‘That is my cue to leave,’Honor said, slipping out the door.
My gaze returned to Rage.
He was watching me with an unreadable expression. After a deep breath, he spoke: “I’m so sorry that the first time we fought like that … you got attacked and needed me. I feel …awful.”
I reached up and ran my fingers through his silky black hair. “The attack wasn’t your fault. Plus, you got to me in time … so all’s well that ends well, right?”
He nodded and led us to the bed. For several minutes, I sat beside him, and then we just talked. About our fight, my attack, the portals, seeing Kaja, blood mages,everything. Both of us had a lot going on, and we recognized the importance of working together as we were stronger that way. Then, I learned why there was so much talk about make-up sex.
After we’d thoroughly made up,multiple times, we curled up close and drifted into a peaceful slumber.
* * *
Bam!Bam! Bam!
A loud pounding at the door startled us awake, and Rage leapt out of bed with a growl.
“What?” he snarled.
Note to self: Rage doesn’t do well with disturbed sleep. I sat up, the grogginess bleeding from my limbs and my mind.
“There’s been an attack,” Noble said, his voice filled with anguish. “Rage … Nai … you need to hear this.”
We both dressed quickly and then followed Noble down the hall to a room near the throne room.
Inside, Sara, Sadie, Mallory, and several other members of Daybreak Clan stood huddled together. Some were crying and others staring with wide-eyed expressions of shock. Sara stepped forward as soon as Rage and I entered the room. She had her arm cradled to her chest; blood stained her tattered clothing.
“Your Majesty,” she said, bowing her head, her voice strained. “The blood mages…” Her voice cracked, and when she looked up, her cheeks were streaked with tears. “…attacked. We tried to fight them off, but our numbers were … overwhelmed.”
Wait. What?
Attacked here?
“How many?” Rage growled, his entire body stiffening.
Sara shook her head, and fresh tears spilled down her cheeks.
“More than we could count. Dad and Lizbeth … are gone.” Sadie’s voice cracked, but she forced a swallow. “We lost most of our clan, trying to fight them. Even the hawks helped.”
It hit me then that Sara was the one speaking … because John wasdead.
“Oh, Sara.” I stepped forward and grasped her hands, giving them a squeeze. “I’m so sorry.”
She nodded, wiping at her eyes, and a tall young man in his early twenties stepped up. “I’ll take over alpha duties until we can sort out who will be in charge from now on,” he told Rage.
“Thank you, Nick.” Rage nodded to him.
My heart thundered against my ribs.
“What did they want?” I asked. “The blood mages … what did they want?”
Sara wiped the tears from her face and swallowed hard. “I don’t know. They disappeared through the tree portal to High Mage Island.”
No!
No, no, no!
“Nai!” Rage yelled, but I was already moving … racing out the door.
