sitting position. Sawyer, my Sawyer, in prison for almost a year because he was enacting justice on a sick soul and doing honor inmyname. My breaths came out in short, ragged gasps, and I knew I was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack.
Rab knelt down before me, meeting my gaze. “Now that you’re back, we will figure this out.”
I nodded, wiping my cheeks. “Where is Magic City Prison? Light Fey Territory?” I moved to stand and he backed up, putting his hands out.
“Yes, but—”
“I need to break him out. He’s all alone in there, and—” Another sob threatened to take hold of me again.
Rab placed a hand on my shoulder. “We have serious issues you need to deal with here first. We’re low on food. There was a mold contamination and we lost half of our supply early on. Also the air filter just broke which we rely on for fresh oxygen. Then there is the issue with heating and cooling, which keeps going out. We need an exit plan, Demi. We can’t live down here forever. People are getting stir crazy and going topside and disappearing, or winding up dead.”
Oh God.
Okay.Focus, Demi. One thing at a time.
I shook my head to clear my thoughts. “The Paladin land is healed. I saw it with my own eyes. You can move everyone there, rebuild and fortify the city while I go looking for Sawyer. I can’t leave him in there alone.”
“He’s not alone,” Rab told me. “The day after he got taken away, Walsh murdered the vampire king and then confessed to everything on tape so that he would be taken with Sawyer.”
I blinked at him, stunned, unsure I’d heard him right.
“Say what?”
Rab nodded. “The vampire king is dead. Only the queen is left and she rules everything. Walsh is with Sawyer in the Magic City Prison so he can keep an eye on him.”
Holy shit.Thank you, Walsh! That made me feet slightly better, but only slightly. Now I had two people to rescue.
Rab placed a hand on my shoulder. “Our people need to hear you tell them that the Paladin land is safe to go home to. That you found the cave and were found worthy and we can grow fresh food and prosper again. We need a leader.”
He was right. Dammit, he was so right.
Okay.
I shook myself, preparing to live up to my promise and lead my people, lead Sawyer’s people too, I guess. “Okay, a few days to sort things here, then I’m going to break Sawyer and Walsh out.”
Rab nodded. “I heard your wolf can walk through walls? Sounds like a handy trick when wanting to break into a prison.”
I grinned as a calmness settled over me.
I was going to get my hubby back. We would have our happily-ever-after, damn it!
After a few deep breaths,Rab opened the steel vault door, and after a whoosh of air I was welcomed by a small contingent of close friends and family. Raven, my parents, Sawyer’s mom, Sage, the baby, Eugene, Arrow, Willow and her baby, they all stood smiling at me, and my heart felt so full in that moment I almost forgot about all of my troubles.
Almost.
“Alpha.” Willow nodded, stepping forward, holding a baby girl who looked about six months old. I instantly smelled the humanness on her, and my heart pinched with regret.
