Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Andris slumped in his chair, his legs no longer able to keep him up. What I had thrown at him, going over the night until we got here in specific detail, pretty much melted his brain.
I was wrung out and drained. My own head struggled over the events of the night before. It was too much to fully wrap around.
“The nectar is back at the castle?” He took a large swing of Unicum, the dark liquor rolling down his throat with ease, his third refill since I started talking. My glass sat full in front of me, my head hurting and my stomach rolling with the idea of putting anything in it.
“Yes.”
He downed the rest, frowning at the empty glass.
“I’m not feeling anything. I don’t even feel a slight buzz.
” He set the cup down, pinching his brows again.
“I don’t have a single wound from the bombing.
I have no aching back or hurt knee.” He inhaled, peering up at me.
“When you brought me back,”—he licked his lips—“when I came back to life, was . . . was I changed?”
“I think so.” The words came out so softly I barely heard them.
“I still don’t understand how this is possible.
” He dropped his head back into the chair.
I told him all about the links and bringing Warwick and Scorpion back, as well.
“It shouldn’t be. It’s so ridiculous and farfetched, but yet, something in me is saying it’s true.
” His Adam’s apple bobbed. “I feel it. Everything is sharper. Smell, hearing, taste . . . colors are brighter. I’m tired, but I’ve never felt more alive.
Strong. Youthful. My joints no longer ache or groan. I feel like I’m twenty again.”
He swiveled his chair to face front, sitting up, his gaze meeting mine.
“I’m fae, aren’t I?”
I held a pocket of air in my lungs before releasing it. “Sort of.”
“The nectar was said to be a lot like fae food, which gave humans fae-like abilities.” He folded his hands together. “Basically, they were fae, but with slightly shorter lifespans.” Which were still thousands of years.
I had read all about the power of fae food.
It only existed in the Otherworld before the wall came down.
Humans couldn’t leave the Otherworld once they had it.
It was like the worst drug in the world.
It was all they craved or thought about, and they would starve themselves to death in the most horrendous agony if they went back to Earth.
When our worlds became one, it was destroyed.
“Istvan has been searching for the nectar for at least fifteen years, and he’s not alone. Millions of people would kill and destroy nations to get their hands on it. And if it fell into the wrong hands . . .”
“Yeah.” The weight bore down on me again.
He rolled his bottom lip between his teeth, his eyes on me.
“We need to destroy it.”
“What?” I jerked upright. Possessiveness curled around my spine. “No.”
“Brex, it’s beyond dangerous. This tiny substance is the most powerful thing in the world. Think of the damage it can do. Do you know what could happen if people found it? What if Istvan discovered it?”
“They haven’t found it yet.”
“It’s no longer safe, and you know it. A wisp of a word, a single hint that it might be out there, will rip this world apart.”
“No.” I stood fully up. “We find another way. I can’t destroy it. I won’t let you.” I bared my teeth. It was me, part of me. I couldn’t let anything happen to it. “Plus, it’s useless now. I used it up bringing all you guys back to life.”
“I’m not willing to take that chance.” Andris watched me, tension growing.
“Lieutenant?” A rap on the door broke us away from each other as a guy popped his head in, his eyes darting straight to me, his frame stiffening.
I sucked in.
Scorpion.
“Yes, what do you need?” My uncle waved him in.
Scorpion stepped in, his eyes wary on me, before forcing himself to look at Andris.
“We are out of supplies in the clinic. Herbs and medicines. It wasn’t ready at all for this level of wounded at one time.”
“I know.” Andris stood up, tugging on his filthy and burned jacket. “Gather up a group and head out as soon as it’s dark.”
“Yes, sir.” Scorpion dipped his head, turning for the door.
“I’ll go with you,” I spoke up, both men twisting to me.
“No, my dear, it’s too dangerous. If you are seen . . .” Andris shook his head.
“It will be dark, and I’ll wear a hood. I’m good at stealing.”
Andris frowned, about to say no again.
“It wasn’t a question,” I stated firmly. “I’m going.”
I had to do something. Stay busy.
Or I would fall apart.
“What the hell is going on?” Scorpion hissed, his hand circling my wrist, tugging me out into the hallway the moment we stepped out of Andris’ office. “I tried to reach—” His attention darted to all the figures mulling around within earshot. He pulled me deeper down a quiet, dim passage.
“I tried to reach you through the link a hundred times now,” he whispered hoarsely, still looking back over his shoulder to make sure there were no eavesdroppers.
“What the hell happened? You brought Andris back to life, didn’t you?
