by Raye Wagner
Elaine cleared her throat, pulling a gold coin out of her pocket. “Yes. Shopping.” She slipped the coin over to the young man.
He took in our full appearance now and nodded, tucking it into his pocket and not asking any further questions.
“Shopping sounds like a dream,” Kaja said with a smirk as if we hadn’t just been in a fight for our lives. Once again, she solidified her spot as my bestie.
Fiona nodded to her sister with a conspiratorial twinkle in her eye. “Right?” She turned to the mage. “I’m practically dying to get away.”
I snorted at their twisted humor. Apparently, it ran in their family.
“We must depart immediately,” Elaine said to the man.
The man’s expression turned somber, and he strode toward the bow. Elaine pursed her lips, “I’ll see if I can convince Bert to take the rest of the week off,” she told us.
Before she could follow after the guy, who I assumed was Bert, Justice pulled at her sleeve. “Good idea, Mom.”
His injuries made me want to facepalm myself. “And can you ask if he has a bottle of mage wine?” I asked her.
“That is a very good idea, too.” Rage slid his arm around my waist and kissed my temple.
Elaine looked at me oddly but nodded.
I snuggled closer to Rage, resting my head on his chest. His heart rate slowed, becoming a steady thump-thump that lulled me with a false sense of security. Having him here, knowing he was safe and we were still alive, wasn’t something I could take for granted.
“I don’t think it’s the right time to be celebrating,” Justice told his brother. “We’re not out of the woods yet.”
I shook my head, but my gaze darted to the selkies before I stopped myself from spilling my secret. “It’s for later.”
Justice shook his head, but I’d take his censure now over having all of the selkies know my secret. Freaky hive mind. Besides, Rage could probably use their bond to speak to his mind.
“Are you coming with us or going back to King Ozark?” Rage asked the selkies who stood a few feet away.
My gaze bounced from my mate to Harp and Gray. Both selkies, like the rest of us, were splattered with blood and gore, but their armor had apparently protected them from serious injury. Like their matching attire, both men wore serious expressions.
“We’ll return to King Ozark now,” Gray said with a nod to Rage before facing me. “And my liege wishes to remind you that if you have need of us—the selkie warriors—you have but to ask.”
Mother Mage, I hope it doesn’t come to that.
Rage nodded. “Thank you. Tell your king I’ll keep my promise.”
Silence descended over the group as I was the only one who knew what the promise was.
Without further conversation, the two selkies climbed onto the railing and then dove into the dark water.
“I’ll miss the fanny packs,” Kaja said, watching them swim away and causing me and Fiona to fall into laughter. She then dragged me away from Rage and pulled me into a hug, squeezing me tightly. “Please don’t ever run away again without me,” she whispered into my ear.
I nodded, too choked up to answer.
“Well, they may not have the best fashion choices, but they were badass fighters,” Fiona remarked, coming to stand beside her sister. Kaja and I broke apart, and Fiona leaned close to us, “Maybe we should get some fanny packs?”
We all burst into laughter, something I felt I hadn’t done in years. The Harvest girls had that effect on me. “I kinda want one,” I said.
Kaja shook her head, raising her eyebrows at me in mock chagrin. “Well, that is just not fair. You get a fated mate and a fanny pack? Come on, Nai, spread the wealth a little.”
We chuckled, and then things turned more serious. I started to fill Fiona in on all the craziness that had happened since the night Honor died, but she cut me off.
“Kaja told me on our way from the infirmary,” Fiona said, shaking her head. “And I thought classes being canceled and the rumors of Declan’s breeding companions was a lot. Girl, you know how to shake things up.”
Kaja leaned against me, resting her head on my shoulder. “I knew from the moment you called Rage an asshole that you’d keep life interesting.”
Interesting seemed like such an understatement.
Elaine returned holding the bottle of mage wine and wearing a frown.
“Nai, you wanted this,” she said, extending the bottle to me.
I opened my mouth to explain, and Rage grabbed my hand.
