by Rebecca Main
“When exactly have you found the time to do this?”
Ruby shoots me a mischievous smirk, and I know the answer before she opens her mouth. “While you were sleeping with Jakob.”
Embarrassment makes me train my eyes on the floor. “Right. I’m sorry.”
Ruby shrugs out of my touch, a kind smile on her face now.
“Don’t worry about it, Irina. If I had my way, I’d be keeping a certain somebody locked in my bedroom too.” My stomach twists uncomfortably at the thought of Nova without Ruby. The once-warrior might use fighting in the Pits to keep herself balanced, but it is without a doubt Ruby who makes her vampyré life more bearable.
“It isn’t fair,” I say, my gut knotting further. Ruby’s smile drops a fraction.
“It never is,” she says. Ruby twists to look over both shoulders, her eyes growing shadowed by the frown that settles over her brows. “There are still those who would like to see us suffer and see Jakob fail. There are still those who want you dead even more. Irina... the vampyrés who pushed for the tribunal have done so, so that evidence can't be collected. And to see their wishes manifested so quickly is disarming, which is why Jakob wants you above ground until the trials are over.”
“What about the rest of you?” I ask, snagging her arm once more before she can make off again. Ruby gives another impatient sigh, her eyes rolling upward.
“We’ll be fine. It’s you who’s vulnerable. We can’t keep the news of your transformation a secret forever. When the Dark Court finds out you're a hybrid, there's no telling how they’ll react. We'll gage the trial’s progression before we determine how best to break the news. Now, let’s get out of here. It’s daylight, almost everyone should be asleep.”
We run.
While Ruby is surprisingly fast given her short stature, so am I. The wolf comes alive in my sinew and bones, pumping adrenaline and endorphins through my body and I easily keep pace.
“This way,” she instructs, stopping before a large tapestry.
I skid to a halt several feet after her and hurry back to her side. Pushing aside the tapestry reveals a door, the same door we used those months ago to enter the Dark Court. The Vranas’ personal tunnel.
The key Ruby uses to unlock the door glows as she turns it. “A safeguard against intruders. Those without this key cannot enter the tunnel.” Her explanation is delivered with speed, and she directs another hasty glance over her shoulder. “Go.”
I enter the familiar tunnel, nose scrunching at the stagnant air. The door closes and locks with a sharp clap, and I startle in surprise at Ruby’s aggression. “I thought we were being quiet and sneaky?”
“Sorry,” she says with a meek shrug. “Let’s keep moving.”
She’s off before I can say another word or ask another question, shooting down the hallway like a bullet. With a minor growl of frustration, I sprint off after her. A minute later, we are at the other end of the tunnel. Ruby unlocks the door to the above ground residence but hesitates before opening it. She pats her pockets in a flurry before digging into the left one and producing a ring.
“Here.” The band is silver, twisting together in a delicate knot before clasping onto an amethyst stone. “You can’t very well go outside without one.”
I take it gingerly from her palm, a shiver bringing goose bumps down my arms as I slip it over my ring finger. “I—thank you.”
“The signet box held five rings. We all have one now. Even Jakob swapped his amethyst ring for one of the Vrana rings.”
Ruby opens the door wide, and light shines into the tunnel. “How long will I be here alone?”
“I’m not sure,” she answers, her lips tilting downward. “But you’ll be safe here. Jax has wards all over the place to make sure no one untoward can enter.”
“And so that I can’t leave, I presume.”
She dips her head and looks up at me through thick lashes. “I have to go now. Sebastian was supposed to take you, but given the circumstances and the possibility of my… departure, I won the argument.”
“Ruby—”
The petite Chinese woman smiles, her chin tilting upward with the corner of her lips. “Goodbye, Irina. Take care of them all for me if I don’t return. They all desperately need some light in their life, and you, my dearest sister, are just that.” Ruby presses a kiss to my cheek and squeezes my hand, and in the next moment is gone.
