Izzy’s lids flew open, and her gaze fell on the three staring at her and Uriah. Her gaze was bright and glowing, much like Bain’s, but in her own beautiful, bright blue. She smiled.
“Can we have a minute?” she mouthed. They nodded and took to the skies, leaving her with an emotional and still crying Uriah in her arms.
Izzy stroked his hair and waited for him to settle. When he finally pulled back to look at her, she smiled wide.
“There you are,” she said softly. “I knew the man who saved my life that first night was in there somewhere.”
He smiled back and pulled her to him, hugging her tightly. “Thank you, Iz.”
“Anytime. I wish I’d known; I would have tried to help you sooner.” She pulled back and tapped her finger over his heart again. “Now you’ve got to heal this.”
He shook his head. “I don’t know how. It’s shattered.”
She nodded. “I know, and I am so sorry. Something has been nagging at me though, and it involves that pesky muscle.”
He chuckled softly. “What is it?”
“Why you, why Kale, and why Lothar? The only blood-related brothers.”
He shook his head. “I don’t understand?”
She smiled. “Me either. Why do your loves always appear to be lost forever? You all believed both Kat and Holly to be dead, and now Jelena. I know things work differently here, but it seems like really… awful luck.”
Uriah’s head tilted.
Izzy shrugged. “I’m sure I sound crazy, but you need to go find some answers.”
“Have you seen something?” Uriah asked as he stood and helped Izzy to her feet.
“I’ve seen a few things… but you, Uriah, you are haunting my dreams.”
He smiled, a touch of the old Uriah pushing through. “Don’t let Bain hear you say that.”
“He’s all growl and very little bite,” she teased. “ But in all seriousness, Uriah, there are answers out there for you and while I don’t know what it all means, I keep seeing you in a forest, speaking with a woman near a bonfire… there are a couple of other women there, but the older one, she’s important. She has answers for you.”
“Who is she?”
“I don’t know. I just hear one word… Foreshadow.”
Uriah’s brows rose. “The Foreshadowers.”
Izzy bit her bottom lip. “Maybe. Who are they?”
“Circe Witches.” His lips tipped at the corners. “That’s the language of the spell you were chanting.”
Her brows furrowed. “I wish I knew more about your history. I feel lost almost daily.”
“You have lots of time to learn all about it… Immortality gives a whole new meaning to forever.”
She smiled. “It sure does. So, do you know where to find these witches?”
“Last place they were seen was in the oak forest of the Light lands.”
“Well, I would say that’s where you need to head then.”
“All right, let’s get you back to the castle first. Your teeth are starting to chatter.”
Izzy held on tight to Uriah as his wings pumped against the air, and he found himself in the skies high above the light lands. The wind was frigid against her skin and caused her to bury her face against him. When they landed, he kissed her forehead and smiled down at her.
“Thank you.”
She shook her head. “Don’t mention it… I love you, Uriah, and I would do anything for all of you. That’s how family works.” Pulling him into her arms again, she hugged him tightly. “Now go find the answers you seek.”
Izzy watched Uriah take flight. Something had been freed inside of him… she just hoped the answers he needed would be close and comforting. Large, thermal-covered arms wrapped around her waist and pulled her back against the hard body they belonged to.
“Why are you watching him like that?” Bain questioned softly.
She smiled and turned to look into Bain’s beautiful, violet eyes. “Because he’s almost healed.”
Bain smiled at her before slanting his lips over hers to kiss her deeply. When he finally pulled back, she was thankful he held her so tightly. He still made her weak kneed.
“Thank you for helping him, my sweet, sweet Izzy.”
She shook her head and smiled. “I’m glad I could.”
“I never doubted you would figure it out… Was it as bad as you thought?”
She bit her lip before answering. “I don’t think his wings had healed at all.”
Bain growled. “I wish he had come to us.”
Izzy shrugged. “We all deal in our own ways… Uriah has demons. He’s off to find some answers.”
Bain smiled. “Thanks to you… You know, I don’t know how I would survive without you. I love you, Iz.”
“I love you too.” She cupped his cheek. “How’s my boy today?”
He shrugged. “I’m better now.” He laced their fingers and pulled her towards the castle entrance. “Kyra has been asking for you.”
“How’s she doing?”
The poor child had been slapped with loss after loss. Her grandma was gone, supposedly somewhere in the Dark lands licking her wounds, her aunt had died in the battle for the Light, and she had lost her mother to the freeze. She didn’t understand why everyone was lost to her and thus had clung tightly to Izzy and her aunts, Kat and Holly.
Bain sighed. “She’s a strong kid. She wants to have a tea party… Kale and I aren’t quite the guests she was hoping for.”
Izzy laughed. She had been the one to buy Kyra the tea set and the dress-up trunk to go with it. She loved the large, embellished hats and had forced them upon all the brothers at one point. But she had a special place for her daddy and her uncle Kale, who were both good sports, but drew the line at dresses and makeup.
“Well, I think a tea party sounds perfect.”
Bain nodded. “When you’re finished with the party, you’re all mine.” He growled softly, leaning over to kiss her neck.
