by Connor Crowe
We spoke at the same time, clearly thinking the same thing. “What are you doing here?”
I paused, but my mom had something else to say. “And who are these men?”
A pang of emotion lanced through me once more. I winced. It wasn’t just me on edge this time, though. I felt the uncertainty ripple across both of my mates. Felt their concern, but their desire to let me handle this.
The only question was: would I be able to this time?
“Look...” I started when I found my voice. Try as I might, the words came out shaky. “I can explain.”
Linetta’s cold, inquisitive face fell for a moment. She looked at me first, then to my partners. Her shoulders relaxed and slumped. “Tristan,” she said again. This time her voice was soft. Almost motherly. “It’s been almost twenty years. I thought I’d never see you again.”
Ouch. That hit me right in the heart, but I wasn’t going to fall prey to her wiles this time. My memories, though faint and distant, weren’t all cozy and welcoming. She and my father had made life a living hell for me. And what came after—well, that was even worse. How could I even begin to trust her now? How could I even believe that she had missed me?
My skin burned with anger. My eyes flickered between human and shifter as I teetered on the brink. My shifter—the gryphon spirit that had kept me safe all these years—reared its head.
“Isn’t that what you wanted?” I spat the words at her like knives. “To get rid of me because it made you look bad?”
The words stung like poison, but it was nothing I didn’t mean. There was too much emotion, too much anger to temper my speech. I didn’t care.
A red flush bloomed across Linetta’s cheeks. Her perfectly painted lips opened for a moment, then closed. She wrung her hands and shook her head. “You have to understand the pressure we were under.” The words came out as barely a whisper. Her gaze didn’t leave the ground. “It was a different time then, with different rules.”
Bullshit!
Just as I was about to launch into a retort, Hugo placed a grounding hand on my shoulder and stepped to my side, his gaze no longer casual.
“If you have something to say to him, you can say it to me too.” His voice rumbled from his chest in a low, alpha growl.
“Oh? And why’s that? You his bodyguard or something?”
“I’m his mate,” Hugo said without missing a beat.
Oh, now he’d gone and done it. I was hoping to keep that particular bit of information from her—the less she knew about my personal life, the better—but now it was out in the open.
Linetta’s eyes flashed a bright yellow while she raised a groomed eyebrow. “Excuse me?” She gave Hugo a condescending smile. “His mate? How is that possible?”
“I’m his mate, too.” James came forward. He crossed his arms and snarled at her. I know he was trying to be intimidating, but with his small frame and soft face, it looked super adorable.
“If you mess with him, you mess with us.”
Cold, tinkling laughter echoed off the vaulted ceilings and glittering decor. Now she was the one crossing her arms and looking at me like I was the crazy one.
“Tristan,” she challenged, “are they telling the truth? No one has two mates. Let alone two males...” Her voice trailed off, but I caught the last few words: “...hope they’re alphas, at least.”
I was so mad I could spit fire. If I’d been a fire type like Hugo, I definitely would have. Burn her judgmental ass to a crisp. Unfortunately, this situation called for a bit more tact. Making a scene here was the exact opposite of what I wanted to do right now.
Somehow, I managed to keep my cool. I forced out the words through gritted teeth. “Maybe they are. Maybe they aren’t. It’s none of your business.”
“I am your mother!”
“You abandoned me!” The words came hot and heavy now, tears threatening to spill over my cheeks. “Or don’t you remember? You didn’t want anything to do with me. You sold me into slavery!”
Linetta gasped. She clutched her pearl necklace and looked at me like I’d slapped her across the face. “That’s a bit harsh, don’t you think?”
“Oh, and what you and dad did to me wasn’t harsh?” I couldn’t stop now, and I didn’t want to. All of the hurt, all of the trauma, flooded out of me in one big, angry storm. My skin—no, my very soul—vibrated from within. I stood on the brink of losing control—maybe I already had—but the words kept coming. “Where is he, anyway? Off kissing the Council’s ass again?”
That got her attention. She balled her hands into fists. A draft poured down the hallway and rustled the curtains, our clothes, our hair. I could have sworn I heard thunder rumbling, somewhere out in the distance. “How dare you!” She took a step forward, but faltered. “You don’t know anything about us! You weren’t even here!”
“Yeah, and who’s fault was that?” I shot back. “I was trapped in an omega trafficking ring thanks to you!”
There it was. The truth was out. I’d often wondered if she knew what she was getting herself (and me) into, all those years ago. Now, I was about to find out.
My mother stopped dead in her tracks, all the fight fleeing from her face. For a moment, she actually looked concerned. “A...what?”
She really didn’t know?
That changed everything. Didn’t make what she did any better, but...
“What are you talking about, Tristan? The man we spoke to told us he ran a boarding school for wayward youth. That he would oversee your education and training. When you didn’t come back...” She shrugged. “We thought maybe you were mad at us. Didn’t want to come back.”
I narrowed my eyes, fighting through the waves of emotion. I couldn’t tell if she was telling the truth or not. Maybe this was all another elaborately constructed lie. How could she not have known? How could she not have heard?
