Chapter 35 #2
I’m just glad she didn’t show up five minutes earlier or she would have gotten a much bigger show.
“Touchy. Can’t a girl just be happy her little bro is getting—”
“Ensley,” I growl in warning.
She doesn’t look intimidated in the least, but just winks at me and then mouths, “I like her.”
I cast my gaze to the ceiling. It’s only been a day and I’m ready to send her back to the creature world already.
“Out,” I bark, and Ensley laughs.
“Okay-okay. I know when I’m not wanted. But dinner is ready in ten. Kade and Imogen just went out on patrol, so it’s just the four of us.”
The door clicks shut behind her and it’s clear the moment with Haven is lost when I feel her shaking in my arms.
“Hey, it’s okay. Don’t worry about what—” I start trying to console her only to realize she’s not crying.
When she pulls back, her face is red and she gets out between laughs, “Next time, we need to remember to lock the door.”
When we sit around the table for dinner, it seems it’s only awkward for me, and that puts me in a mood. Ensley and Haven chat like they’re old friends, and my meddlesome sister keeps making kissy faces at me when she thinks Haven isn’t looking. Titus just chuckles, dropping thinly veiled innuendos.
My sister and her fiancé really need to learn to mind their own business. And speaking of, it’s time to put them in the hotseat.
“About this marriage thing,” I say, giving Ensley a pointed look as I spear a piece of my king oyster mushroom. This is the last time I let the fae make dinner.
I’m a carnivore. I need meat.
Ensley grins, her eyes shining with happiness as she shares a look with Titus.
Before her, Titus was a playboy, moving through girls like they were disposable, but I have to admit, he’s treated my sister well.
He clearly makes her happy. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to give them a hard time about this.
“Oh, come on, little bro. You know I’ve always wanted to be a princess. Now I’ll finally be one!”
Princess? “Excuse me?”
Ensley winces. “Oh, right. That’s another thing you don’t know about. This is what happens when you up and disappear. You miss all the good stuff.”
I glance over at Titus and he grimaces.
“What’s going on?” I ask, setting down my fork.
Haven stays quiet and takes a bite of her vegetable medley, looking like she’s settling back with a bucket of popcorn to enjoy the show.
“Yes, well, you see, Titus is from Faelune.”
I raise my eyebrows at that. Interesting.
“What’s Faelune?” Haven asks.
“A fae kingdom in Endora,” Ensley answers. “Endora is the creature version of Europe. Faelune is the big island country in the north.”
Haven cocks her head. “The United Kingdom?”
“Yep, that’s the one. Well, it’s the only country in our world that is ruled by one species. And as it turns out, Titus here is their lost prince.”
I’m taking a swig of soda when she drops that bomb and I start choking. A hacking fit attacks me, and Haven reaches over to hit me on the back.
When I finally get a hold of myself, I turn to Titus. “Is this true?”
He nods once, looking grim.
My gaze flicks back to Ensley. “How long have you known about this?”
She shrugs. “A while.”
I look back to Titus. “How come you never told me?”
He shrugs as well and then says, “You never asked,” before shoving in a mouthful of potatoes.
Just then, the sat-phone buzzes in my pocket. I fish it out, knowing the unknown number has to be Talon.
“I gotta take this,” I say, pushing out of my seat.
My mind reels from the revelation that my sister plans to marry a prince.
“Tell Lock I say, ‘Hi,’” Ensley calls over to me as I open the front door.
I just shoot her a glare. I’m going to need more details when I get back.
The phone buzzes again when I step out onto the porch. I could have stayed inside to take the call, but if it’s bad news, I don’t want Haven to overhear. She has enough stress right now.
I pick up the call. “What’s up?”
“We’re still alive,” Talon says.
“I figured that much. It’s hard to make a call when you’re dead. Any issues so far?”
Talon pauses. “A few.”
“Care to elaborate?”
“A few attacks from the vampire clan. Nothing we couldn’t handle. Which is honestly what concerns me.”
“What do you mean?”
Talon pauses again. “The attacks were weak.”
“And that isn’t good news?”
“They were easily defeated. Too easily.”
I know what he’s getting at, and it makes my gut tighten with dread. “Could that be because your mother and the Society were backing you? The plan was to make it look like it was just the two of you. Maybe it worked, and the vampires only sent what they thought they needed.”
“Maybe,” Talon says, but doesn’t sound convinced. “Something feels off. It’s less than nine hours until the blood moon, and we haven’t sighted the demon once. This monster has been planning its rise for millennia, and now it’s just a no-show? That doesn’t track.”
“There’s no reason it would want to wait until the next blood moon,” I agree.
I inhale a deep breath of crisp mountain air, hoping it clears my head and helps all this make sense.
We did everything we could. We hid Haven in the medical wing, away from the other Order members, and quietly spread a rumor that she’d be leaving that night to hide from the demon, hoping it would get to the vampire clan if there were still leaks.
Ensley even glamoured Locklyn to look even more like her sister.
And when we snuck out early the next morning, Ensley glamoured Haven, giving her black hair and changing her features so she wouldn’t be recognized if someone did happen to spot us.
The only ones who knew about the switch were in that conference room with us.
Ares is the obvious suspect if word got out, but he was in solitary confinement again.
I believe him, that for killing his sister he hated the demon and the vampire clan as much as we did.
“It could be waiting to make its move right before the event,” Talon offers.
“That’s true. Don’t let your guard down.”
“We won’t. How are things there?”
“Quiet. Imogen and Kade are patrolling. Titus and Ensley will relieve them soon. They’re going to be doing two-hour shifts all night.”
Talon chuckles. “Has my cousin worn down the big guy yet?”
“If by ‘worn down’ you mean has she driven him to the point of considering murder? Then yes.”
“Kade’s a tough nut, but my money’s on Imogen. I think she’s spent the last year and a half planning how to break him down. I don’t know anyone as determined as her when she puts her mind to it.”
“Should we place bets?”
“Only if you want to lose.”
That makes me smile. “How’s Lock?”
“Worried about Haven, but good. And your girl?”
I like Haven being referred to as my girl.
“Same. Worried about Locklyn. But safe. I think we’ll all feel better when we can put a world between Haven and this demon.”
“Agreed. The vampires can’t guard the gates forever, and Cassian will eventually regain his strength. Let’s just focus on getting through the night.”
“I hear ya.” I’m about to say goodbye when something occurs to me. “Did you know about Titus and this whole prince business?”
“Yes.”
Unbelievable.
“For how long?”
“The whole time,” he says matter-of-factly. “I knew the identities and deepest secrets of most of the Chaos competitors. Know thy enemy, and all that.”
“And you didn’t think to tell me?”
I can almost hear Talon shrug. “Not my place.”
I rub a hand down my face. Not his place.
“Okay, whatever. Stay safe. Let’s check in in a few hours.”
“Sounds good,” he says, and then hangs up.