45. Gabriel
Chapter 45
Gabriel
G abriel followed as Paxton carried Rosalyn toward the house. His heart hammered with each step they ran.
“Joel, Harris, spread the word that anyone who can’t fight needs to take shelter,” he said, pausing near the path to his front door. Both men nodded and took off without another question. Gabriel turned to Daciana. “Prepare anyone who can fight. We’re not starting this, but I want to be ready just in case.” He sighed and rubbed at his temple. “If Brinley isn’t with them, I assume they’re not here to break the curse. Get archers on the wall too.”
He couldn’t stop to think about where she was or what had happened to her. She was still alive; he could feel their bond faintly thrumming beneath his skin. It was stronger today, as if she was close, making him wonder if the witches had brought her but kept her out of sight somehow. Regardless, he didn’t know if she was safe.
Daci left, taking Dare with her. Only Brighid was left beside him. With her hands, she asked, What do you need me to do?
He glanced at the house then down the street. “Help make sure all the children are secured. Keep them calm.”
She looked toward the house too, and he already knew what she would ask.
“Don’t worry about her. She’ll be in good hands.”
Brighid hesitated a moment, lifting a weathered palm to his cheek. He nodded in understanding. She had been like a mother to him the past eighteen years—most of his life. Since his own mother’s passing, she’d been there. Before she could leave, he pulled her into a quick hug.
“Stay safe,” he whispered.
She pulled away and poked at his chest.
With a small smile, he said, “I’ll try.”
Seemingly satisfied, she turned to go but paused. Facing him again, she motioned, I hope Brinley is all right too. You both deserve so much better in this life.
Before he could even find the words to tell her how much that meant to him, she was rushing down the road. Swallowing past the lump in his throat, Gabriel raced up the steps into his home, not stopping until he’d reached the solarium on the third floor. Rose was settled on her bed, wrapped in a blanket, with Paxton sitting on the edge of the mattress beside her. He stood as soon as Gabriel entered.
“Where do you need me to go?” He glanced behind Gabriel. “Where’s Brighid?”
“I sent her to help with the children.”
Paxton’s eyes rounded, and he looked back at Rose. “But?—”
“I want you to stay here.”
His gaze snapped to Gabriel. “You… but I’m your beta. I need to be by your side, to help you with whatever this is.”
Gabriel moved closer and put a hand on his shoulder. “You need to be with her. That’s an order.”
He couldn’t keep them apart during this. Not if his suspicions were true. He might not like this, but he wasn’t cruel.
Paxton stared at him for a long moment. Then, to Gabriel’s surprise, Pax lunged at him, yanking him into a hug. “Thank you,” he whispered.
Patting him on the back, Gabriel said, “But don’t think you’re getting out of this unscathed. Once this is over, we need to have a chat.”
When they broke apart, Pax nodded.
“You’re my best friend, and I trust you to protect her,” Gabriel said in a low tone. “But that doesn’t mean I’m just going to let whatever this is go. It’s not all right that you two have been sneaking around for the goddess knows how long.”
Paxton shook his head. “It’s not like that. I swear, we never?—”
Gabriel held up a hand to cut him off. “Not today. We’ll talk later. Just promise me you’ll protect her.”
“With my life,” he said.
Nodding, Gabriel squeezed his shoulder while pushing past him. Tears lined Rose’s eyes, and he knew she was frightened, even if she denied it. The witches showing up here without Brinley wasn’t a good sign, but more than that, there were only a handful of hours left before Rose’s eighteenth birthday—when she would be lost from this world .
Gabriel sat on the edge of the bed next to her, wrapping his arm around her. The way she returned the embrace, burrowing into his side, reminded him of the nights he’d held her through the bad dreams. Since she was twelve years old, he’d been more than just her older brother. Even before then, he’d taken care of her. He felt more like a parent. And he really did not want to leave her here. Not today.
Smoothing a hand down the back of her head, he said, “I love you, Rosie.”
She let out a soft chuckle. “Love you, Gabe.”
“Watch out for Pax for me?”
Rosalyn nodded and tightened her arms around him. “Please be careful. Don’t… let your temper get the best of you.”
“I’d never,” he said in mock offense.
She leaned back. “I’m serious, Gabriel. Don’t make her mad like…”
Like their father did.
With a sigh, Gabriel pressed a kiss to her forehead. “I promise.”
He held on to her for another moment, not wanting to let go. Until she whispered, “And please don’t kill Paxton tomorrow. Regardless of whether the curse is broken or not, remember that he’s your best friend… and I love him.”
Gabriel groaned.
“I mean it.”
Breaking away, he said, “I know you do.”
Because he did know. He saw it now. This wasn’t just a little girl admiring her older brother’s best friend. She was in love with the man who’d always been there for her, who sat with her through all of this, her constant companion. Paxton was her best friend too, and more, it seemed. Gabriel sighed and pushed to his feet.
“Gabe?”
“Hmm?”
Rose gripped his hand. “I’m sure she’s all right. She’s strong.”
He nodded and looked at the floor. Brinley was incredibly strong, but she’d had little training. He didn’t know if it was enough to fight off the High Sorceress.
He wasn’t sure anyone had that kind of power.
“I’ll be back before midnight,” he swore, bending down to hug his sister one more time. “I promise, I’ll make it back before then, Rosalyn.”
