Chapter Seven #2
I was aware of other noises in the room but had trouble processing any of it. My thoughts jumbled together, and I couldn’t talk or breathe. Each attempt for air came out like a sharp gasp.
“Breathe, little treasure.” Rowan cradled the back of my head, a raspy growl building in his throat. “Come on. In, then out.”
Lungs burning, I finally sucked in a breath. The scent of black cardamom infiltrated my nose, providing some clarity to my fuzzy mind. My vision gradually returned to normal, though my breaths still moved like air through wet concrete, sluggish and catching.
I hadn’t had a panic attack in ages. Almost forgot how terrifying they were.
Maddox slipped his arms around me from behind and kissed the back of my head.
“You should sit.” A trace of peaches joined the fray. Lake smoothed his hand across my brow. “I’ll make you another cup of tea. It’ll help.”
Maddox and Rowan guided me to the table, while Lake and Briar moved around the kitchen, putting a kettle on the stove. Callum dropped down in front of my chair and rested his head against my arm, his hand finding mine and linking our fingers.
“You truly are special.” Reign offered me a soft smile. “Powers or not, you have so many hearts entwined with yours. Your men and all your knights.”
“And you?” Rowan regarded him.
The dark-haired spy lightly chuckled. “Well, I am quite fond of his brownies. As the lieutenant said, his food tastes like pure magic. Not even V can resist, despite his many protests claiming otherwise.”
I expected Draven to spout off and deny it, but when our gazes met, I was taken aback. The man who showed very little emotion and always seemed to be annoyed by me looked worried.
“Are you all right, boy?” he asked.
I nodded. “Just a lot to process. Forgot how to breathe for a sec, but I’m okay now.”
A sudden ache tore through his baby blue eyes. “My father has those episodes. Usually when he dreams of the war.”
“The war?”
“With Haran in years past,” he said. “Some days he looks at me and doesn’t even see me.
All he sees are ghosts. Ghosts of all the soldiers and friends he lost. Of the soldiers he killed.
There are times when the memories overwhelm him, taking his breath and strength. Much like what happened to you.”
“Your concern for Evan is touching, V,” Reign said. “Going soft on me?”
“Piss off,” Draven grumbled, averting his gaze.
He didn’t see the small smile Reign gave him a beat later. The two of them had been childhood friends and were basically inseparable, from what I’d gathered. Reign said when they were kids, he could never remember Draven’s name, only knew there was a V in it, so the nickname had stuck.
Once the tea was ready, Lake brought over a cup and sat to my left. Rowan leaned against the wall beside him, one leg kicked up in his familiar pose. Callum continued to kneel beside my chair, resting his head against my arm and holding my hand.
“Should we speak to the Royal Order about this?” Draven asked Reign. “As of now, they believe Prince Sawyer to be the one at risk. Should they be told the truth, more guards could be assigned to the boy and better protect him.”
“No,” Maddox growled. “We will keep it between those of us in this room.”
“My question wasn’t aimed at you.”
“Yet, I answered it all the same.” Maddox returned Draven’s hard stare. “It’s too dangerous for Evan.”
“I agree,” Reign said. “Given the rumors circulating about him summoning demons, telling anyone he might possess magic could backfire and place him even more in harm’s way. Until we know more, we should do as Maddox said and keep it between us.”
“Then we’ll protect him.” Draven nodded.
“Damn right we will.” Rowan smirked at me. “And gods have mercy on the fool who dares try to hurt you.”
***
“Open.” I waved a hand in front of the closed door. A beat passed, then another, before I took a deep breath and concentrated harder on the wooden frame. “You will open riiiiight now.”
It didn’t open.
“Hmm. I guess I can remove telekinesis from my list of possible powers.”
“What do ya think you’re doing, little treasure?”
With a start, I focused on the corner of the room. Shadows swirled before topaz eyes glowed within the dark.
“Nothing,” I said, dropping my hand back to my side. “Not trying to practice magic or anything.”
More of Rowan took shape, and soon, he was in his signature pose against the wall. “Telekinesis? The ability to move objects with your mind? You believe you may have it?”
“You don’t have to sound so amused,” I mumbled. “That’d be a cool power. Just think of how more efficient I’d be in the kitchen. Able to put muffins in the oven, wash dishes, and whip up more batter all at the same time. I could even take a coffee break while still being productive.”
I envisioned brooms and mops that moved and bopped around while cleaning the floors. Plates that washed and dried themselves.
Rowan tipped his head back and shook with a soft laugh. “All the things you could do with a power like that… bringing your enemies to heel, controlling armies… and your mind settles on using it to help you bake muffins. Why am I not surprised?”
“Hey, magical labor is nothing to stick your nose up at. Think of all the time I’d save.”
“You really are pure,” he said, staring at me with a quiet intensity. “I think Reign’s right. Since the first time I saw you, I felt you were special.”
I blew out a breath and sat on the edge of his bed. “Not sure I believe it. I’ve never been special a day in my life.”
