Declan stood still, his hands curling at his sides. He didn’t flinch, but there was a flicker of hesitation—one Aiden would surely note.
Declan glanced between Aiden and Cormac before looking back at his sire. “If you say so, Aiden.”
“Wonderful.” Aiden clapped Declan on the arm. “I’m going to see if I can find a woman now.” He barely finished the sentence before disappearing.
I clenched my fists at my side. “Cormac, you can’t just let him go. If he finds her—”
Cormac shook his head. “He won’t find her.” He pulled his phone from his pocket and dialed a number. Only Cormac could maintain the patience he did as the phone rang. A low, tinny voice wrapped in static answered, and quickened the pace of my heart.
Cormac’s words held no politeness or pleasantries. “Conall. I need you in London. Now.”
He didn’t wait for our youngest brother to reply before hanging up and moving to the intercom.
“Dani, I need Patricia in the boardroom immediately.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied over the speaker. “Was that really—”
“I said now.” Cormac let go of the button and turned to me. “Lorcan, let’s go.” He brushed Rory’s cheek with the back of his fingers. “Maybe you should get some rest.”
She shook her head and narrowed her eyes. “Cormac, you know as well as I do that you just want to protect me—again—from whatever you’re doing.”
He smiled as he laced his arms around her waist. “You’re completely correct. And I also want to protect our child. So go rest. Because the chances of me needing the High Priestess soon are increasing by the minute.”
She leaned back in his arms. “All right, Cormac. Just remember—there are no stories for tomorrow.”
“I know, starlight.” Bending down, he kissed her before turning to me with a frown. “Lorcan, let’s go find Briar.”
We made our way to the boardroom, where there was a woman with long, straight brown hair, her attire all business.
“Cormac, what can I do for you?” she asked.
Cormac strode to the table, raising a hand toward the woman. “Lorcan, this is Patricia, our head of security.” He turned to her. “We need to find Briar. She’s disappeared. I want to knowwhen she left, where she stayed last night, and where she’s going.” Cormac’s voice was measured, but his body was taut with restrained force, his fingers drumming against his arm like a ticking clock.
“But, sir, how—”
“You know exactly how,” Cormac interrupted. “I want a war room set up in the lower conference room, and people working around the clock until you find her. Is that understood?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Call in extra help if you need to. Emergency pay will be in effect, and the guest floor is open. Give them access through the executive floor.”
A small smile crossed the woman’s lips, but her eyes betrayed her fear. “They’ll be pleased to hear that, sir.”
“Double pay and a suite? It should light a fire. Get to work.”
“Yes, sir.” As Patricia exited, the silence in the room grew heavier.
“They’ll find her, Lorcan.” Cormac rested his hand on my shoulder but refused to meet my eyes before walking from the room.
For the past four hours I had wandered the house, unable to sit still, memories haunting me—not only memories of Briar but of my life. A life that had been going on for so long. How many people had died around me, and how many at my own hand? But now Aiden hunted the life I cared about the most. I stalked to the family library and poured myself a whiskey. I nursed the amber liquid, relishing the small bites of pain with each gentle sip.
My heart clenched, and I closed my eyes, blanking out the old bookshelves and leather chairs. I inhaled the lingering scent of cigars and old books, chasing away the scent of her. But it was still there, her smell, her taste, even the firmness of her breasts as I had cupped them in my hands, holding her back to me, her scream echoing around the room as she came. And now, my every fear had come to fruition: she was gone, and Aiden was after her. I should have stayed away, told her I did not know who Lorcan O’Cillian was, and that the name was a strange coincidence. Why had I not?
I poured myself another drink and paced, laughing bitterly. The room around me absorbed the sound, not allowing it to flow into the hall. I thought I should check in at the war room, but I didn’t even know where it was. Our homes had always been our refuge, Dún Na Farraige the most, but this one was a close second, yet I no longer knew my way around. How had our lives come to this? I shook my head, taking another sip. I needed to find Briar and get away from here.
Declan stopped short as he walked into the library. “Should I…” He pointed at the door, not quite finishing his sentence.
I gestured to the chairs. “Our homes have always been yours. Don’t allow me to chase you away.”