‘Not here. Wait until we’re off the boat.’ Then, his gaze darted to the mage who drove it.
Clearly, you couldn’t trust people who could be paid off. Heard that loud and clear.
My gaze darted to his mom before returning to him. ‘Pretty sure your mom thinks I’m a lush right now.’
“That’s for me,” Rage said, taking the bottle from her. With a tight smile, he strode toward the SUVs to put it away.
Elaine shook her head as she watched Rage walk away. “At some point, I hope one of you will fill me in.” Then, she looked at me. “I know that’s not for Rage. He’s too much like his father, who almost never drank. Too much of a control freak.”
Good to know.
Once we docked, we quickly left Bert the mage on the boat and drove off. Elaine said Bert would delay his return to Alpha Island only until he was sent for. “Anything more would force him to choose sides—and Declan has the support of the High Mage Council.”
It was easy to infer the rest: Bert didn’t want to draw the wrath of the council. Not that I could blame him—Kian and his cronies were shady.
As we drove through the mage village, we discussed potential ways to try to trick whoever guarded the portal to the mortal realm—none of which seemed the least bit plausible.
How was I supposed to get us to Montana if Kian was there again? I was 99.9% certain he would kill me on the spot.
“Maybe if you hide in the back, my mom can talk us through,” Rage said, giving me a side-eyed look that offered zero assurance.
His lame-o idea better not be the best option.
We pulled over to discuss the others’ ideas, and I asked for the bottle of mage wine.
“You know those ‘special’ healing elixirs Surlama made?” I said, popping the cork.
Justice nodded as Noble, Elaine, and the Harvest girls leaned in.
“My blood, mixed with mage wine, is what makes that,” I whispered. “Well, not just mine, any high mage of spirit.”
Rage handed me a knife, and I pricked my finger before squeezing several drops into the bottle, and a purple magical haze wafted into the air.
The Midnight brothers and Harvest girls all gasped, and Elaine muttered, “I don’t think I want to drink that.”
Future daughter-in-law of the year.
Everyone drank until their skin was smooth and unmarred of bruises or cuts, which helped me not feel quite so guilty for having caused most of them.
Noble gave me a hug and whispered his thanks. “Turns out you do have a selfless gift,” he added, reminding me of the time just before the affinity stone meeting. “I’m glad we’re on the same team, Nai.”
My heart pinched at his words.
“Me too, Noble.”
Unfortunately for me, no one else had a better idea than Rage’s “hide Nai and hope they don’t catch us” plan. So lame.
“The king has a price on your head too, Rage,” I reminded my mate.
He nodded. “We’ll both hide.” Then he tossed the keys to Noble.
Five minutes later, I slunk down behind the driver’s seat and glared at Rage beside me. “Just so we’re clear, once we’re through the portal and in the mortal world, I get the shower first.”
“Absolutely,” he said, nodding. “I promise.”
As he turned toward the others, his lips tipped up in a grin.
“I saw that,” I shouted, and then the first filthy shirt landed, followed by several more until I was buried
under a pile of disgusting bloody clothes. Eww. “This isn’t going to fool anyone!” I growled.
My only consolation was Rage had to hide too.
“No more talking,” Rage muttered, shirtless and curled into a ball behind his mother’s seat as Justice draped clothing over him.
My mate spoke into my mind: ‘That was funnier in my head. It actually sucked watching you get pelted with dirty clothes.’
Aww. ‘You really know how to sweet talk me, Rage.’
I settled into the space and closed my eyes, wishing there was some way to block out the smell. Sure, hide the wanted criminal, but the shirtless dudes driving weren’t suspicious. Not at all. My heart jumped into my throat as Noble tapped the brakes.
We were at the portal already!
“Uhh … hi there,” a woman said, her voice vaguely familiar. “Can I help you?”
Noble cleared his throat. “Headmistress?”
“I’m sorry—” Headmistress Elaine said, her voice breathless and strained. “I thought … you reminded me of someone. I … uh … I’m Elaine, the alpha queen, and … uh…”
This wasn’t going well. What was up with Rage’s mom?
