Chapter 37
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
ASHER
S econds pass as I hold Isla in my arms. I’m trying to remain calm, but as more has been revealed this morning, I’ve begun to realize that the number of people who could be responsible for all of this is now narrowed down to just a few.
Thanks to my mother telling me about the vault of dark objects and only the king plus at least one of the advisors having access, I’ve realized that my father is someone I can’t ignore as a person who might have orchestrated my mate’s death. Then there are his top advisors, one of which is still on my council today, and who has never once mentioned this vault to me. Yet I have no doubt that they know of its existence.
My mother could have been right that nobody told me for fear of me losing myself to the dark magic, but regardless of that reason, one of those three men has something to do with this, even if it was unknowingly so.
At some point, one of them revealed the vault’s contents or took it upon themselves to take what they wanted. I’m going to figure out who, then I’m going to kill whoever dared to harm my mate.
Even if that person is my own flesh and blood.
There are a million scenarios in which someone could have thought taking Isla away from me was a good idea, but assuming I know which might be true isn’t going to do me any good.
I know what needs to be done next and I won’t rest until I have the truth.
Summoning a god isn’t done lightly, but I’m going to tempt them with the dark objects and hope that will be enough incentive for them to tell me who killed my mate.
They may not do much with our world that they created any longer, but they somehow always know everything that’s happening. They’ve proven that over the years by randomly appearing, doing as they believe is best when it suits them.
As far as I know, it’s been centuries since that’s happened, so maybe I’m wrong, but something tells me that our creators want to keep an eye on us. They may have decided we no longer need them, but they’re not idiots. They’ve seen our strength. Pretending wolf shifters don’t exist would be ill-minded on their part. Something I’ve rarely known our gods to be.
“She should be awake by now,” Grayson says, concern etched into his face.
I’ve been so preoccupied with my racing thoughts that I haven’t been paying attention to the time that’s passed.
Isla is still within my arms and her heart doesn’t beat, but her body is still warm and her cheeks are flushed. “How long has it been? ”
“Twice as long as Estee was out,” he answers, then he looks at her. “What aren’t you telling us?”
Estee is staring hard at her sister, fingers twisting in front of her. “She can do this. Just give her another minute.”
“ Do what?” I demand, trying to not get angry so that Isla doesn’t have to feel my discontent when she comes to.
“Just wait,” Estee says, still without tearing her gaze away from my mate.
My chest begins to rattle with the force of the rumble building there, but before I can rip into her, Isla gasps, gaining my full attention.
Her eyes are wide as she blinks rapidly, confusion seeming to weigh heavily on her. “I’m alive.”
“Yes, love.” I hold her closer. “No thanks to your sister.”
“You wouldn’t have let me pull the dagger out if you’d known it would hurt her,” Estee says and she’s not wrong. I would have found another way, if there had been one.
Isla rubs her fingers over the side of her head. “Everything feels fuzzy in my memory. How long was I out?”
“Maybe five minutes,” Estee says, coming closer. “Do you remember the pain?”
She shakes her head, then wiggles out of my arms but starts to sway. I grab on to her again, keeping her tucked into my side. “Let’s take things easily. First things first, we need to get out of here and I need to summon a god.”
All stares land on me, just as I assumed they would. “Why?” Grayson asks first.
“Because the curse on them might be broken now, but those dark objects still exist,” I explain. “I’m going to bring a god here to either destroy them or take them back to their world. We have no use for them here.”
“What if we need one to kill whoever did this to us?” Isla asks, and I want to tell her I don’t believe we do, but then she’ll ask how I might know that. Considering my father is one of the people I think could have taken her from me, I’m not willing to say anything until I know for sure.
Mostly because if I think too hard about this, I might end up killing all three of them just because I can.
“We won’t. Now, let’s get out of here,” I tell her as I reach for the daggers on the ground and tuck them into my back pocket before picking Isla up to carry her out of here.
“You’re not telling us something,” Grayson says through our mind link.
“There’s nothing to say yet,” I promise him, which isn’t a lie . “I’m going to do everything I can to keep Isla safe. I assure you that.”
I can feel his eyes burning into the back of my head as we walk and his voice carries through my mind. “Just remember that keeping Isla safe means keeping you alive as well. Don’t put yourself at risk by believing you have to do this alone. Summoning a god is a gamble at best.”
I cut the connection with him because there’s nothing else that I can say without revealing too much and he might be family, but I’m still his king. I’m going to do this.
All of my instincts are screaming at me that this is the best path forward and I’m going to trust them, just like I did for all those years that I spent believing my mate was out there somewhere, waiting for me.
She may not have known it, but my soul never let me forget. Though, my chest constricts, knowing she was literally under my feet all this time. Maybe not her soul, but a piece of her, and I’d never known. I hadn’t sensed her the way I should have if we’d been officially bonded. Maybe if I’d pushed harder…
I shake my head. I can’t do that now. Not when there’s still so much to do and there’s no changing the past.