Rowan sat beside me. “You are to me. You always have been.”
“Even when you blew magic dust in my face to knock me out and kidnapped me?”
“Even then.” He smiled, though his eyes kept the same intensity. “I’d burn the world for you, little treasure. Kill anyone who tried to take you from me.”
My heart skipped a beat. “I don’t want you to kill anyone, Ro.”
“What about stabbing them?”
“No stabbing either.” I feigned a sigh. My morally gray hottie. “The threat to confiscate your daggers still stands.”
“Take this one, then.” Rowan withdrew something from his cloak. A familiar blade in a black sheath. “Found it in the bedside table, collecting dust. I gave it to you for a reason. To protect you. Just don’t poke your eye out.”
With a wobble in my chin, I accepted the dagger.
It was only five or six inches long, the perfect size for me to carry.
He’d given it to me last summer when we’d been deep in the dark wood, surrounded by monstrous demons.
The thought of actually using it amped up my anxiety, so I’d tucked it away into a drawer for safekeeping.
“If you recall, pointy objects and I don’t exactly get along. I’m much safer with it in the drawer.”
“I disagree.” Rowan pulled me against him and dropped his face to my neck. “With your protection stone broken, I want you to carry this dagger on you at all times.”
Warmth filled my veins. “Okay. But when Maddox gets mad, you’ll have to take the blame and face his wrath.”
“Captain Glutton doesn’t scare me.” He grinned. “If he charges at me, I’ll simply throw a muffin at him.”
“Brave of you to think that would stop him.”
“He’d stop to eat it, giving me plenty of time to make my escape.”
I laughed and tucked the dagger into the small satchel on my belt. “When you first gave it to me, you said it was important to you.”
“Aye. It’s all I have of my father.” A breeze came through the open window, and Rowan caught a strand of my flyaway hair, tucking it behind my ear.
“Don’t remember anything about him. Not what he looked like or the sound of his voice.
I just recall that dagger. It served me well throughout my years living on the streets. ”
“Are you sure you want me to have it?”
“I’ll be offended if you refuse it.” He tipped my face up and ghosted his mouth over mine. “You don’t want to hurt my feelings, do you, little treasure?”
My eyes narrowed. “I see you’ve mastered the art of the guilt trip.”
His composure broke, and he released a raspy laugh.
A short while later, we descended the long, winding steps and met the others downstairs. The twins had worked all night and were asleep, as was Captain Remy, but Reign and Draven would be escorting me to the castle, along with my men.
Lake was the only one who wouldn’t be accompanying us.
“Be safe,” he whispered in my ear, arms snug around me.
“I will. If anything happens, Ro gave me a dagger.”
“He did what?” Maddox asked.
“Oh, stop glaring.” Rowan flicked his hand at him. “Would you rather he carry a spatula and whack people over the head?”
“Neither.” Maddox squared his shoulders. “He’ll have us to protect him.”
“Not only us.” Briar took off his glasses and wiped at the lenses. “Ban and Finnian both adore Evan and will be watching over him too. I’m sure of it.”
The mention of Ban brought to mind stormy gray eyes that softened more and more each time we met. I recalled the way he’d thrown himself in front of me when the mercenary first attacked us, how he’d wrapped his big body around mine and took the blasts upon himself.
A soft whine tore through Lake’s throat before he kissed me, soft and sweet. “I’ll see you later this evening. After the ball.”
“I hate that you can’t come with us.”
“As do I.” Lake nuzzled my cheek. “So, I ask that you have fun in my place. Dance the night away. And then return home to me.”
With that, we exited the Tower and neared the horses grazing in the small field.
Lake dashed toward the trees and faded from sight within seconds.
But I still felt him with me as Maddox helped me into the saddle and steered the stallion toward the castle.
He ran alongside us all the way to the castle gates before veering off in the other direction.
Hopefully, one day, things would change for demi-wolves. Lake and others like him deserved to be free, not forced to hide away.
Miles arrived minutes after we did. He exited the carriage and rushed over to me beside the castle steps, eyes tired but smile wide. “Today’s the big day, Mister Evan. I was so exhausted I barely slept.”
“Nothing a good cup of coffee can’t fix.” I grabbed his arm. “The royal kitchen awaits.”
As the two of us joined Rose and the other cooks in the kitchen to begin a long day of baking, I tried to toss aside thoughts of mercenaries and magic and focus only on the task at hand.
Baking the five large tiers for the cake and letting them cool.
Making different flavors of batter for cupcakes and cookies. Whipping up frostings and glazes.
My mind wandered as the morning progressed though. Reign’s theory made no sense. There’s no way I could have powers.
Where was Lupin when I needed him? He was forbidden from directly interfering with my fate, but maybe he could tell me something.
Anything. Because I felt like I’d been thrown out into open water without a life vest and told to swim for shore.
But I didn’t know which direction to swim or if I’d get eaten by a shark before I got there.
I’d never felt more lost.