58. Jaiel

Kaiya stood ahead of me, hair blowing in the wind as she looked over her shoulder. Her lips curled into a teasing grin as she slipped off her dress and dove from the cliff.

Panic twisted in my gut, and I rushed to where she”d been standing.

But she was nowhere to be found in the darkness below!

Shadows poured out of the darkness, as though conjured by the wind, rising to twist themselves around me before sinking into my skin.

”It”s your fault,” they whispered, ”she”s gone because of you —”

Something jerked beneath me, sending a knifing pain through my shoulder, waking me from the nightmare.

I pushed into a seated position, blinking away my grogginess as I took in my surroundings.

The sky was beginning to brighten over the horizon and next to me ran several dozen body mages — none of whom were Kaiya or Tye.

Wait … what?

I inhaled sharply as I realized I was riding on an actual fucking diyre wolf!

”What in the seven hells?” I spluttered.

A man ahead and to the right shifted to human form and met my gaze. ”Alpha! Pretty boy woke up!” he yelled over his shoulder, still running.

”Where is Kaiya?” I snapped. ”Did she escape?”

Fuck. If she hadn”t — my chest ached at the thought.

Alpha Blackwood shifted and gestured for everyone to stop. He walked up to my side, a tired smile plastered to his lips. ”Yes,” he said. ”They escaped the stronghold.”

”Then …” I prompted him, stomach dropping.

”Then she decided to go after the Reaper, or Lady Frexin, as you call her,” he said, voice soft.

”What?!”

”I told her you”d want to go along, but she said she didn”t think you would.”

My stomach lurched.

”She went after Frexin, alone?”

”Tye went along, too.” He reassured me. ”She thinks the Reaper won”t hurt her, but I have to say … I”ve never known the Reaper to be anything but merciless.”

My chest tightened more.

Fuck! We”d known there was more to Lady Frexin than met the eye, but even Dimiri didn”t know it went this far.

Was Tye enough to protect her if things went poorly?

”Where did they go?” I ground out.

He cocked his brow. ”I”m positive I heard you tell her to stay away from you … that you didn”t want anything to do with her, or her messing with your bond.”

My stomach lurched.

He was right. As long as she was safe, this was exactly what I”d hoped for. She”d be safe from me, at least, and I wouldn”t have to see that look in her eyes when she learned the truth.

But what if she wasn”t okay?

Bile rose in my throat. Could I just stand by and let her die because I was scared?

The voices of my past screamed in my mind, begging me to stay away — to stay hidden and safe.

Frexin didn”t know I was a Rogue. I could return to the Capital and take up my old job without anyone the wiser …

But could I really go back to that? To my life as a double agent, with days full of parties, sex, and seeking society”s approval?

Dimiri needed to know about Frexin, but beyond that, what was my purpose back there anymore?

My time with Kaiya made it all seem so pointless and empty.

When I was with her, it felt right — even when it was painful. Like I was a part of something …

But it was only a matter of time before she saw what I was and left me.

Just like everyone else.

Could I truly throw everything away and go after her, knowing that?

That dream surged in my mind again, along with the desperation I”d felt at knowing I”d lost her forever.

”Where is she?” I ground out.

”With those wounds, you won”t make it,” Alpha Blackwood said, those brown eyes hard.

I gritted my teeth and tried again. ”Where IS she?”

”You”re probably too late. Let it go,” he growled. ”She”d want you to survive.”

I slipped off the diyre and stalked up to the man. My fingers clasping around his neck before I could even think.

Shadows danced on his skin, eager to consume his essence, if I let them.

”Where. Is. My. Mate?”

The older man”s eyes softened, and his lips curled into a grin. ”You may have some wolf in you, yet, Prince Jaiel Kierstall. The airship was heading toward the Forlorn Grove, and beyond that, the Heartless Basin.”

I released the man and stepped back. Dozens of shifters glared at me, ready to attack, but Alpha Blackwood just laughed, the sound rich and full of mirth.

”Ride Shaide,” he said. ”He”s fast and can take you as far as the forest”s edge. Seems like you have your pack to save.”

I nodded and turned to the diyre.

The bond to Kaiya tugged at me. Something was wrong, and I had to get to her before it was too late!

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