Ancient power and the smell of deep woods whispered through the halls of Dominic’s home. Heath tensed, his fangs sliding out as he pushed Asherah behind him to protect her. Eiravel and Cynes shifted smoothly to stand beside Heath and Isadora.
Kallan played with the shaft of his staff, and Teague hissed a warning. Of course, with so many shifters in the room, the Unseelie’s momentary sense of threat was only a second before Dominic spun toward his front door. Romano, Giuliana, and Pasquale were at his side instantly. Zahara’s fingers danced in the air, and Silva’s silver clanged as a sword slid from her hand.
They were all prepared for battle.
“I don’t think you’re going to have to make that call, Kalinda,” Silva hissed.
“Calm,” came from the other side of the door.
Fuck me.
Weapons dropped, a shudder raised through the room, and the door opened as if by an invisible hand. A massive, cloaked figure stepped into the room. All that was visible was the golden tan of his arms and dancing red runes.
Asherah gasped, and Heath shifted more in front of her to protect her. Yes, he know who—or at least what—just made an appearance. While finding solace in the Scorched Earth and preparing to battle Silva there, Heath had come across several of the Guardians whose only job was to protect that space. He’d never engaged them directly, instinctively knowing to stay as far away as possible, but he recognized the scent.
“It seems we meet again, Alpha of the Lombardi Pack.” The Guardian crossed one arm over his chest, bowing slightly to Silva. “Your Highness.”
“Oh, I like him. He knows how to treat a lady. Do your runes change colors? Hot pink would be hawt.”
The Guardian hesitated for a moment as he stood from his bow. “If I did, you’d bow to my every whim. Would you like that?”
Heath couldn’t tell if the bastard was joking or not, but the tension in the air increased. A warning signal blared in Heath’s head as Silva took a step forward, her violet eyes flashing with something Heath couldn’t put his finger on.
“This the pack of my House, and the Ales’s mate is here. Do you mean to threaten that?”
What. The. Fuck?
Silva had claimed the Lombardi Pack as part of her House? Heath was sure Dominic and the others had no idea what that meant, but Silva had basically named their lands as an extension of hers. For Fae, this area would be considered part of Seraph and ruled by Silva, with Dominic as her representative.
His word would have the same strength as hers.
Heath whistled. “Damn.”
“If the House of Danaan seeks to destroy the balance within Encantado, I will do what I must.”
“Torin, what you speak of is war.”
Torin pushed back his hood, revealing white eyes full of near-blinding power. His stubborn jaw was cocked to the side as he faced off against Silva.
Dominic lifted his hands. “I don’t know what the fuck is going on, but I am Alpha here. What is it you are doing, Guardian?”
Without taking his eyes off Silva, Torin replied, “I am here to claim the Unseelie Fae who infiltrated the Scorched Earth, illegally used portals there, inciting a possible resurgence of activity, and who thought a glamour would fool one such as I.”
Romano chuckled, crossing his arms. “Oh, you want Heath here.” He tossed his thumb over at Heath, and Heath groaned.
The fucker.
“You are welcome to have him.”
“Oh, I intend to. He’ll be remanded to my custody while I investigate what he was doing here. If we find he is a danger to Encantado, he will be put to death.”
“No,” Silva stated firmly. “He is Foraltin of my sister.”
Torin sighed. “He should have thought of the life of his Fate before he broke our laws.”
Heath wasn’t going to be talked about as if he wasn’t in the damn room. “I did what I did because I thought I had the right of blood to do so.”
“And what, tell me, does that have to do with my city?”