He kissed the side of her head, ignoring the burning in the back of his throat as he turned and walked toward the door. Before rounding the area of plants that blocked the view of the door from her bed, he paused and looked over his shoulder. Paxton had taken his spot next to her again, and she was crying into his chest. The sight absolutely shattered his heart. He watched as Pax held her, running a hand up and down her arm and whispering against the top of her head.
No, it wasn’t just Rose’s infatuation lingering between them. Paxton loved her too. It was as clear as day. Gabriel wondered how he hadn’t seen it before. Had he truly been that blind? Or had they done that good of a job hiding it?
Regardless, to get those answers, they all needed to make it through this night. And to do that, Gabriel needed to face the High Sorceress and figure out a way to break the curse once and for all.
As he raced from his sister’s room and down the stairs, he made a mental list of what needed to happen next.
He needed to convince the High Sorceress to lift the curse. If she refused, he would need to kill her. As Brinley said, a curse dissipated once the caster was dead, so that was their best chance. Rose’s best chance.
Then, he would make sure Rose was safe and that she made it past midnight without any repercussions. He would fight with Paxton for defiling his little sister and yell at them both for lying to him… before giving his blessing. Because in the end, their happiness was what mattered most. Though, he would make sure that Pax knew that if he hurt Rose, Gabriel would destroy him. He didn’t care if the man was his beta and best friend.
And finally, he would rip apart this kingdom to find his mate and bring her home. Because now that he knew what it was like having her in his life, he couldn’t fathom going on without her. He needed Brinley beside him. Forever.
Once outside, he heard the chaos. People rushed around—some seeking shelter as others prepared for a battle he hoped wouldn’t come to fruition. He searched up and down the street, wondering where to start. For six years, he’d led this village, but through relatively safe times. There’d been small skirmishes with rogues, and occasionally fights with a sorcière or two, but nothing close to what his father had seen as the alpha. Gabriel had never faced an actual battle against the witches.
The closest he’d come was when the High Sorceress attacked again to find Brinley six years ago. But he’d been hiding with her away from the action through most of it. They had been trying to reach the gates, planning to seek shelter at the lake house, when they were caught. Gabriel’s father had demanded his people stop fighting the witches in hopes that Gabriel and Brinley would be spared.
They had been, but he had not. Gabriel’s father was killed. Brinley was taken with the promise that she would never remember any of them. And then, the queen cursed his pack.
It was time to end this. Taking a deep breath, Gabriel ran toward the training center. He strapped a sword to his waist as he made his way up the back staircase to the top of the outer wall. It didn’t take long to find Daciana directing archers into position.
“How are we doing?” he asked, reaching her and seeing the approaching witches and wizards on the hillside.
“We outnumber them, but not enough to fight their magic.” She handed him a monocular. “And Brinley isn’t with them as far as I can tell, just like Dare said.”
Gabriel took the device and extended it. Glancing through it, he easily found the High Sorceress at the front of the large group. Her deep purple cape flowed around her as she sat atop her white steed, looking as regal as ever. Gabriel wasn’t sure he could possibly hate another person more than her.
A few dozen others surrounded her, most on horseback, all heading straight toward the gate. They would be here within minutes. But how many were human instead of Les Sorcières? He knew much of the royal army and many of her guards were humans.
“The gate is locked down,” Daciana said in a hushed tone. “But that’s not going to matter, is it?”
“No, it’s not.” He thought through his options. “Stay up here. Do not give the command to fire until it’s clear there will be a fight. We’re not going to be the ones to start this. I want to attempt to speak to the High Sorceress first.”
“Do you think she’ll listen?”
He shrugged one shoulder. “I have to try. I… I can feel Brinley, Daci. She’s been getting closer too, so if they’re hiding her…”
Putting a hand on his arm, his friend said, “We’ll keep an eye out for her. If I see an opening, I’ll send Dare to search for her. We’ll get her back.”
“Thank you.” He wanted to hug her, but he was fairly certain she would punch him for trying. Besides, he didn’t want to do it in front of dozens of soldiers. They both needed to appear strong and unafraid.
Daci gave a small nod, as if knowing what he was thinking.
He turned to take off back to the training center and out toward the gates. An eerie quiet greeted him. The calm before the storm. He ran through the now-empty streets. His people were either hiding or preparing.
“Gabe,” a voice called, and he paused long enough for Joel to catch up. “The children, elderly, and anyone else who can’t fight are secured. Most went to the tunnels to prepare to flee should it come to that.”
“Thank you,” Gabriel said as they made their way south.
They turned onto the road that led to the gates, and he almost sighed in relief at the sight of so many DeLoup waiting to protect their home. He pushed to the front of the crowd, grateful Joel stayed beside him. When he reached the exit, the quiet murmurs of his people ceased.
“We will not fight unless necessary,” he said, loud enough for them all to hear. “This is our last chance to break the curse, so I will be attempting to communicate with the High Sorceress first.” He swallowed, wondering how much of his plan to share. Knowing their time was dwindling and that the horses’ hooves in tandem with the thick wall would keep his words from reaching their enemies, he decided honesty was the best route. “We will defend this village from those who repeatedly try to destroy us. And if she does not release us from this curse, we will attack. Killing her may be our best chance at that point.”
His men and women cheered in solidarity.
“We have lived in this prison long enough, and I will not see my sister die because of a selfish, power-hungry witch. I will not lose my mate—your future Luna—again.”
Someone yelled, “For Rosalyn!”
“For Brinley!”
Round after round of shouts rang out as they lifted fists toward the sky.