Like you did me. I could feel the magic, hear the lightning. I mean, you fucking lit up.”
I shifted on my feet, the aches in my body throbbing louder. I never was someone who needed painkillers, almost bragging about it. Now I yearned for anything to take the edge off the gnawing discomfort.
“Well, you brought me here, and through you, I could save him. Without that link,”—I swallowed—“he would be dead.”
“You can do that? I know you saved me and the other douchebag, but to experience it, the energy . . .” He shook his head. “I’ve never felt anything like it. And then it was gone.” He looked away. A fleeting second of vulnerability shone through and then vanished. “You were gone.”
Biting my lip, I bent my head. “By saving him, I think I burned it all up.”
“You mean it’s gone?” He peered down at me, his expression unreadable. “This link between us is gone for good?”
My shoulders lifted. “I don’t know. I think so. I took too much. Drained it . . . it wasn’t just Andris I brought back.”
Scorpion opened his mouth to respond.
“Hey! There you are.” Maddox came around the corner, his regard jumping between us suspiciously. “You talk to Andris? We going?”
“Yeah.” Scorpion took a huge step back from me, and I realized how close we were and what it must look like to Maddox.
He turned away, marching toward his friend, his voice gruff. “She’s coming with us.”
“Is she now?” Maddox’s lips curved a little, peering back at me. “And here I thought it was the little blonde making you jerk off earlier.”
“Shut the fuck up,” Scorpion growled, knocking his shoulder into Maddox, making him laugh.
“Someone’s a bit sensitive.” Maddox snickered, following behind his buddy.
“Hanna,” I said her name, feeling it like a blade, while catching up to them. “Is she . . . is she all right?”
Maddox and Scorpion looked back at me.
“She’s fine,” Scorpion huffed, his response widening Maddox’s smile.
“Though I would hold off seeing her for a bit.” Maddox winked back at me. “Think she had some choice things to say about you . . . or was it about you?” He nudged Scorpion. “Oh right, she wanted to cut off your dick and stick it up your ass.”
Scorpion snarled, his strides getting faster. “Just shut the hell up.”
“For god’s sake, will you stop flirting with each other so we can go?” Birdie stood at the entrance, shoving a knife into her sheath. Wesley stood next to her, loading his gun.
“Oh, someone get jealous?” Wesley tugged on her ponytail.
“Ugh!” She hit him. “You’re so annoying.”
“Admit it. You love my youthful charm.” Wesley prodded her again, like a pesky sibling.
“Juvenile is more like it.” She rolled her eyes.
“Ahhh, now I see . . .” Wesley tapped on his lip.
“See what?”
“Why you keep asking to guard that human who barely has pubes yet.”
“I do not.” Her shoulders jerked back, her defenses going up.
“Oh, come on.” Wesley laughed. “Henrik told me you took over his shift. Twice now.”
“It was that or help in the clinic. I’ll guard a pretty boy over playing nurse any day.”
“Not like Birdie has the best bedside manner,” Maddox huffed with amusement.
She glared at him.
They were all so close, acting more like siblings, and it made me envious.
I used to have Caden, but I was always enamored of him in some way, so there was never a “sibling” thing there.
I grew up very much in an adult world, alone, and never with any of these types of relationships.
Even as we got older, we were taught more to compete than to help each other.
The closest I had were Caden and Hanna. Two people who despised me now.
“We ready to roll out?” Scorpion shoved his loaded gun into his holster.
“Yep.” They all nodded, twisting for the door, already knowing what the plan was. I had no idea what the strategy was, but I figured I could learn on the way.
“Brex?” Hearing my name, I whipped around to see Ash.
“Hey.” I took him in, tangled hair, dirty, ripped clothes, and ragged. He jogged up to me, looking like he hadn’t slept well, if at all. “You look like shit.” I tried to joke, but the sentiment was hollow, the playfulness not even reaching my face.
Ash scoffed, his eyes going over me as to say, same to you.
“Where are you headed?” I realized he was carrying his backpack, the one with the fae book inside. I tried to reach out to it, see if I felt anything. Not even a tiny buzz or pull. My feet shifted underneath me, the knot in my stomach braiding tighter.
“I was going to head back to my place for supplies. I have some rare healing herbs.” He tugged the bag straps tighter.
“Grab some clothes, maybe a shower. Like you should.” He winked at me.
I knew he was trying to lighten my mood, so I forced a shallow smile on my lips, but it quickly went limp, my head bowing.
The elephant danced between us, the subject both of us were hoping we could avoid.
“He’s not here,” Ash whispered.