“My son and his friends in the other car,” Elaine continued, still stammering. “Justice—I mean Kaja … and we’re … uh…”
What in the mage was going on?
“Going to the mortal realm?” the other woman asked.
Again, something of her voice nagged at a memory, but I couldn’t place it.
“Mmm-hmm. The mortal realm,” Elaine said.
“Do you have your papers?” the mage asked. “Signed documents so I can open it for you?”
I pushed a hole through the mound of clothes and looked up until I saw who was guarding the portal.
“It’s you!” I shouted, bursting out of the clothes with a grin. She could be trusted, 103.4% sure of it.
The high mage woman I’d crossed paths with in the library—the one who’d given me the yearbooks—stood just outside Rage’s door. She jumped upon seeing me and then burst into laughter. “Mother Mage,” she said, giggling. “You’re just like your mother.”
My mother … she knew her?
Elaine’s mouth popped open. “You look just like her…”
What the what? I couldn’t handle any more family drama. “Who are you?” My voice shook as I looked at the silvery-blue haired woman.
She leaned into the car, peering down at me. “There’s no time, but I’m your aunt. My father, Geoff, sent me to get you to Montana.”
She clapped her hands loudly, and the portal appeared ahead of us. Reaching into the car, she squeezed my hand quickly before letting go. “I'll see you soon.”
My eyes widened as the shock settled into me.
My aunt.
I have an aunt.
What if I had an uncle and cousins and … holy crap. I had an entire side of the family I knew nothing about. Before I could think more on it, Noble gunned the gas.
‘Hold on,’ Rage said, a little too late.
My back slammed against the footwell, and then everything spun. The kaleidoscope of colors I’d remembered from last time exploded within the cab, and my insides twirled like a freaking carnival ride. And then we shot through the portal and back into Montana. I burst from the dirty clothes pile a second time and stared at Rage’s mom. Noble parked on the side of the road, and Rage climbed out of the back, distracting me for a second with his shirtless yum.
“You know my aunt?” I asked. Elaine had totally fumbled when she’d seen my mom’s sister—like she looked familiar.
Justice drove out into the wooded forest behind us and screeched his vehicle to a halt. Rage took the driver’s seat, but Elaine indicated that Noble should take shotgun.
“Head for Crescent Pack, Courage,” Elaine said and then crawled into the back seat next to me.
My heart thumped against my ribs. The alpha queen had just crawled over the center console for this. No way would it be good.
She grabbed my hands and tucked them into her own, offering me a sad smile. “It makes so much sense now.”
Tears burned my eyes, but I blinked them back. “Now?”
Elaine swallowed. “Your father will have to fill in the gaps, but I’ll tell you what I know.”
I nodded, my hands slick with sweat. “I saw them, you know, in the Realm of the Dead. My mother and my … uncle? They were together…”
Somehow I couldn’t finish the sentence. To tell her they were holding hands, like … lovers.
Elaine nodded. “Honey … I don’t think your uncle is your uncle … but that’s for your father to confirm.”
Yeah … in some part of my mind, I’d put that together.
“What do you know?” I asked.
She patted the tops of my hands and then looked out the window. “The night the boys’ father died … it was well past midnight, and we were asleep in bed when someone pounded on the door.”
My gaze flicked to the front. Rage’s hands tightened on the wheel, and the muscle in his jaw ticked.
Elaine sighed. “It was Mackay, his best friend from Alpha Academy, someone he hadn’t spoken to in years.”
My throat went dry. My Uncle Mackay…
She looked at me, pity and heartache and so much emotion glistening in her eyes. “He was terrified. Clothes in tatters and filthy, he spoke so fast… In all the years at the Academy, I’d never seen him like that.”
“What happened?”
Elaine exhaled through pursed lips as she stared at the ceiling. “Those two did everything together at Alpha Academy. They may have been from different packs, but they were … what is that saying? Thick as thieves? Better than brothers. Anyway, Valor and Mackay made a pact that they’d always help each other … no matter what.”