My face crumpled. For years I had wondered if my own parents knowingly sold me to the Black Hands. Not that it would have mattered much, either way. But with this new information, there was a chance that their intentions hadn’t been so sinister after all.
“You...you really didn’t know?” My voice broke this time. There was no stopping it.
“What happened to you?” Her voice was nearly a whisper. “I admit, we weren’t the best parents. But we never would have...” She shook her head. “I can’t believe it.”
I grimaced. “Believe it.” I glanced over at James. “It was only because of this one, and his clan, that I ever got free at all.”
James blushed. Linetta looked from me to him, trying to put the pieces together, and then...
“Wait.” She fixed me with a hard glare, no longer uncertain. “You mean they’re not...” Linetta stumbled over the words. “Like us.” Her eyes lit up with fear and she threw a look over her shoulder, as if afraid someone was watching. “If anyone finds out...”
“They won’t,” Hugo interrupted. He drew himself up to his full height, looking every bit the menacing alpha. “Will they?”
Her lip curled into a sneer. She opened her mouth to say something, then clamped her lips shut. She huffed out a breath through her nose. “We don’t take well to threats around here.” Linetta hissed at last. “You’d do well to remember that.”
“Nor do we.” Hugo and James said in unison. Once again, they proved that I’d made the right decision. They had my back, no matter what.
We stood there in a tense standoff for several moments, each of us daring the other to act. I knew we’d have to have this confrontation eventually, but this had to be the worst timing ever. It hadn’t escaped me that we’d totally lost our quarry, and possibly our chance to retrieve the Key. If we stayed here much longer, we’d arouse suspicion and blow the whole operation. And that was if my dear mother decided to keep quiet.
“Go,” I whispered to my mates. “You know what you have to do. I’ll handle this.”
James crossed his arms and stood his ground. So did Hugo. “I’m not going anywhere,” James
said. “We’re in this together now.”
“Agreed,” added Hugo. “We know you’d do the same for us.”
As much as I wanted to stay and hash things out alone, I couldn’t help but feel buoyed by their support. Real support. A smile crept across my face. A warmth blossomed in my heart. For the first time in my life, I had friends. I had family. I had love. Real love.
And that was worth fighting for.
“I know you’re upset,” Linetta whispered at last. This time, her eyes glistened with tears. “But things have changed. There’s something you need to know.”
“And what’s that?” I challenged, still on edge. Still ready to fight.
“Your father.” She met my gaze full on for the first time all night. “He’s dead.”
That stopped me in my tracks. The weight of it hit me full in the heart, sending my gryphon screeching in pain. He had never been much of a father to me, had never been a bright spot in my life, but still.
“Dead?” I croaked. I had always thought I’d get to see him again one day. Maybe when things were more peaceful. Maybe once I’d put my demons behind me. But now, I couldn’t. And I never would be able to again. “What happened?”
Linetta wrung her hands. She paced back and forth. Finally, she stopped in front of me and my men. “It’s better if I show you. Follow me.”
Without another word, she turned on her six-inch heels and walked in the other direction and around the corner. The same direction our targets had gone.
“You sure about this?” Hugo asked me. “Could be a trap. I don’t trust her.”
“I don’t either, but there’s something...weird going on here.” That was the best way I could put it. “You feel it too, don’t you?”
Hugo frowned. He clenched and unclenched his fists. “Yeah. It’s been getting stronger ever since we got here.”
“You think it has to do with the Key’s energy?” James asked.
“I think we’re about to find out.” I took in a deep breath, steeled myself, and followed my mother into the unknown.
18
James
Linetta led the way down the twisting hallways. The windows and mirrors placed here and there made it even easier to get lost. Even though I still didn’t trust her, I was glad we had her leading us. I wouldn’t want to make a quick escape out of this maze, that was for sure.
And maybe that’s just what she wanted.
The air hung tense and silent, punctuated only by our footsteps on the polished tile floors. Each step we took farther from the Gala and the crowds was one step away from anyone that could help us. If she decided to turn, it would be up to Hugo and I to keep our mate safe.
I just hoped I could uphold my end of the bargain.
I’d never been much of a fighter, not even in Nox Bay. I preferred healing and herbs instead of warfare. It worked nicely in tandem with the soldiers, though. When they got scraped up, they had someone to come to. We all worked together as a team. As a pack.
And we would do the same thing here, if necessary.
Also in the air was the unstable, crackling energy of a shift barely suppressed. I couldn’t tell if it was Hugo, Tristan, or someone else altogether, but one wrong move and there would be an animal on the loose.
I took a step closer to my mates. I couldn’t do much, but I could be there for them. That was all I could do right now.
We came to a dead end much like the one we’d seen before. No windows. No doors. Just a blank wall. She had us cornered.
Or so we thought.
Linetta stepped past the three of us and placed her hands on the wall, palms down. She looked over her shoulder at us. “What I’m about to show you is top secret, do you understand?”
I gulped. Nodded my head.
“This doesn’t leave this room. Or this city.” Her voice was deadly serious now. “Swear it.”
Yep. She was definitely going to kill us.