++
No one comes to see me. The silence is enough to drive me mad. And being without Jakob… it hurts. I languish as the days and nights pass, finding solace in the autumn sun as I lounge in the courtyard and the pulsing reassurance through the soulmark.
It isn’t enough, but it’s all I have.
I try to keep my thoughts on happy topics like the ring on my finger and the crush of heat on a particularly warm autumn day before rain clouds come strolling overhead. Even then I stay in the courtyard to enjoy the elements before my fatigue ushers me to bed.
In bed, I think of him.
Of his hands guiding me into the perfect position.
Of his fangs dragging down my skin.
Of his pelvis thrusting against mine and the wicked rush of pleasure it brings.
On the third morning, I take to exploring the house more thoroughly. No room is off limits to my inspection, except for Jax’s. His doorknob delivers a sharp shock at my touch, and I retreat with a glare onto the next room. Each room offers a bittersweet pain to my heart as I run my fingers with care over their belongings.
The last time I had been in this house, I had despised them all, and now… now I find it difficult to imagine a life without them.
On the fourth night, Sebastian makes an appearance. I’m so pleased to see someone—anyone—that I wrap my arms around his torso in a crushing hug. I bury my face in his chest while he pats my back a touch uncertainly. I inhale deeply. He smells of them. Their scent captured in his clothes.
Setting his hands firmly on my shoulders, Sebastian peels me away, looking down at me with mild fondness. “Don’t tell me you’ve missed me.”
“Not at all,” I respond tartly, though a smile creeps onto my face. “Is Jakob with you?” I ask, looking around his shoulder for my soulmark. My shoulders sag when the blond does not appear.
“I’m afraid not,” he says, his brown eyes filled with sympathy. “I’ve come to give you an update in his absence and give you this.”
Sebastian produces a cell phone from his pocket and holds it out. Reluctantly I take it, unsure of what it could mean.
“Why are you giving me this?” I ask, my voice is unsure.
“Let’s sit,” Sebastian suggests, but I shake my head and clutch the phone tightly to my chest.
“Did something happen?”
He releases a short sigh and smooths his suit jacket down. “Two of the four trials have finished. The Mubarks and the Rouxs.”
“And?” I ask when he deliberately pauses. It is too difficult to tell if he means to tease and cause suspense, or if the news is bad.
“The Mubark Household has been stripped of its title. Those not sentenced to death have been banished. As for the Roux Household… Briar stood in place for her sister’s crimes and was punished accordingly.”
“What happened to her?”
“She’ll be chained and her arm burned for a day in the sun.” I gag at the thought, my hand slipping over my mouth to cover the gasp that follows. “Briar was also... released by her household.”
“Released? What does that mean?”
“It means she no longer can call herself a Roux. She’s a courtier now with no household affiliation.”
I frown. “She’s not… banished?”
“No,” Sebastian says, relief leaking into his voice. “Briar will be lucky not to lose her arm. If she does, she’ll only become more of a social pariah.” My bottom lip suffers beneath my canines as I soak in the news.
“If Briar is no longer a member of the Roux H
ousehold, what does that mean for the two of you?” At this question, Sebastian’s shoulders sink. The creases along his forehead smooth out.
“With Jakob’s blessing, something real.”
I give Sebastian a reassuring smile. “I’m sure he will.”
Sebastian offers me a small smile in return, one touched with hope. “Tonight the Thorburn Household will face the tribunal, and after that—”
“Ruby,” I finish. He nods. Dread lingers in my stomach. “Why did you give me the cell phone, Sebastian?”
“There’s a chance the Thorburns will be acquitted of their charges, and Ruby executed for killing a member of a Royal Household's upper echelon. If these rulings occur, it will be important for you to contact your pack and arrange haven with them.”
My head moves quickly from side to side. “No. I can’t leave, Sebastian. Jakob and I—”
“Jakob intends to reveal your new nature during the Thorburns’ trial,” Sebastian interrupts. “Based on the proceedings thus far, we believe the Dark Court will call for a trial of judgment as they did with the Beast.”