A deep shiver ran down Izzy’s spine. This one had nothing to do with the snow blanketing the world beyond the stone walls of the castle.
Chapter Two
Cree watched his brothers through the window of his office. It was really his room now. It had been seven months. The snow still covered the world, and the loss of Rowan was still a constant pain in his heart. He had tried everything. Searched every text and sought every kind of magic he could to get to her back. There were no answers. Still, his heart couldn’t let her go. He was a crap leader at this point. Their people were suffering, and he couldn’t find the strength to help them. He didn’t turn as Bain knocked on the door and let himself in.
“Any word from the sisters?” Bain asked as he made his way to the fireplace that warmed the room.
Cree shook his head. “We’ve been cut off.”
It was the only reason Cree could see as to why the sisters had stopped making their way to the Middle World. They had lost Jelena in the same fight that took Rowan from him. They’d all become complacent in the rules that formed the relationship the two domains and, as always, love had blurred and distorted their place in each other’s worlds.
“Can they do that?” Bain asked.
Cree finally turned to look at his brother in arms, who hurt him to even glance at. He saw Rowan in Bain… His Rowan had been softer and petite compared to the hulking mass that was her brother, but they had mannerisms that were too similar and the eyes, the eyes were too fucking close for it not to hurt.
“They can do whatever they want… At this point, their blood is for healing us. We have you for that and you have Izzy.”
Bain shifted his eyes from Cree. “But there will be another generation of warriors. Kyra is the next generation and hopefully, she won’t be the last.”
Cree had once hoped to contribute to that generation of warriors. He and Rowan had talked about having children… just another part of the future he’d wanted that had been stolen from the both of them.
Cree nodded. “Ha
s Izzy seen or heard from Makyle?”
“No,” Bain admitted. “Thankfully, her Fae blood has taken root and she is fully immortal now.”
“Then for right now, we have more pressing matters to deal with. We’ll save the Immortals for later.”
“Fine, what issues do we need to deal with right now?”
Cree sighed. “We need to split the lands and do a sweep… see how our people are faring.”
“I’ll get Kale and Lothar. We can handle it.”
Cree nodded. “Uriah won’t be of much help for a while.”
Bain arched a brow. “What do you know?”
Cree shrugged. “I know Izzy was on to something, but the answers that Uriah will receive won’t please him.”
“Nice to see you haven’t lost your overwhelmingly helpful ability to be cryptic.”
Cree actually smirked; it was the closest thing to a smile that Bain had seen in months. “Some things can never be changed… ultimately, we are who we are.”
Bain scoffed and headed for the door. “We’ll get out there and report back as soon as we know anything.”
“Sure, sounds good…” Cree hesitated for a second before continuing. “Check the borders too.”
Bain sighed. “Same rules still apply to any Dark on our lands?”
Cree dipped his chin.
Bain didn’t argue. Cree had implemented a no-tolerance law. Any Dark Fae found on the Light lands were either killed on sight or imprisoned; it all depended on how they handled being caught. It wasn’t the way Rowan would have handled the trespassing but, for right now, the Light didn’t have the means to deal with the Dark. Their people were suffering enough without the Dark trying to take more from them. It was a wonder that a full-on war hadn’t yet broken out. It was coming—there was no doubt in Bain’s mind about that. They would pay for the pain they had caused. The only thing Bain wasn’t sure about was what that meant for his own mother.
“What up, big brother?” Holly asked as she struggled to catch up and keep pace with him.
Shaking his head and slowing his pace, he smiled at her. “Headed out to check on the lands. Where’s Lothar?”
“He and Kale are in the hole, drinking to what we witnessed this morning.”
Bain arched a brow. “You saw Izzy heal Uriah?”
She nodded and laughed lightly. “Yeah, we all did… Did you know she was a caster too?”
Bain blew out a deep breath. “I learn something new each day about her. She has permanent control over mine and all the brothers’ powers. If she has continued contact with you, she will be able to flash and maybe even grow fangs.”
“Well, that just wouldn’t be acceptable. Now would it?” she asked with a hint of sarcasm shadowing her tone.
Bain grinned and couldn’t help the answer that flowed from his full lips. “It all depends on what she would use the fangs for… I don’t mind a little pain.”
Holly made a disgusted noise. “Eww. You’re such a pig.”
Bain let out a hearty laugh before becoming serious once more. “Just lightening the mood. She’s just… more powerful than I could have ever imagined.”
A shiver ran down Holly’s spine. “So, in other words, we all need to stay on her good side, because she can kick all our asses?”
Bain snorted. “Yeah, pretty much… but as far as I know, she hasn’t had contact with any casters… so I am guessing that whatever Reaper is part of her bloodline was part caster as well.”
Holly shook her head. “Well, she’s an impressive addition to our fight.”
Bain furrowed his brows. “She’s family, Holly. And hopefully, one day, she will be my wife.”
Holly smiled wide at him, her little fangs peeking past her lip. “I know that, Bain, and if you had any sense in that pretty, thick head of yours, you would make the husband and wife part legit, before she gets tired of your ass.”
Bain growled playfully. “You know you’re not funny, right?”
Holly laughed. “I happen to think I’m quite funny.”
