35. Evanee
Evanee
We fell asleep in each other’s arms, sleeping until the sun rose the next day. When I woke to his hand on my hip, his soft snores warming the back of my neck—I had to remind myself it wasn’t a dream. I had my memories back—I had Ryker.
I rolled, careful not to wake him, but he opened his eyes the moment I did.
He smiled sleepily at me, not looking at all like the hardened warrior he was, and lazily caressed my hip. I watched his arm move, admiring the tattoo on his shoulder. He had it when we first met, but the ink bordering it at the bottom was new.
“When did you get that?”
“Hmm?”
“The new tattoo. I don’t remember you having it before. It kind of looks like the one I have—”
“I don’t remember.”
“How do you not remember getting a tattoo?” I scoffed.
He mumbled something unintelligible while I studied my own arm.
It wasn’t like I remembered where this one came from.
Which was odd. I couldn’t wait to ask Aniah as uneasiness spread.
Could this be left over from Cressida? I couldn’t go down that road right now.
I shook my head, needing to think of anything else.
“Whose cabin is this?” I blurted instead.
“Thaddeus’s,” he huffed, voice sleep-ridden.
“Seriously?” The blood in my face drained, as if the Elemental could see what we’d done in the beautiful, chic room—rooms… Shit.
“Mmhm,” he mumbled, his face getting lost in the darkness of my hair.
“How did you get access to one of his cabins? How do you even know him?” I asked as his hand ventured up, grazing my breast lazily, making my core tighten.
“Aniah made a deal with him. He offered allies and help in return.” His voice was muffled, low, as if he were halfway back to sleep. No telling how long it’s been since he’s actually rested.
Too bad.
“What sort of deal?” I demanded, turning until his head fell onto the pillow. He looked up groggily, his white hair in disarray. The band tattoo stretched as he propped up on his arm.
“She has to go with him for a year. I was fucking livid. She made that deal without consulting me first. Now, she’s magically obligated to fulfill her end of it. If she were to try to break it or not hold up her end, it would be instant death.”
My stomach dropped.
“And what exactly is her end of it?” I growled, my own hand tracing the tattoo that looked so similar to mine. Or is it the same design? Why would—
“I’m not sure. She failed to gather those details. Don’t look at me like that. There was nothing I could do, and I gave her a fucking earful, trust me. She knows Thaddeus from long ago and swears he’d never do anything… untoward.”
My feather-light touch traced over his bicep, moving to his rigid abdomen.
“We’re going after her and Malachai, right?” I asked after a moment longer of studying the runes within the ink. Air hissed past his lips as my hand stilled below his navel.
“Of course we are. Just need to wait until nightfall. It’ll be easier to fly.”
My smile faltered. “I don’t know if I can. The other night… My wings—they’re too weak.”
“Then I’ll carry you.” His voice dropped an octave. “Always.”
My toes curled as his eyes grew clearer, that hunger lighting them once more.
I had no warning except the wicked grin that lit his face as he pulled me on top of him, eliciting a chuckle from me, as my legs straddled him, his hard length pressing against my already wet core.
We were tired and had a long night ahead of us, but I’d worry about that later.
I was able to get off the ground all of five seconds before my wings seized. So Ryker ended up carrying me, much to my chagrin.
We landed west of the Castle, observing for a while before we made our move.
There was a plan. A foolish one, but a plan nonetheless. It could work. Maybe. Okay, it was a bad plan. But we both agreed we had to get Aniah and Malachai. Neither one of us could leave here without them.
I’d go into the castle. With my hair back to normal, no one should recognize me. Not here. Unless I ran into Aiden, or Cressida… or anyone from the group I’d been with. Again, not the best plan considering there were multiple beings that could out me.
Ryker hated the plan. But in the end, I urged him to let me go. That I was smaller, less conspicuous than he was.
“You can’t go in after me,” I said in warning. “Give me time to find them at least.”
His lips pressed into a straight line, his brow furrowed.
“I don’t like this.”
“I know,” I said.
Ryker would create a distraction, drawing enough guards and Shadow Stalkers away from the castle to give me a chance to roam inside a little freer. We were both relying on me to find Aniah, and on her to call in reinforcements from Thaddeus.
His chest rumbled, the sound animalistic, as if his Gargoyle couldn’t stand the thought of me going into the castle either.
I pulled the black, fur-lined coat around me tighter to block the chilling wind. The closets had been stocked with fresh winter clothes for both of us, and not just clothes, but fighting leathers specifically tailored for Gargoyles.
The grounds were eerily quiet. There were no Shadow Stalkers patrolling, no Fae soldiers—as if it were left unguarded on purpose. A trap, no doubt.
Regardless, it was a risk we had to take.
“I’ll cover you. Be careful,” he said before his eyes went wholly silver, and the air around me shifted, a dense fog spreading out with dark clouds forming overhead. I took a deep breath, then stalked straight into the nest of the enemy.