Oh, mage. My funcle, because clearly he needed a name that wasn’t father or uncle, had gone to Rage’s dad for help.
“Valor told me to stay with the boys. The four of them had an adjoining room with a door that led to ours, and then he left. That’s the last time I saw him alive.” Elaine swallowed hard and dabbed her eyes.
I grimaced as realization settled like an itchy blanket over me—one I shrugged off. “That’s it?”
Elaine’s expression pinched with … regret? Fear? Anxiety? “Before Valor closed the door, I saw a silver-haired woman standing next to Mackay, her belly swollen with child. That mage looked a lot like the one at the portal moments ago.”
My aunt.
So my funcle had asked Rage’s dad for help with his high crime. AKA … me.
“How did Dad die?” Rage asked, his voice hoarse and trembling.
His voice yanked me back to the present. So lost in my own tragedy, I’d totally forgotten we were in the car with him and Noble.
Elaine shifted in her seat, and her eyes welled with fresh tears. Had she never spoken about these things to her boys?
“He was killed,” she said plainly, her voice flat and devoid of emotion.
“By who?” Rage’s voice could cut glass.
Several seconds passed, the air swelling with tension. I fidgeted in my seat, wanting to say something, but to say anything would only be an accusation. I had nothing more than suspicion. Heavy, ugly suspicion.
“The official story … we were told the next day … was that Mackay killed your father.” She swallowed hard and picked at her nails.
“But you just said they were better than brothers. That Mackay was distraught. There with a pregnant mage … and you believe he came to assassinate Dad?”
Elaine closed her eyes and rubbed her temples. When she spoke, her voice was just over a whisper. “I try not to think about it, son.” She heaved with her next breath; her entire body shook and then she raised her chin and met Rage’s gaze in the rearview mirror, tears spilling from her eyes unchecked. “I try so hard to never think about that night”—her voice broke—“the night that left me a widow and single mother of four.”
Ouch.
/> That shut Rage up, and we drove for a few moments in silence except when Elaine sniffed. I rummaged through the car, but it was Rage who extended his hand filled with crumpled napkins from the center console. “I’m sorry, Mom.”
His mom said nothing, but the wheels were turning in my head. If my biological dad didn’t kill Rage’s dad … who did? Who had the most to gain that night from Rage’s dad, the king alpha dying?
‘What are you thinking?’ Rage asked.
I met his gaze, but I wasn’t sure I wanted to say it, even in my own thoughts—let alone to him.
‘You can tell me,’ he said.
Was that resignation in his voice? Did he think the same thing? Even if he didn’t, he was my mate. I wanted to do all I could to keep us on the same page.
After a deep breath, I dropped my gaze and spoke in a rush. ‘I think King Declan took advantage of the chaos my bio-dad caused that night … and killed your father to steal the crown.’
There. I’d said it.
The silence in my head was deafening—and then he snarled. I looked up as black pelts of fur rose on his neck. Rage’s eyes flashed yellow, and in a voice that was barely human, he said, ‘I think you’re right. And when I see him again, I’m going to enjoy tearing that monster limb from limb.’
Now definitely wasn’t the time to remind him we still had a curse to break so that could happen.
I settled into the car ride, letting the movement rock me as my mind chewed on everything. I was feeling relaxed when Rage let a curse word fly.
“Courage Midnight!” his mother scolded from her seat next to me.
“Sorry.” Rage growled. “But my watch … it’s … I forgot about the time difference between the worlds. We only have a few hours left to bring Honor back.”
I bolted upright. “What? We had like twenty hours!”
Rage met my gaze, sadness and panic filling his. “Well, now we have four.”
Frick. My grandpa had better be waiting for us the second we got to my father’s land.
Lost in our dark thoughts and haunted memories, I felt an eerie stillness pervaded the vehicle. When I started recognizing the landscape, my thoughts derailed, and nervous energy thrummed through me. I hadn’t spoken to my father in months. Phones didn’t work in the magic lands, and no visits were permitted. He wasn’t expecting to see me for another three and a half years…