“Oh.” He smiles, but it doesn’t reach his eyes. “That sounds nice, but we really don’t have much.”
I just shrug. The best thing my momma ever taught me was how to use a few ingredients to make delicious meals. It’s all about experimenting and getting a little creative. “That’s fine. I will make do with what you have.”
Finnick mulls this over. For a moment, I fear he’ll say no, which would take away my one source of comfort and home. But finally, his small shoulders sag, and he nods. “Let’s take my mother with us. She knows where all the spices are.”
My heart skips a beat as I quickly gather the pans Ithink I’ll need. I know a castle kitchen is likely stocked with every utensil imaginable, but there’s comfort in using my own. Familiar tools in an unfamiliar place.
“That’s fine.” I nod. “I’ll follow you. You can give me a tour of the castle along the way.”
A flicker of curiosity tugs at the back of my mind—where are Zephyr and Niko? But the thought barely lingers. The thrill of cooking in a new place, of creating something with my own hands, drowns out everything else.
Finnick flies high and gestures for me to follow. With a smile, I follow the small sprite out the door to explore my new home.
Chapter 13
Niko
Zephyr convinced me to let Evangeline sleep the moment we arrived back at the castle. The woman had fallen asleep on the back of the horse, my arms wrapped so tightly around her because I didn’t want her to fall. It made steering difficult. I didn’t complain, though. She clearly needed the rest.
I can’t comprehend what all the changes she’s been through would do to a person. It’s enough to make anyone exhausted. Besides, Zephyr placed Evangeline in the room right next to ours. I would have felt more secure if she were in our room, but I don’t imagine she’d take kindly to waking up between two strangers.
We won’t be strangers for long.
Even Zephyr, with his insistence on not pursuing a relationship with our new human, looks upon her with a possession I rarely see from him. If I mention it, he’ll deny it, so for now I keep that observation to myself, sealing it away until later.
Sleep came easily last night, though not peacefully.My mind is a labyrinth of emotion I torture myself with. Too many have fallen ill. Too many have died to keep the Nephilim out. Soon our supplies will cease altogether, and even the healthy won’t survive for long. It’s a waiting game, and one we won’t win unless we find a cure and defeat the threat.
That’s why Evangeline’s here.
Zephyr wakes a little after me. I watch him slide out of bed, his nude body stretching and flexing the moment he stands up. His muscles strain, and he groans softly, a sound I wish to capture with my lips and swallow. My gaze travels down his back, mapping every scar as I reach the curve of his perfectly shaped ass. My cock hardens just at the sight of my perfect mate. Supple. Strong. And mine.
Zephyr must feel the weight of my gaze because he turns toward me, a slow, knowing smile curving his lips. “Good morning,” he murmurs, his voice rough and low with sleep. He leans in, and I meet him halfway, our bodies pulled together by an invisible thread. His kiss is fierce, hungry, and I answer with the same urgency, threading one hand through the back of his hair and clutching his shoulder with the other.
I want nothing more than to stay tangled in him, to lose myself in the heat between us. But reality tugs at me, and with great reluctance, I tear myself away. As I pull back, Zephyr’s eyes burn with a fire so intense, it makes me ache. I want to bottle that look, to keep it for when I need it most.
“We need to check on Evangeline.” I break the spell we’re under.
Conflicted emotions mar his features before he schools his expression into the blank soldier he dons most often. “We should discuss why she’s here. She needs to know what we’re facing.” He turns his back on me to locate his clothes. And even though I would like to wait to have this conversation with Evangeline until she’s adjusted better, I know we don’t have the luxury of time.
I quickly follow his lead, and we dress in silence, the air between us thick with unspoken thoughts about the woman next door. Once we’re ready, he moves toward the door connecting our room to Evangeline’s. As he passes, his fingers brush lightly across my back, a fleeting touch that lingers in my mind. He pauses at the door, his hand hovering over the knob in brief hesitation. The moment is so quick, I might have missed it if I weren’t watching him so closely. Then, with a breath of resolve, he turns the handle and pushes the door open.
“We probably should have knocked first.” I curse.
“Wouldn’t matter,” Zephyr says. I frown. He then pushes the door open wider and gestures about. “She’s not in here.”
“What?” I snap, brushing past him and stepping into the room. My eyes sweep over the space, taking in the scene. The bed is unmade, the blankets thrown back, and the pillows still bear the indentations of sleep. Evangeline’s red bag lies open on the floor, clothes spilling out in a chaotic heap, and a smaller bag is toppled over, the contents scattered among the fabric. One thing is immediately, painfully clear—Evangeline is gone.
“Fuck,” I snarl, stalking to the door. Soft footfallssound behind me, and I’m keenly aware of Zephyr following closely. My panic is not entirely my own. Darkness lingers over him too, fearing for a woman he wants no ties to.
“She couldn’t have left the castle,” Zephyr says, picking up his pace and moving in front of me. Once the halls were lined with guards, maids, and other castle workers, but only echoes of the past remain. The only positions still occupied with guards are the entrances and exits of the castle. No one is allowed in or out without explicit permission, a precaution set into place during this trying time. It’s a small consolation, but still doesn’t tell us where Evangeline walked off to.
We scour the second floor thoroughly but find no sign of her. Frustration tightens in my chest as Zephyr motions for me to follow him. I fall into step behind him as we head down the staircase, our pace quickening the moment we reach the main floor. Without a word, we move toward the formal dining room and the throne room beyond it since it’s the first we come to. We’re halfway down the corridor when a sound slices through the tense silence, stopping us in our tracks.
Soft, feminine laughter.
My shoulders sag, alleviating the tension weighing me down. Another voice joins the feminine laughter, and I can’t help but roll my eyes. Finnick. Of course, my brother would be the one to lead Evangeline out of her room. My relief at knowing she’s safe outweighs my anger at Finnick. My brother has an uncanny ability to get out of trouble. It serves him well.
“Finnick will put us all in an early grave,” Zephyrmurmurs under his breath, pushing open the large mahogany door. Evangeline’s laughter grows louder, followed by another feminine voice I hadn’t picked up before. My mother.
