They offered up Sky’s help for the proposed illusion with Amabella, and I was grateful for it. We needed that part to be perfect. When we drew Grey out with the promise of my presence, all his men needed to believe he was there the entire time, waiting for me.
“How much longer do you need to heal fully?” Nolan asked when he’d given them all the pertinent details.
Altair gestured down to himself. “As you can see, I’m fully healed. Sky tells me he can manage.”
“Do you need me to chip in some healing magic?” I offered.
Sky shook his head vigorously, bringing his hands down to his bandaged torso as if I was about to come at him with magic at the ready. I was careful not to move toward him, because he looked a little like a frightened cat. Ready to pounce or run at any moment. Something about being healed by me made him extremely uncomfortable.
“If you change your mind, let me know,” I said with a shrug. “I probably shouldn’t be expending more magic than necessary, anyway. I’ve got to save up for the memory manipulation.”
It would be a day or two before we’d gotten our plan into place, so it didn’t really matter. Sky was immediately more comfortable, though.
“Assuming you think we can get out of here without being caught up in another fight, we should head out,” Emmett said from the doorway.
My poor mate was fidgeting, his weight shifting from foot to foot. He was backed up close enough to touch the door, and I had no doubt he was listening for footsteps or voices in the hallway. I wasn’t keen on being here for much longer either, but I trusted Sky’s wards and had at least been comfortable for the last while.
“You should be good,” Altair said. “Careful where you’re walking though, boss.”
Altair grinned at Nolan, confirming he’d been watching the whole interaction between us and the man who’d nearly made a dent in Emmett’s handsome face.
Nolan rolled his eyes and stood, helping me up from the low mattress. “I was in a hurry to leave. I’ll manage better this time around.”
We were all still in a hurry to leave, none as much as Emmett. He hated it here. I’d learned bits and pieces about his history, but I hadn’t understood how much he hated his home realm until now. Every emotion I picked up from him was overlaid with distress.
Before we could hustle our way out the door and back the way we’d come, Sky handed me a piece of bronze from his pocket. I tried to refuse, but he insistently shoved it at me and I reluctantly grabbed it. Upon closer inspection it was a small pendant with a gem embedded in it. I looked questioningly at him.
“If you need to get in touch with us, that will be able to portal you to exactly where we are,” Altair explained in Sky’s stead. “It’s got his magical signature. Be warned, it’s risky to do because you won’t know what the fuck kind of trouble we’re in, but I’m sure you can use your own discretion.”
Closing my fist around it, I nodded. “Got it. Hopefully you’ll be hanging out in this area when we come back for you, and I won’t need this.”
“Staying put for now would be ideal, but you never know what’s going to happen on the east side of Eimburn.”
He was speaking from experience, making me all the more eager to leave.
We bid our goodbyes, then hurried without incident back to where I’d portalled us in.
THIRTY-FIVE
Shan
Ihadn’t seen Caspian in what felt like days, since Grey had him removed from our shared cell.
Our bond was weakening despite the secondary bond my mate had created before being stolen away from me, and I had to imagine that’s why I was dreaming of him.
What I couldn’t explain was why everyone else was here too.
We were in a grand hall filled with floating lights of various pastel colours, the walls illuminated in glorious patterns. People danced all around our small group, their spinning disorienting me more than I already had been. A lone pianist played the grand piano on a platform, displayed to the room.
Everything began to come into focus when my gaze caught on what the piano was made of. Wood. Living wood, from a tree that extended up through a hole in the roof toward the sky.
The dancers had pointed ears and elaborate updos, and so did the man in front of me. The one who smelled of pine and sex.Caspian.
“Lief, are you alright?” he asked me, his expression worried.
His features were different. More ethereal and fae than they typically were, his skin paler. And his hair, the dishevelled mop on top and shaved down sides were the same, but the colour was baby pink.
I reached out to touch his face and fought against the tears beading in my eyes. “I’m fine, Forest,” I said gently.