We exit the basement, moving quickly through the castle until we get to my suite. I walk in and set Isla on the couch. She hasn’t said much since waking back up, except that things are fuzzy, but she still seems to know who we are. Everything else, we can figure out later.
As I get her some water from the bar cart, I address Grayson and Estee. “The three of you need to stay in this room while I’m gone. Do not open the door for anyone, not even my father or mother. Do you understand?”
Estee shudders. “You don’t have to tell me twice. Dying twice in one day is enough for me. We have no clue who else might be being controlled by dark magic.”
No, we don’t, which is why it’s so hard for me to leave Isla when I know Estee was previously one of those people.
Still, I know this is what I must do.
I go back to Isla and hold the ice water to her lips. “Drink this, love.”
She only takes a few small sips. “I feel really tired.”
Estee slides in next to her and yawns dramatically. “You and me both. If we’re going to be trapped in this room, we might as well nap. Who knows what tonight will bring?”
If I have my way, death , followed by peace .
“Your sister is right.” I kiss Isla’s head. “Get some rest. I’ll be back as soon as I can be.”
She nods, her eyes growing heavier by the moment.
I turn to Grayson, knowing I can count on him, but also hating that I’m leaving right now. “Don’t take your eyes off them. Don’t even let them use the bathroom with the door closed. I don’t care if that curse is broken or not. I won’t lose my mate again.”
“You know I’ll protect my girls with my life.” His eyes glance over my shoulder, focusing on his daughters. “Nothing will happen to them if I can help it.”
“Use the communications unit on my desk if anything happens,” I tell him. “Mali and Cain will be able to reach me while I’m at the portal cave.”
“Let’s hope you’re back before I need to do that.”
As I look back at Isla, her eyes are already closed and her chest moves steadily. Still, every step toward the door is physically painful.
Yet I don’t stop.
I know what I need to do and I should have done this days ago, maybe then Declan wouldn’t be on the run and Noen wouldn’t be locked in the holding cell. I’m tempted to let him go, but I don’t want anyone to think I’ve changed my mind about considering him a suspect.
The risk of the real murderer running is too great, which is why I decide I also can’t explain to anyone what I’m doing.
Grayson wasn’t wrong. Calling for a meeting with a god is a gamble, but I have a feeling fate is on my side, finally. I have to believe that Isla came back for a reason, and this is it. To stop whatever happened to her from happening to anyone else here ever again .
With one more glance at my now-sleeping mate, I head out of the suite, locking the door behind me. It’s time for some answers.
As I race through the castle, ignoring the staff, I reach out to Cain. “I need you to shut down the portal. If we have anyone coming back soon, they either need to get home now or wait.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” he replies. “May I ask for how long?”
“For as long as I need it. I’ll be there in five minutes.”
I can sense his shock. It’s not often I use the portal since going to the other worlds has never held an interest for me. Our kind has rarely been welcomed by the other shifters and magic users. Still, I never prevented our people from exploring. We live long lives here. I know being stuck on these islands isn’t for everyone.
Cain has been our master gate keeper since before I was alive. He’s soon to retire and has been testing replacements. While he only has one role in our world, it’s an important job. This portal is the only one in Lunara and all four kingdoms must agree with the new chosen keeper.
Cain’s eventual retirement from the job is a day that I’m not looking forward to because getting all four rulers to agree on the same thing hasn’t ever been easy, especially when one island benefits most.
In this instance, I have more say because the portal is in Polaris. My people are more at risk and that’s not something I take lightly.
Though that’s a problem for another day. Once I’m outside, I shift, ignoring the wide-eyed stares of my people as my wolf snarls and races his way through the castle grounds. I’ll explain as much as I can later. Right now, I can’t worry about being proper. Not when I need answers more than my next breath.
“The portal is shut down, King Asher,” Cain says. “I have Sampson here with me. Shall I send him away?”
Sampson is one of the potential replacements. Even though Cain seems to trust him, this is too big to have more people present than needed.
“Yes,” I reply, then I cut the connection and reach out to Malimorte. “Are you still with Noen?”
“I am, Your Majesty,” he replies immediately.
“Find someone else to take over, and if you can’t, leave him there alone. He’s not going anywhere,” I say, knowing Isla was right and if she hadn’t wanted to speak with him first today… I might have killed one of my best friends.
“Understood, sire,” he replies without question.
“Once you’ve done that, go to the portal with a comm unit, and stand guard with Cain,” I add. “I’m going to be summoning a god and I’m not to be interrupted for any reason or by anyone except Grayson. He’s the only one with the authority to demand you interrupt me. Do you understand?”
“Yes, my king.” He pauses, then asks, “Is there a threat we should be aware of?”
“Only to my mate, it seems.”
I arrive at the portal and Cain stands outside the doorway, dressed in full uniform and holding his staff that powers the portal. He bows as I shift back to human form. “King Asher.”
