“I don’t think so.”
“Good. So they shouldn’t have any protection against magic or weapons.” He called for his daggers, smile cold as they appeared in his hands. “Are we ready?”
Max put a hand on Dathal’s arm. “Wyn in first. Give him a chance to get a shield up, and then we go in.” Turning to the shifters, he added, “Don’t shift. The cottage isn’t big enough to accommodate five wolves. We’ll get in each other’s way.”
“What level of force are we using?” Syl asked glancing between me and Sasha.
I raised an eyebrow at Max. I knew what I wanted to answer, but he was the police. He’d have to clean up this mess afterwards.
“Whatever it takes,” Max answered, expression grim. “I don’t want to lose anyone. Is that clear?” He looked around the group, then nodded. “Let’s go.”
AXEL
“Anything?”Melhak barked.
“No.”
He swung the crossbow so it was aimed at me now. “Maybe I should shoot you somewhere important, give you a little incentive.”
I glanced worriedly down at Talis, expecting him to react, but he didn’t so much as flinch. His skin was the palest I’d ever seen it, blond hair stuck to his forehead where he’d begun to sweat. But his chest still rose and fell.
Hang on, Talis.
Just a little longer.
I’d been around shifters long enough to know that a roar like the one Talis let out carried further than you’d expect. I hadn’t registered it at the time, but as we sat here with nothing to do but think, it dawned on me that someone must have heard it. Falon’s pack was close, but were they close enough?
“Why do you want to break into the vaults, anyway?” I asked, stalling for time. I was curious too. Zh’alek had never shared what they planned to do afterwards.
Melhak snorted. “Like I’d tell you.”Because with what’s in those vaults, we can eliminate the high court and most of the guard. No high court or guard, no gateway restrictions. We’d be free to move between realms, free to do whatever we wanted.
It took every ounce of control I possessed not to react to Melhak’s thoughts. The high court had their faults, but killing them and the guard would result in chaos throughout the realm. Melhak was crazy to think it would result in anything else.
Maybe he didn’t care.
“What are we waiting for?” The fae by the window turned, scowling at Melhak. “You said you could get us the key to access the vaults. I’ve risked everything to come here.”
“You think I haven’t?” he hissed.
The fae sneered. “You were on your way to prison. We’re the ones who set you free.”
“I was stockpiling magic so we could do this. How do you think we’re going to get into the high court undetected?”
“No.” The fae shook his head. “You stockpiled magic to get Zh’alek out of prison. You said he could help us, but he’s dead. So are Kahli and Henn, and we’re no nearer to getting the key.”
Melhak winced. “Zh’alek was a fucking fool. Five years in a fae prison can alter the mind.” He glared at me like it was my fault he’d ended up there.
“He betrayed you, didn’t he?” I taunted.
Melhak ignored me.
“He was supposed to capture me, wasn’t he? Take me back to the Fae Realm?” I knew I’d hit a nerve when Melhak’s hand twitched, his grip on the crossbow tightening. They’d bound and gagged Blake and Lady Sarhin, but I caught her shaking her head at me out of the corner of my eye.
I should’ve probably shut up before he put a bolt in me like he’d threatened earlier, but now I’d found a chink in his armour, I wanted to pick at it.
“It’s not the first time he’s betrayed you, is it?” I glanced outside, wondering how long we’d been here. How long it would take for someone to notice we hadn’t returned. “He should’ve killed me five years ago when you told him to. But he didn’t.”
Melhak rolled his eyes. “Because Dathal swooped in and saved you. We’ve all heard the story a thousand times in the guard.” He shrugged. “Worked out for the best, because if he’d killed you, then we wouldn’t be sitting here now, would we?”
