Chapter 9
Ezra
Years ago, deep in the tunnels under The Mile, Xan and I decided to create our family. Until this moment, I’d never once regretted my part in it.
‘You don’t feel any intrusions in her mind?’ I asked again, unable to stop myself.
‘No. I do not,’ my lover replied, his tone edged with impatience. ‘There’s no cerulean-blue magic clinging to her. Whatever you saw, I can do nothing about it until it reappears.’
Seconds dragged. Her dragon darted through the air, restless and unpredictable. The pure energy inside it could level the castle, I was sure of it. But if my lover were worried, the dragon would already be contained. I needed to trust my lover, but…
‘What about the dragon?’ I asked, unable to stop my concern.
Xan side-eyed me, splitting his attention between our internal conversation and my officer’s report.
I never questioned my lover. But I did now. For the first time since I lost everything, I was worried about someone other than him.
‘The dragon’s a byproduct of her Majekah and currently isn’t threatening her. Leave it.’
I barely kept my scowl in check.
Brit and Joe, who had moved away from the trio, briefly blocked my view as they joined us.
By the time I could see Quinn again, Cayden had lifted his head from her shoulder, and it took all I had not to step back into her shadow and pull her into my arms, where I knew she’d be safe from him, the dragon, and everything that made my skin prickle uneasily.
‘Keep your distance,’ Xan pressed. ‘They have to see she stands on her own.’
I growled but kept my feet planted.
The dragon zoomed by once again. A small mountain of raw materials loomed over us, a virtual treasure trove of riches we would use to rebuild. The chaos Quinn’s magic created practically filled the courtyard.
My lover rocked on his heels, already weighing the pros and cons with that calculating stare. Our next move was crucial. It couldn’t revolve around Quinn, no matter how much I wanted it to.
I took a final deep breath and forced my thoughts away from Quinn, though I didn’t take my eyes off her.
Our castle had been invaded. The leader of that invasion, who we couldn’t touch, stood with Xan still lightly gripping his neck while the dead lay stacked outside our gates.
For better or worse, my lover had spared four people who could attest to his use of his mentalist abilities.
Outside our walls, our enemies were circling while our allies waited to see if they’d joined the wrong side.
Cayden leaned in close, Rowan’s arm circling Quinn’s shoulders. My jaw ached from grinding my teeth as I forced my gaze away.
Two enforcers took Erick out of my lover’s grip, though they kept him standing at our side.
‘I need to catch you up,’ Xan said in my head.
I shuffled closer to him and lent him physical support while he closed his eyes. TB messages and orders sliced into my thoughts, sharp and effortless. I forced myself to breathe as Xan’s communication network added to my knowledge.
When he next opened his eyes, we had the same information.
Xan let go of me. “Brit, I need you to run The Mile. My position is weakened, and everyone knows it. My enforcers will bolster with your reassurance.”
Brit’s face pinched. “Quinn won’t be vanishing into your flat anytime soon, right?”
“Babycakes, this is the Architect, you can’t—” Joe started.
Brit slapped his stomach to cut him off.
“It was a miscalculation on my part,” Xan admitted. “Quinn’s not my prisoner.” He gestured to Cayden and Rowan. “I think my physical position here makes that clear enough.”
Brit inclined her head but hesitated. “She’s special, Architect. At your party, Horax nabbed her right under your nose. It can’t happen again.” Brit put her hand over her abdomen. “It’s more than just what happened today.” She swallowed. “I’m cycling… because of Quinn.”
My spine locked. “Quinn?”
Brit nodded, her eyes flicking to check who else was listening.
I clenched my fists. Quinn was already a diamond; we didn’t want her to shine any brighter.
Brit scowled at whatever she saw on my face. A second realization hit me. Brit wasn’t mine. Xan might have recruited her, but somewhere along the way, her loyalty shifted. She belonged to Quinn.
Xan smoothed over his shock with practiced ease.
“Congratulations. And you’re right.” His smile fell.
“These last few weeks have shoved my failings in my face.” He ran a hand through his hair.
“I should not have isolated Quinn. I was blinded by, well, her.” Pain etched his face.
“I don’t know how I’ll fix it, but I will, I promise you. ”
Brit nodded. “I believe when I see.”
My lover gritted his teeth. “You will see. You should’ve seen it from day one.”
Brit pursed her lips. “Then my orders are to run The Mile?”
“Yes,” Xan said. “Unless you’d prefer to stay at Quinn’s side.”
Brit shook her head. “That trio be dead on their feet. They’ll sleep the moment they touch a bed.”
I couldn’t argue with that.
“Take two horses from the stable and go,” Xan simply ordered.
Brit inclined her head. “I’m going.”
Joe made a strangled sound. “Cupcake, in your condition…”
Brit glared at him. “I’m fertile, not dying, Joe.” She punched his shoulder. “Help me, or find yourself single really fast.”
“What if you’re already pregnant?” Joe asked.
Brit let out a suffering sigh and pulled the big man away from us. “Joe, I love you, but there’s a step in between we’ve not done. And won’t do if you treat me any differently than you did before.”
I didn’t hear Joe’s response, but Brit promptly hit him on the shoulder before kissing him on the cheek.
My lover’s voice drifted to me. ‘We need a few days to take care of our family first. Calm yourself. Cayden can’t hurt her as long as Rowan’s at her side.’
I forced myself to breathe—the same advice I gave others.
“And what about me?” Erick asked, batting his long eyelashes innocently between my enforcers.
I jerked, having forgotten the traitor was still here. Xan was right. I needed to compose myself. Rowan would stick to her like a burr. That had to be enough.
Xan didn’t turn to Erick. “You can either go home.” Xan paused, knowing full well Erick’s failed attempt to breach the Architect's family would not go over well with his family.
“Or you can stay here and dedicate yourself to my family. The next few weeks will be challenging, and I could use an advisor of your caliber on my side.”
Erick’s gaze darkened, which helped cut through my anger. Cayden might have me between a rock and a hard place, but my lover had deftly maneuvered Erick into a worse one. Either crawl home a failure, or stand here as the Architect’s ally.
My logistics officer stepped to my lover’s side. Lark’s lanky, middle-aged frame looked more suited to ledgers than war, yam-colored hair streaked with white falling loose from his bun. A crossbow hung at his hip.
“Lark, thank you for coming so quickly,” Xan said. “This is Erick. He may or may not be assisting you with your task today. If he chooses not to, let him go and then report back to me. Otherwise, listen to his guidance as long as his hands are busy.”
“Yes, Architect.” Lark inclined his head.
“And what are we doing today?” Erick asked casually.
“Lark here is exceptionally organized. He manages our logistics, including the supplies for our family.” Xan gestured to the bits of Professor Holiday and his monster now strewn along the ground. “We find ourselves with an influx of valuable raw materials.”
Erick narrowed his eyes as if trying to figure out my lover's game. After a tense few heartbeats, he nodded curtly and turned his attention to Lark.
My gaze drifted back to Quinn. The dragon slowed its flight and approached her, clearly waiting for her arms to open. Reluctantly, she brought it to her chest, where it snuggled in, making Quinn chuckle uncomfortably.
Rowan met my lover’s gaze, then squared his shoulders and drew Quinn away from us.
I hated it.
‘Me too. But we’re in no position to do more.’
I clenched my jaw, fury burning low as Cayden and Rowan led Quinn away.