“Malimorte will be here soon to stand guard with you,” I tell him. “I’m going inside to summon a god. Unless you sense the foundation of our world at risk, I’m not to be disturbed. The only person who may say otherwise is Grayson Blackwood, and only him. If anyone else shows up to stop me, you have my permission to put them down by any means necessary.”
He swallows roughly. “Yes, Your Majesty. Take the second opening on the left and you’ll find a room already prepared for such a task on the right.”
“Thank you, Cain.”
He bows again as I walk by him. As I enter the cavernous space, light begins to diminish, but that’s not a problem for me as I pass the stone platform for the portal and take the second path, as Cain suggested.
The rock walls are covered in moisture and the temperature drops the farther I get from the main area. I start to wonder if I took the wrong path and nearly turn around when I finally see the shadow of another room.
Slipping through the narrow entryway, I find myself in a ten-by-ten room with a raised stone basin at the center of it. Next to that is a small table with an unlit candle and a bowl of water, nearly everything I need to summon the gods.
I strike the match against the basin and light the candle. Its soft glow confirms there’s nothing else in this room with me besides what’s in front of me. Carefully, I pour the water into the shallow stone, then extend one of my claws.
Blessed water and the blood of the reigning monarch. The only two objects needed to summon a god. Now, I just need to hope the right one is listening.
Cutting my wrist, I hold it over the basin and mutter the enchantment to call the powerful soul’s presence.
Rogamus superiorem, praesentia postulator, sanguine solucionus .
Seconds tick by and I repeat the words again and again. Still, nothing happens.
I pull the two daggers from the basement from my back pocket and set them on the basin. “I have more of these to offer if you’d quit being so selfish and give me a moment of your time.”
“I’d say it’s you who’s selfish, Asher Josiah Cromwell.” A woman’s voice echoes around the room. “Let’s be honest. You’re not here for anyone’s benefit other than your own.”
“I might be here for my own benefit, but that doesn’t mean I don’t have something to offer you,” I state clearly, unwavering from my position, even though I know I’m no longer alone.
“Yes, the dark objects my brother left behind.” She clicks her tongue. “I might have a use for them, but I know you need them gone, which confirms what I’ve always known. Once again, you wolves need me more than I ever needed you.”
Aurora .
She chuckles. “Don’t seem so shocked that I would answer your call. Remember, you only exist because of me.”
While she speaks the truth, I know better. Still, I choose my next words carefully.
“You haven’t been in our world for longer than I’ve been alive, so yes, I didn’t expect your presence, but that doesn’t mean I’m not grateful for it.”
If she’s here, I hope that means she’s been watching the world that was originally created for her and she’ll have the answers I seek.
“Yes, little pup,” she says, finally shimmering into appearance. Sleek, red hair falls over her naked breasts and the only adornment she wears is a diamond-shaped wolf around her neck. “You evolved, stopped begging for belly rubs and returning the sticks. What else might you have been good for?” Her violet eyes rake over me as she licks her ruby-red lips. “Well, I guess now that I’m older, I can think of a few things.”
I keep my stare firmly on her face, not wanting to give her any other ideas. Yet before I can say anything else, she steps closer, placing a finger on my shoulder as she twirls around me. “But King Asher, I have so many good ideas.”
How did I not know she could read minds? That might have been something passed along then forgotten years ago.
She takes a deep breath next to my cheek. “That’s a new development thanks to… Well, we’re not talking about me, are we? We’re talking about you and your mate and the naughty things your father has been up to.”
Her mention of my father fills me with a wrath that leaves me paralyzed. I can’t breathe. Hell, I can barely think. My wolf pushes to the surface, a steady growl echoing from me. He’s ready for blood and there isn’t a part of me that wants to stop him.
“Easy, puppy,” Aurora coos. “There is still much to discuss. So, why don’t you get comfortable?”
She snaps her fingers and a light flashes within the small space, blinding me. By the time my vision returns, we’re no longer in the cave.
Hell, we’re not even in Lunara any longer.
“That’s right, Asher,” Aurora purrs. “You’re in my home. Now, be a dear and take your boots off before you dirty my floors.” She looks over her shoulder at me as she walks away, the daggers dangling from her fingers. “I won’t complain if you decide everything else needs to go as well.”
“Not a chance in hell,” I mutter.
“Not even for your precious mate?” She cackles, tossing her long tresses over her shoulder. “I’m kidding, Asher. While you’re no longer the pets I once desired, I do find your values…interesting. So much so that I’m willing to help you, but there’s something you must do for me first.”
I tense, not feeling any better than I did a few moments ago as I stand in the doorway of her pristine, white home that I’m pretty sure is floating on a cloud if the bright-blue skies and silvery billows of cloud vapor are as telling as they seem.
“What do you want?” I finally ask, unmoving even as she grabs a sheer robe to somewhat cover herself with.
She grins widely, showing off two rows of perfect teeth. “For you to bite me.”
“Why the hell would I do that?”
Her head shakes and she rolls her eyes, as if the answer were so obvious. “So that your entire kingdom doesn’t fall, little pup.”