“I bet you do, kid.”
Pushing through the door, Bain found Kale and Lothar at the billiards table.
Lothar lifted his head from the table to see Holly enter the room with Bain. He felt his lips stretch at the mere sight of her. “What are you two up to?” he asked as Kale sank the eight ball, effectively ending their game.
“She’s busy harassing me.” Bain tilted his head towards Holly, who smiled brightly. “And I’m here to get the two of you.”
Kale put his cue down and leaned against the table. “What’s up?”
Bain shrugged. “Cree wants us to do a sweep.”
Lothar nodded. They all understood the reality of the situation… Uriah had been only slightly helpful lately and Cree, aside from the occasional order and the time he spent doling out punishments, had pretty much checked out.
“All right… same pattern as last time?” Kale asked.
Bain nodded. “Yep.”
Holly cleared her throat. “You know I could help out?”
Bain smiled. “We know that, Hols. But for right now, these people are used to seeing us. They don’t know you well enough to trust you like they trust us.”
“And they never will if you don’t start letting me help out.”
“Hols, can we not fight about this right now? Things are complicated, and it’s a tricky balance we’re maintaining.”
She sighed. “I know; I just want to be treated as an equal… I’m trying here, Bain.”
Holly felt guilty… she had run and lied, or had others lie for her, and now she just wanted to be a part of the Light world again. The warriors were down to three, and they were running themselves ragged. She hated seeing the wear on their faces.
Lothar pulled her to his side, her slight pout doing him in as it always did. “You can come with me. And you know as far as we are concerned, you are an equal.”
****
Uriah soared over the forest and lakes. He reveled in the feel of the cool air ruffling through his feathers. Landing in the dipping valley of the southernmost mountains, he regretfully pulled his wings in and pushed the hood of his down coat back. Closing his eyes, Uriah let his senses take over and sought the magic of the Circe. A smile stretched his lips as he found the traces of the magic he’d tasted only hours ago as Izzy healed him. Uriah took a deep breath of the cool air before he stepped through the line of trees. He started his trek through the thick forest to find the Foreshadowers and some answers to what was happening.
The snowpack began to lesson and before Uriah knew it, he had stepped into the one part of Middle World that hadn’t been subjected to the freeze. Green grass bent beneath the deep tread of his boots and flowers bloomed… Magic had protected this area.
“You’re late,” a frail voice murmured as three women appeared in front of him. “But late is better than never.”
“The Foreshadowers.” Uriah tilted his head and studied the elderly women before him.
All were in cloaks that showed their faces enough that he saw nothing more than wrinkled chins and thinned lips.
“That is what some call us. Come, come, young Uriah. It’s time you get back on your path,” the middle witch said as she turned and gestured for him to follow.
“My path?” he questioned.
“To love and have something to fight for,” one of the others said as she turned and followed the first woman.
“Do you know how to find Jelena?”
“Come, we have much to discuss,” the last one said as she too turned and walked away from him.
With another deep breath of much warmer air, Uriah followed the women into a thicket of trees.
Chapter Three
Uriah sat across from the three women. He was still unable to see their faces, which made the situation even more unnerving. They’d said there was much to discuss, but had only spoken to each other in a language he had no hope of understanding.
Clearing his throat, he finally spo
ke. “Do you know something about Jelena? Or about my brothers?”
“We do,” the original woman said. She had taken the middle seat across from him, and Uriah guessed she was the leader of the three. “Your history is complicated.”
He sighed. “Are we cursed?”
The corner of the woman’s lips tipped up. “You’re the smart one.”
Uriah’s eyes narrowed. “I’d say my brothers are of equal intelligence… Only we’d never been given reason to question something as outrageous as a curse.”
“You stand up for your brothers…” the middle woman noted before she looked to the other two. “He is the gentleman warrior; he is the balance of his brothers. While Lothar is the responsible one and Kale is the impulsive one, Uriah falls between the two.”
“It all makes sense now.” The woman on the right nodded.
“It’s a sad place for him,” the cloaked woman on the left said, shaking her head.
“Stop,” Uriah demanded. “Stop talking like I am not here.”
The two flanking the middle woman dipped their chins and fell silent.
“Why is it a sad a place for me?”
The middle woman’s lips flattened into a straight line before she spoke. “Because the curse worked differently for your brothers than it did for you.”
Uriah pulled in a deep breath. Fuck, they really were cursed. Izzy was on to something. “What curse?”
“The one that says the sons of Freya’s line will always lose their loves.”
Uriah shook his head. “Who would curse my mother?”
The middle woman shook her head in what appeared to be irritated disgust. “You all know nothing of your past. How have you survived so long?” She looked to the other women. “Ask them about Ekon and they can tell you all the stories of the warrior who was the beginning of the Immortal Warriors, but not a single one of them can tell you where they came from.”
The women all nodded in agreement as the middle woman turned back to him. “Do you know or even wonder where the Greek, the Norse, or the Egyptian gods all went? Do you wonder about them? What led to their fall and the rise of the Immortal Three and Four? What led to the time of the Fae?”
Immortal Rapture: Immortal Heart Page 2