I stared at Bart and Cael, my nose congested and my eyes watery. Cael reached down and laced his fingers through Bart’s. The bond Rod shared with his brothers had always been a source of strength. Now I saw it in action. “Thank you.”
Cael nodded. “What did Rod say about Elspeth checking for your grandfather?”
Changing topics helped calm my emotions. “Elspeth is going to work with Avie. Rod says your sister is a perfect partner for Els.”
“She is,” Bart said. “Observing firsthand will help her more accurately analyze what Elspeth sees.”
Growing up, I’d had a close bond with Grandfather. The whole family had been close. There’d always been a hint of resentment about Adelais’ sacrifice, but he rarely let it show with us grandkids. Blackstone’s dark magic had slowly poisoned those connections. I wasn’t sure enough of him remained for Els to trace.
“You should pack,” Cael said. “Chancellor Hollen made arrangements for a hypersonic military plane to get us to Minnesota. The helicopter will be here soon.”
As if on cue, Thalion entered the room. “Romanian military helicopter is less than ten minutes out.”
Nodding, I returned to my room in the surprisingly spacious cottage. Everyone else had finished, so I quickly collected the few things I’d brought. Stuffing the last shirt into my bag, it hit me—we’d reached the end. Rod and I had started this journey decades ago. Either we’d win, and finally bond, or we’d die trying.
“Rod?”I had nothing important to say, but wanted to feel his presence.
“Missed me already?”
Rod had always used humor to mask his pain.“Yes.”
There was a pause, and in my mind I saw him searching for the right words.
“This is the last time we split up,” he said.“I don’t care who says it’s for the best. It’s not for us.”
He was the stoic rock of our relationship, but as Bart had said, Rod hid the pain well.“No, it’s not.”
“We’ll find him, Cinaed,”Rod said.“Then we’re going to spend the next decade making up for lost time.”
He spoke with such confidence, it erased most of my doubts.“I want to see the world. All of it.”
“Sounds like a plan,”he said.“Though we’re going to need a glamour to hide how stunning you are or people will recognize us.”
Rod understood what creating a new Ward might cost, but still focused on the future. Our future.“Flattery will get you everything, Mr. Hollen.”
“That’s good, Prince FionnLaoch,”Rod said.“Because I want everything.”
There was a knock on the door. Leo stood in the hallway, looking like he drew the short straw. “Sorry to bother, and tell Rod hello from me, but the helicopter’s landing.”
With all his snark and swagger, it was easy to forget Leo was barely twenty-five. Too young to be given this responsibility. “I’ll be right there.”
“We’re leaving,”I told Rod.“And Leo sends his regards.”
“That’s his way of telling us to stop talking and start doing.”
“He’s right.”
“Yes, he is.”Rod sounded amused. An instant later, his mood shifted.“We’ll find him, Cinaed.”
He didn’t promise what would happen once we found him. I don’t blame him. No one knew what Grandfather would do.“I know we will. Stay safe. We’ll be there in less than twelve hours.”
“In that case, I’d better get some sleep now.”
His flirting didn’t mask the reality that none of us might get much sleep going forward.“I always knew you were the smart one.”
The conversation broke off abruptly because neither of us truly wanted it to end, and the helicopter was waiting. If I missed it, I could follow it in my phoenix form, but the others would wait for me.
Consideration for the others, however, was only a minor part of why I rushed. For the first time in days, the ache of separation eased. Rod was waiting for me at the end of this trip. He and I would pretend nothing was wrong, and the world comprised just two people. Me and him.
