“I’ll be better when we’re far from here.”
“So will I.” Brian turned to look at Declan; an amused smile curved the corner of his mouth. “I’m glad I’m not the enemy.”
Seeing that it was Brian on the other side of the door caused some of Declan’s hostility to ease, but he couldn’t get himself completely under control again. He held his red and black hand out to Brian, who clasped it.
“It’s good to see you,” Declan said.
“You too.”
Over Brian’s shoulder, Willow saw Ronan and Nathan approaching the building. If Nathan and Abby were here, that meant Vicky was too. As soon as she finished hugging her sisters, she was going to strangle them.
“Did you find Lucien?” Declan asked.
Brian shook his head. “I can’t get a read on him.”
“What does that mean?”
“It could mean many things. My ability is far from foolproof. If he’s in a massive crowd, I can’t pick him out, or he could be underground, or in a concrete bunker, or he’s…”
“Dead,” Declan said when Brian’s words trailed off.
“Or he’s dead,” Brian agreed.
Declan’s teeth ground together as his fingers dug into his palms. All the deep breathing in the world couldn’t calm him. Lucien was his friend, his brother, and thosefuckershad done something to him. There was a chance they might never learn of Lucien’s fate, but hewouldmake them pay for it.
“Shit,” he hissed.
Sensing his rising tension, Willow rested her hand on Declan’s arm and squeezed it. Brian’s eyebrows rose, but he refrained from saying anything as Declan relaxed. Ronan and Nathan’s gazes fell to her hand when they entered the barn.
“What about the others who were in the woods with us?” she asked.
“After you two went over the waterfall, they searched for you but couldn’t find you. They did find the bodies of the others, though,” Nathan said. “They brought them back, and we buried them at the compound.”
“None of the others survived?” she croaked.
“No, but we have you.”
Willow didn’t know what to say, and she welcomed Nathan’s hug as Ronan and Declan clasped hands and embraced. “It’s good to see you again,” Ronan said.
“You too,” Declan said as he squeezed his friend before releasing him.
“Where are Abby and Vicky?” Willow asked.
“Waiting with Kadence by the first SUV,” Nathan said. “They’ll be happy to see you.”
“I would be happier to see them if it was at the compound where they belong,” she retorted.
Nathan laughed as he released her. “We tried to get them to stay behind, but they’re stubborn. It runs in the family,” he said with a pointed look at her.
Willow scowled. “They’re idiots.”
“You can tell them that,” Brian said. “I much prefer not to have to sleep with one eye open.”
“Oh, believe me, I’ll let them know.”
“What happened out there?” Ronan asked.
Willow stopped scowling out the door as she turned her attention to the leader of the Alliance. She’d always respected the king, but having learned more about Declan and Ronan’s relationship, she had a whole new level of admiration for him.