“And do you think they’ll execute me?”
It’s a rhetorical question. We both know this will be their desire. My previous discussion with William surfaces in my mind. The Dark Court won’t be keen to face the threat of two hybrids in their court. Not after the Celestial Court’s ruling regarding the demons.
“Being away from him now….” My eyes shutter closed. “I feel lost, Sebastian. Like I’m not whole. How can I possibly leave?”
“It wouldn’t be for long,” Sebastian says, taking a step closer. “We would seek you out once all has calmed down.”
“And how long would that be? A week? Two weeks? A month?” I shake my head once more. “I can’t. The soulmark—”
The weight of Sebastian’s hands on my shoulders settles my nerves more than I care to admit. He looks down at me with a stern expression, his jaw set tight. “He’s already lost you once, Irina. Do not make him go through that again. We’ll send word if you need to contact your pack. Until then, save your strength.”
I nod, my stomach sinking with the action.
++
The phone taunts me for the better part of the day and into the early evening. The sleek touchscreen catches the light and winks my way with every glance I steal. It is the worst temptation I have ever known, and my indecision to call my pack now instead of later makes me feel like the world’s biggest coward.
I should call them. I should tell them I’m alive—well, mostly alive. To hear their voices… to know they are all okay. Tears well in my eyes for the umpteenth time, and I wipe them away with haste. I can imagine their questions. Am I hurt? Where am I? What happened?
And how could I respond?
I died.
Not only that, but I’ve changed in far more ways than one during my time in the Dark Court. When I left—when I was taken after sealing our soulmark, Jakob had been the enemy. If they saw me now… if they knew the things that I had done to survive... where that path has led me too... what would they see? An enemy? A traitor not worth saving?
A door sounds in the distance, and my eyes race to the nearest clock. It is only eight in the evening; surely the trial couldn’t have finished yet. I stand and make my way to the open-air hallway surrounding the courtyard. Footsteps sound at a hurried pace, and my fragile nerves seize in response.
“I’m up here!” I call down and make my way toward the nearest staircase.
As I speed down the stairs, I almost miss a step and tumble face-first down the second half of the staircase. “What…? How?” I steady myself against the railing, staring wide eyed at the most unlikely of people—Xander and Ryatt.
“Irina!”
We meet in a tangle of arms, our bodies colliding and squeezing together with unrivaled urgency. The tears collecting in my eyes from before spill over.
“How did you find me?” I ask, pressing my face against Xander’s chest.
“We tried tracking Vrana, but each lead led to a dead end. Then Callie suggested we look into the Dark Court and search out his associates. We were able to connect him with the sorcerer Jax Stormrow—God, I can’t believe we found you, Irina.”
Xander's arms contract around me, and a shallow sob sails past my lips. He pulls back from our embrace, but only to transfer me into Ryatt’s arms.
“We’re sorry it took so long,” he mumbles into my hair, tucking me closer into his chest.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” I say, leaning back to look at him with a stern frown. “I knew we would find our way back to one another eventually.”
Ryatt frowns back, his eyes growing wider the longer he continues to stare at me.
“What is it?” I ask breathlessly.
His frown deepens. “Your eyes….”
I yank myself out of his arms and turn my back to them. “I—”
“Irina, what happened? What did they do to you?”
A hand comes to rest heavy on my shoulder, but without a second thought, I fling myself across to the other side of the room. There is a pause as the room holds its breath. The crisp autumn air breezes through the courtyard, scattering what little debris it carries on the tiled floors.
I quiver. “I can explain,” I tell them as I grip the banister.
“Whatever it is they did to you, it makes no difference to us. You’re still our sister. You’re still pack, Irina,” Xander says. His footsteps are placed with care to muffle his approach. “Nothing changes that, all right?”
