Ronan steps back and peers at the bundle in my arms. “Do you think he’s hungry?”
“He’s probably unhappy that I haven’t changed his diaper yet.”
The shadowbeasts in our party growl, making the soldiers around us more uneasy. A shadowbeast breaks from the pack and moves in our direction in an unfriendly way, even though Castiel is supposed to be controlling them. I whip my face toward the monster and growl, baring my fangs.
Immediately, the shadowbeast stops and—holy shit—retreats back to its friends, tail between its legs.
“Impressive,” Castiel says.
“Keep your creatures away from us,” Ronan tells him, baring his fangs as well.
Castiel’s brows arch, but he refrains from making a comment. He looks at the shadowbeasts, and a moment later, they veer toward a building on the opposite side of the stables. It seems hecancontrol the monsters with his mind. An iron gate opens, and once the shadowbeasts disappear inside the building’s dark interior, the gate shuts again.
Ronan stares at him through narrowed eyes. “Tell me, Castiel, can you see the beasts you control?”
He meets Ronan’s gaze and holds it before looking away. “No.”
Hell. I can’t tell if he just lied to our faces or if he’s annoyed to confess he can’t see the monsters that could end his life in the blink of an eye. What if he can’t make those monsters obey him any longer? That’s a troubling thought.
Ronan turns to his rombolo and takes Ollie into his arms. The little girl barely stirs. She rests one rosy cheek against hisshoulder while sucking her thumb. My heart melts at the sight. She needs parents who will cherish her and make sure she’s safe, just like Rio does.
“You and the vampire would make a beautiful family,” Castiel says next to me.
I didn’t even see him move. He probably walked the wind, because I’d swear he was already at the gate.
“We’re not together,” I grit out.
“Hmm… you don’t act as if you aren’t.”
The second gate opens, and I don’t have a chance to retort. A greeting party emerges, and my guess is that they were waiting for the shadowbeasts to be contained. A regal couple leads the party, and I can say without a doubt that they’re the most beautiful Nightingales I’ve ever seen—and that’s saying a lot, considering how ethereal this race is.
The soldiers and Castiel all bow their heads, clueing me in that they must be Castiel’s parents, the king and queen of the Lynx Kingdom. The king has teal-colored hair and light blue skin that make me think of a sunny day by the beach. His wife is his opposite, with dark blue skin and white hair. If the king is the day, she’s the night.
“My son. It’s good to see you.” The king opens his arms and kisses Castiel on both cheeks.
“Father. It’s good to be home.”
The queen moves closer, looking relieved but also sad. “You’ve found him?”
Castiel swallows hard and nods. He turns toward the iron-barred carriage where Indigo is presently sitting with his knees up and his face hidden from view.
The queen sighs. “Were the rumors true, then?”
Castiel’s face is as hard as rock. “Unfortunately, yes.”
Seeing Lord Indigo in so small a cage makes me pity him. I know too well how it feels to be shunned by the people whoare supposed to be there for you. I will never forget what my parents did to Karl and me. But once Lord Indigo lifts his head and stares at his parents and brother with nothing but pure hatred, my heart turns into stone. His situation isn’t the same as mine. When Karl was left for dead and we sought refuge with the vampires, we didn’t do despicable things to survive. If Lord Indigo was indeed responsible for all the kidnappings and forced breedings, he doesn’t deserve my pity.
The queen’s lips press into a thin, flat line, and something hardens behind her eyes—like watching a door being bolted from the inside. “How could you?”
Lord Indigo’s lips part slowly, the corners curling upward without crinkling his eyes, revealing teeth too white against the shadow of his face. “You look at me as if I’m a monster, but I’m not any different than your beloved Castiel. All I did was procure a few vampires for protection against the monsters he brought back to life.”
“You didn’t procure vampires,” I grit out. “You stole them from their families, kept them prisoners, and whored them out to Lord Valkor’s disgusting followers.”
Ronan whips his face to mine, burning my cheeks with his intense stare. I didn’t have a chance to tell him much about my ordeal, and thanks to our connection, I know his pulse is accelerated. I also know he wants to rip Lord Indigo’s heart out with his bare hands.
“A small price to pay for their restored health. If it weren’t for me, those younglings wouldn’t even exist.”
I take a step back, holding Rio tighter, as if by doing so, I’m shielding him from the ugly truth of Lord Indigo’s words. If he hadn’t done all the atrocious deeds he’s been accused of, then Ollie and Rio wouldn’t have been born.
