Chapter 23 All the Questions #3
“And they’re not the only ones who’ve got it coming.” Zane’s smirk turned sharp and dangerous. “Arabesque’s been playing games long enough. Time someone flipped the board.”
“She drained you before sending you off.” Casimir’s jaw cracked. “She wanted you to be unable to defend yourself. They planned it before you ever left your house.”
I looked at each of them. They were so different from anyone I’d ever known, yet I felt like I’d known them all my life.
And I trusted them. Not just because of the bond, but because of how they’d treated me so far. Even if they were monsters to everyone else, they didn’t act monstrous toward me.
“I didn’t agree to the marriage for myself.” I traced the edge of the couch cushion with my finger, my gaze fixed on the intricate pattern of the rug beneath our feet. “There was Brumous, of course, and someone else I needed to protect.”
“Someone needed you more than you needed saving?” Koa’s eyes locked on mine.
“Arabesque had a child.” The confession slipped out raw-edged. “My father’s daughter.”
“Another hostage.” Casimir’s knuckle whitened where he ground it between his eyes.
“You bargained her safety for your compliance.” Koa’s hands were denting the chair arms.
Next to me, Zane’s leg bounced a frantic rhythm.
“You told psycho-stepmom you’d marry Dracula Junior to save a kid that’s half her?”
“Half Papa.” My correction came sharper than intended. “I agreed to marry whoever King Lucian chose if Arabesque would surrender the baby and Brumous to me.”
Brumous, lying at my feet, let out a soft whuff as if to remind everyone he was part of the package deal.
“She’s so little. Just a few weeks old.” A tremble started in my shoulders, working down to my fingertips. “Arabesque didn’t even name her. She just left her in my arms like she was nothing more than a burden.”
The weight of Josslyn’s absence settled in my chest, heavy and aching, like a stone I couldn’t dislodge. I stared at my hands, tracing the lines on my palms as if they could lead me back to her.
“I named her Josslyn after Mama. It felt right.” My vision blurred, and I blinked hard, refusing to let the tears fall.
“She’s all I have left of Papa, even if she is half Arabesque’s.
I couldn’t let her grow up in that house.
Arabesque would’ve used her, twisted her into something evil, and I wasn’t going to let that happen.
If I couldn’t save myself, at least I could save her. ”
Brumous nudged my knee with his nose. I looked up to find three pairs of eyes burning with intensity, Koa’s teeth grinding, Zane’s face hard and cold, Casimir’s military-straight posture leaning forward like a predator catching a scent.
“Father said you had an audience with King Julian before you arrived here,” Casimir said, and one look in his green eyes told me he already knew the answer to the question he wasn’t asking.
“Mama was part of the Royal pack. Always spoke highly of the Hemmings family. I didn’t know anyone else I dared to trust.” My thumb twitched, remembering tiny fingers clinging to it.
“Queen Lilah chose the parents herself. The king swore they’re experts at protection, and the queen promised they’ll raise her with love. ”
“You shipped the squirt off to werewolf witness protection.” Zane’s hand found mine, and his thumb caressed my knuckles. “Gold star for you, sunshine.”
“We can retrieve her.” Casimir’s chair creaked as he stood. “Tonight. Bring her here—”
“No,” I said softly. “She’s safe wherever she is. Being with me, she’d have an even bigger target on her. I won’t risk that. And I couldn’t do that to her new parents, whoever they are.”
Koa crossed the space between us in two strides and dropped to his knees at my feet. His arms enveloped me, a fortress of muscle and ragged breath. I buried my face in his shoulder, greedily inhaling his mate scent.
“You magnificent, infuriating creature,” he murmured into my hair. “Sacrificing your heart to guard hers.”
“Your father would be proud, Seri.” Casimir laid a hand on my shoulder. “As are we. You acted with honor and foresight. Not many would sacrifice their freedom for another’s safety.”
Heat flooded my cheeks at the gruff praise. Koa released me, and Zane’s thumb brushed away the tear I hadn’t felt escaping. As Brummy wormed his head onto my lap, I buried my shaking fingers in his scruff, and the knot behind my sternum loosened just enough to breathe.
“Well, darling, at least you got us outta the deal.” Zane winked. “Three dashing husbands and an emotional support dire wolf. Not a bad haul, all things considered.”
“And you don’t need to worry about Arabesque anymore, sweet girl,” Koa added as he stood. “We’re not going to let her near you. Ever.”
I wanted to believe him, I really did, but the nagging fear coiled in my belly, unwilling to let go.
“But what if she finds a way? What if she—”
“She won’t,” he decreed, “but even if she did the impossible and managed to drag you back to that fang-rotted place, we’d come for you. We will always come for you.”
The finality in his voice made me shiver, but it wasn’t fear I felt. It was something good, something solid and real.
Then, “Josslyn’s the baby Brumous mentioned,” Casimir said out of the blue, confusing me.
“What? Brummy talked to you, Simmy?”
“Not him. Me.” Zane’s smirk turned almost apologetic. “Brum and I had a little chat. He showed me some of his memories.”
My eyes widened, and I looked down at Brumous, whose tongue lolled, dripping drool on my pant leg.
“You can talk to him? Like, in his mind?”
“Yeah, it’s a thing I can do.” Zane shrugged, leaning back.
“I was asking Brummy,” I clarified, tearing my eyes away from the pup’s gaze to look at Zane. “Why can he talk to you and not me?”
“Zane has the gift of telepathy from his maternal side,” Koa explained as he returned to his chair.
“And don’t worry,” Zane added. “He was cool with it. Right, Mr. Fuzz?”
Brumous blinked twice, wagging his tail like he was confirming the story.
“Well, as long as he agreed and it didn’t hurt him, I guess it’s fine,” I said, still in awe of Zane’s talent.
“Brum-Brum’s a very cooperative conversationalist, just not with words.”
“Speaking of peeking inside heads.” Casimir waited until I met his eyes. “Brumous ‘said’ the two of you found your stepmother having a conversation with a rogue werewolf. Can Zane try to read your memory of that? Brumous only showed the rogue’s face and shared his scent. Not much for us to go on.”
“I guess so, but I don’t know if it’ll work because of the—”
“Whisperbind,” Casimir finished when I couldn’t.
“Won’t hurt to try.” Zane moved to sit on the edge of the couch facing me. “All right, farm girl. Bring the memory to the front of your mind so I don’t have to dig around for it.”
As he framed my face in his palms, I stared into his gingerbread eyes and let myself remember.