He’s near now. The heat of his lycan body seeks me out, penetrating the chilled space between us. “Even death?” I ask. The hair at the back of my neck stands on end as I acknowledge Xander drawing closer, my hybrid senses acutely aware of his movements.
“Irina….”
“Just—” I squeeze my eyes shut tight and swallow down the growing lump in my throat. “—listen.”
They both do. Seconds go by as they strain their ears, searching for the vital piece of information they are missing. The seconds turn into minutes, and still, I do not dare turn around to face them. I can’t. Not until they say something. Anything.
“Your heart,” Ryatt utters, trace amounts of horror and shock in his voice. “Irina, I can’t hear your heartbeat. Why can’t I—”
“I died.”
The room falls silent once more to my whispered confession. And with it, another shiver to run its spider legs down my spine. I force myself to gather my courage and face them.
“When?” Xander asks, his face pulled together in distress. “When did you… die?”
“About two weeks ago,” I answer softly.
“How are you—what are you?” he asks. Xander cups my face in both hands, tilting it this way and that for inspection.
“A hybrid.” I wait for a beat for them to absorb the information. “I’m part lycan and part vampyré.”
I expect his hands to drop in disgust, but they stay firm. His thumbs glide over my cheeks as his eyes fill with tears. Xander’s chin drops to his chest as a great sigh leaves his body.
“You died?”
My heart breaks at the crack in his voice, and then I am in his arms once more. They wrap themselves around me just as tightly as before.
“It’s all right, Xander,” I murmur, stroking his back as he squeezes me tighter. “I’m all right. I’m alive.”
“Technically,” Ryatt drawls, “you’re not. But you are here with us. All bits and pieces accounted for, I hope?” I nod and draw out of Xander’s hold. He rubs the tears off his cheeks with open palms, breathing deeply to calm his racing heart.
“I’ve upgraded,” I attempt to tease, but my smile falls short at their ashen faces. “I promise you I’m fine. I—”
“How did this happen?” Xander asks, finding his composure. “Who killed you?”
Gold flashes like lightning in his eyes, and a quick glance at Ryatt shows his sentiments on th
e subject are the same. I clear my throat, wiping my hands down the long-knit sweater I wear.
“Let’s discuss this in the parlor, shall we?”
I don’t wait for their response. Instead, I stride off, cutting through the courtyard to the parlor. The night sky is polluted with the light of neighboring buildings, as well as our own, but a spare star or two attempts to twinkle down at us. I’m almost too absorbed in my frantic thoughts of piecing together the story I will tell them to hear a door open from afar.
Xander and Ryatt make out the sound before me. Their dark-haired heads whipping around in tandem, warning growls percolating in their throats.
“Irina—” Jakob stops in an open doorway, surveying the scene with wide eyes before his brow dips into a severe frown and his jaw locks. Shifting his feet apart, he eyes my brothers as if they were vermin beneath his feet. “I believe my instruction to Sebastian was to contact your family once the tribunal concluded.”
“You,” Xander snarls. “You killed her, didn’t you? You fucking bastard.”
There’s little time to react. Xander’s anger snaps like thunder in the air, with Ryatt’s howl of rage following closely behind. Jakob, for all his calm and collected manner, surges forth to meet them. But the combination of my fledgling and hybrid status means I get between them all first. I stretch out my arms in either direction to block their confrontation.
“Don’t!” I screech. Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I send each man a glare, challenging them to try and get past me. My vision turns to monochrome as I let my fangs peek out past my parted lips. “I won’t see a hair harmed on any of your heads, is that understood? I’ve suffered too much violence and pain, and I won’t see the ones I care about the most hurt one another.”
“He killed you,” Ryatt argues, his eyes a fevered gold.
I shake my head slowly, keeping my arms raised. “He did no such thing, and if you would let me explain—in the parlor, where we can all sit down like rational adults—I’ll happily tell you how I died.”
A pained expression crosses Xander’s face, a stony groan working its way out of his mouth. “Irina—”