“Why do you trust us?” Hugo spoke up. “Just a moment ago, you were threatening my mate. Now you want to let us in on some big secret?” He crossed his arms. “It doesn’t make sense. What’s your motive here?”
Linetta turned from the wall and faced Tristan. She looked almost...amused. “Your mate’s a smart one. I’ll give him that.”
“I must say my emotions upon meeting my estranged son were...complicated. Especially after losing Daniel.” I couldn’t say for sure, but she just about teared up.
After a moment, she regained her composure and continued. “It is why Daniel died that makes this all the more important. It will all become clear soon. That I promise you.”
I glanced across the hall at Tristan and Hugo. They looked just as confused as I did, and Hugo still held his battle stance.
“It better,” Hugo growled through gritted teeth. “Or you’re going to have a very bad day.”
Linetta coughed out a mirthless, high-pitched laugh. “What did I say about threats? I could just leave you here, you know. Turn you over to the authorities. I don’t have to help you. But something tells me we’re looking for the same thing here.”
Damn, she was good. She had us right where she wanted us, and for now we were at her mercy.
Typical Ataraxian.
I huddled with my mates, trying to feel out their opinions on the situation. Hugo was all fire, ready to fight if the slightest thing went wrong. Tristan was all over the place, and I couldn’t blame him—he had more to lose than all of us. Not to mention he was probably still in shock. That left me to be the rational one.
“You okay?” I whispered under my breath.
“Yeah,” Tristan said with a sigh.
It took Hugo a bit longer, but he nodded. “Let’s do it.”
We turned back to Tristan’s mother, this time as a unit.
“We swear not to say anything.” I said, raising my hand in a gesture from my people. I realized too late that she might not understand it.
Thankfully, she didn’t say anything.
“Now, let us carry on before someone sees us.”
Linetta nodded, her lips pressed into a tight line. “Very well.” Her voice dropped to a barely audible level. “Daniel was working on a secret research project. When the Council found out,” she sighed. “They didn’t like it. That’s putting it mildly.”
A sick, gnawing sensation churned in my gut. I didn’t like where this was going...
“What was he studying?” Tristan asked. “And why didn’t I ever know about any of this?”
“Because what you’re about to see could very well change the world.” Linetta pressed a hand against the wall once more, deft fingers reaching. She dug out a small key on a chain from the depths of her dress and pressed it into a barely noticeable indentation.
A keyhole.
The door hissed. Machinery clacked and cranked behind the scenes. The wall opened up around us, yawning into a huge interior chamber.
Marble floor-to-ceiling. Plush red carpeting. Flickering candles in sconces every few feet toward the center of the room, where a large pedestal stood.
A pedestal that was empty.
Linetta let out a wail and swayed on her feet, clinging to the wall for support. “No,” she whispered to herself over and over. “No, it was supposed to be here. It was supposed to be here. If they took it...”
“What?” The three of us asked in unison, though I had a sick feeling I already knew what it was.
Linetta’s eyes went wide, her voice quivering.
“The Wings of the Wind.”
The realization hit me like a truck, and I could only imagine how Tristan must have been feeling. Linetta ushered us into the room and closed the door behind us, her face still frozen into a mask of terror.
The hydraulic hissing of the door sealing us in felt awfully final.
“This is bad,” Linetta started, wringing her hands. “This is really bad.”
“No shit,” Hugo snapped. “I can’t believe you knew about it all this time. What did you do to it?”
“What, me?” Linetta threw her hands up. “I didn’t do anything!”
“Quiet.” Tristan’s voice echoed over all of us. He stepped forward, face firm, voice commanding. “Mother. Is it true?”
She let out a long, shaky breath and wiped her face. “Yes. Your father was part of a secret team responsible for researching the Keys. It’s how our city remained so prosperous for so long. How else would a floating city, cut off from the rest of the world, become one of the greatest empires ever known?”
“Stop right there,” Tristan interrupted. “You knew about the Keys, all this time.”
Her face fell. “Yes.”
“And father...he was working on them.”
“Yes.”
“And he was killed for it.”
Linetta’s face crumpled. She stared at the ground. “Yes.”
Tristan cursed. He scrubbed a hand through his hair and across his face. He was shaking too, his hands vibrating just with the rest of him. Ready to flee. Ready to shift.
“There’s something you should know about the other Keys, then.” Tristan said at last.
Linetta gasped. “It’s true? There are others?”
Tristan gulped. “Were. Things down on the surface have been volatile. We’ve lost three of the four Keys. The last one...it was up here the whole time.” He shook his head. “Should have known.”
The room stretched into silence. There was too much to take in. Too much to understand. This had been our last chance, our last hope. And to think that this Key might be lost, as well...
“Wait,” I piped up. “I remember something.”
“What?”
“Remember back at the Gala, we overheard that couple talking about a relic auction. We were trying to follow them, but we lost their trail. And that’s when we ran into you.” I gestured at Tristan’s mother. “Do you think someone stole it?”
Linetta gasped. She shook her head. “I never thought they’d stoop so low...” Her gaze snapped back to me. “Did they say anything else? Where they were going?”
