My heart leapt into my throat. “You what?”
“I couldn’t do nothing.” His voice broke.
That dream, where he’d been looking over a map with Morgana and Leah, I wondered if that was real.
“I’m here now. I’m okay.” I leaned my head against his chest and trailed my finger down his neck.
“When Leah didn’t die on her birthday, I—” He took a minute to compose himself. “I wasn’t sure if you did or not. For the past four months, I haven’t known if you were dead or alive.”
My heart broke then. The anguish he’d gone through was just as bad as what Maddy and I had been through, just in a different way.
The sound of crunching gravel drew our attention and I froze as the Amarok came into view.
“You really screwed up this time, didn’t you?” He looked at Brayden and I clinging to each other.
I let out a nervous laugh and Brayden finally released me, allowing my body to slide down his, but he kept me close.
Reaching down, I picked up the portal egg and slipped it into my sock again.
“I have a business proposition for you,” Brayden told the Amarok.
I swallowed hard, sensing tension in the air as the two men stared each other down. “You don’t seem to be in a position to offer me anything,” the Amarok finally said.
Brayden ran a hand through his hair coolly, like he wasn’t bothered by the stinging comment. “Silas is dead. So is the Fae Lord Mace. We’re going to kill the other three Fae Lords and Novus and I’m getting my throne back. You can stay here and play babysitter to all the wolves or have a place at my side as Lord of Moon Valley.”
Holy crap!
I had no idea what a lord was in relation to a king, but it almost sounded like a second-in-command. If that was the case, then it was quite the bold statement.
The Amarok let his gaze sweep over the both of us until a slight smirk pulled at his lips. “I’m a bit tired of babysitting to be honest. What do you need my help with?”
Relief rushed through me and Brayden stepped forward to extend his hand. “Hide us until we’re ready to make our move. The Fae Lords will be all over Sandpoint, and I can’t go to the Ether without being discovered.”
The Amarok looked at Brayden’s outstretched hand. “If I do this, it’s treason against the Fae Lords.”
Brayden kept his hand out. “If youdon’t, it’s treason against me, the rightful Greywolf King. I guess it’s time to choose your enemy.”
Wow, I was seeing Brayden in a whole new light. It seemed that the taste of power he’d gotten from wearing the ring and using Leah’s magic had given him a thirst for his throne.
And it was sexy as hell.
The Amarok reached for Brayden’s hand and shook. “Wolves should stick together,” was all he said.
It was settled. We were now fully at war with the fae.
* * *
When all hellhad broken loose at the fight, Brayden’s pack had scattered. He’d gotten word to Maddy, August, Nora, and Leah through the Amarok to meet us at the Amarok’s safe house in Montana.
“I wish I could see my mom.” I paced the open field, staring out at the five hundred acre wheat farm. Not a tree in sight. I wondered if that was because the trees had ears like Brayden often liked to say. The Amarok apparently had a safe house that no one knew about. Some guy named Larry and his wife oversaw the farm with his crew. They lived in the main house, and behind it was a huge pole barn that looked like it held horses or farm equipment, but when we’d stepped inside we saw that it was a multiroom home used only for the Amarok.
“I’ve kept an eye on her this whole time—Ronan too. She’s okay,” Brayden said. “Sad she doesn’t see you often, but okay.”
That just made me feel worse. I was finally free and I couldn’t see my mom? It wasn’t fair.
A car pulled down the dusty road and I steeled myself as I recognized Leah’s car. They headed around the house for the barn we were standing in front of, and I took off into a run.
I could see August behind the wheel and Maddy in shotgun, but no sign of—
