With the release of a deep breath, Cree rolled to his side and stared out into the vast darkness that covered the light lands. He had to try and get some sleep.
****
Hours later, Cree woke with a start. Visions weren’t easy to distinguish from dreams, but he knew this was no dream. Rolling out of bed, he watched as the sun began to peak over the horizon. He yanked on a pair of pants and pulled a long-sleeved thermal over his head. He tied his hair back and shoved his feet into his boots. Once tied, he reached for his sword and exited his room.
Jogging down the hall, he began pounding on the warrior’s doors, one by one, and telling them to get their asses to the front courtyard. He narrowed his eyes as Makyle’s door swung open.
“What happened?” Makyle questioned, pulling a dark shirt over his head.
“Nothing for you to worry about,” Cree said, stopping at his door and locking his hard gaze with Makyle’s.
“Are you trying to intimidate me?” he asked sardonically.
“Do you feel intimidated?” Cree countered.
“No, I never feel intimidated, and I have more power in my one hand then the lot of you combined. I should be out there.”
“What you need to do is get back in that room and wait for my return.”
Makyle stared at him briefly, then stepped out into the hall.
“Get back in that room. Now!” Cree ordered with a curled lip.
Makyle chuckled as he closed the door, leaving Samira in the room. “My brothers are here.”
Cree dipped his chin. “They will be soon. And until I see fit to come get you, you will remain hidden in this castle.”
“Is that so?” Makyle asked with an arched brow. “I don’t do well with orders, Cree.”
Cree smirked, but the twist of his lips didn’t speak of humor. “I am more than aware of that, Makyle, but the fact is, they have no way of knowing for sure that you are here, so you will stay in the shadows while my warriors and I deal with them. If we need you, someone will come for you. Before you argue, I will remind you that this is my domain you are in, and it’s my rules that govern this castle. So get back in your room and wait.”
The door creaked open, and Samira stepped out to grasp Makyle’s wrist. “Please, Makyle, do as he asks. Let’s just see what they want before you go out there and piss them off.”
Makyle tilted his head as he turned to look at her. “What makes you think my first intention would be to piss them off?”
She shook her head and pulled him back into the room. “Because I know you.” From the doorway, she smiled. “I got this, Cree. Go.”
Makyle’s brow remained arched as Samira closed the door. “You got this, do you?”
“Yes, I do. You are going to, for probably the first time in your life, do what is asked of you.”
Makyle just stared at her.
“Don’t look at me like that. There is more to all of this than just your brothers.”
“Kadar,” he stated with understanding. “I’m not going to abandon you to him.”
“Well, if you go out there half-cocked with attitude, you will piss them off.”
Makyle’s hands rose in defeat. “You’re right. However, I plan to be prepared for the chance that I need to go deal with them.”
Samira nodded and slid her feet into her shoes. “Then let’s be ready.”
“I didn’t say you should be ready.”
She shrugged. “Someone has to be there to reign in your arrogance.”
Makyle sighed but didn’t bother arguing.
****
“Look alive, gentlemen,” Cree called out, as they all stood in the courtyard, flanking him.
Holly and Izzy both cleared their throats. Cree shot a quick apologetic smile at the two.
Lothar shook his head, and Bain chuckled.
“You stay quiet and calm. You got it, Iz?” Bain warned.
Izzy rolled her eyes. “I’m not stupid, Bain. I have no desire to challenge three gods right now.”
“Demi-gods,” Kale whispered.
“Semantics, brother,” Uriah muttered. “We need to try and settle this without a fight.”
“Focus,” Lothar interjected.
Josiah, Zarek and Alistair landed hard against the cobblestone ground, the land shaking from the impact.
“You were expecting us,” Zarek noted, as he straightened his back, his harsh amber eyes scrutinizing their surroundings.
Cree dipped his chin. “And just like last time you appeared in our domain, you are not welcome.”
Zarek nodded. “In fact, I do understand your hatred towards me. I get that the loss of your wife broke your soul. Had the rules been followed and the relationship between the Immortal Three and the Fae not been blurred, she’d still be standing here with you. It’s time for you all to take some responsibility in the path your lives have taken.”
“Get to the point,” Cree said tersely.
“Some of you made an unpermitted visit to our domain to retrieve Makyle.” Zarek's gaze landed on Izzy. “You were, no doubt, one of them. His pet.”
Bain let out a lethal growl, causing Izzy to squeeze his arm to draw his attention to her. “It’s okay, Bain,” she whispered.
“Zarek,” Alistair warned. “Get back on track.”
“You brought back one of our souls. We want him returned.”
Cree crossed his arms over his chest. “Is that so?”
“Yes.” Josiah stepped forward. “You have three days to return him. If you do, we will leave Makyle and the child alone.”
“And if we can’t find him?” Uriah asked.
Zarek smiled. “Then we’ll be back to take both Makyle and the child. We offered you a deal, and you agreed. And then you interfered.”
“You offered Makyle a deal; we had nothing to do with it,” Izzy shot out. “You should be ashamed of what you did to your own brother.”
Alistair smiled. “This must be what he loves so much about you. You’re fearless, and it is misplaced. You should be scared right now.”
“Don’t threaten her,” Bain warned fiercely.
“Quiet,” Zarek stepped in, his pointed gaze locking on Uriah. “Your warrior was well aware of the deal. Did he hide it from you?”
Uriah narrowed his gaze back on Zarek. “He didn’t tell me that you were going to torture him. I wouldn’t have allowed him to leave with you, had I known.”
Josiah shook his head. “They must know a much different side of Makyle than we do… no one tells him what he can and cannot do. This situation is a prime example of that.”
Alistair nodded in agreement. “Regardless, we want Kadar. We’ll be back in three days to collect him.”
“Just to be clear, if we give you Kadar, you will leave Makyle and Makiah to their freedom?” Lothar questioned.
“There is need of a conversation with our brother, but yes. As long as you harness the child, we have no reason to return for him… for now,” Josiah answered before the three Rulers disappeared.
Holly scoffed. “Assholes.”
Izzy looked to her. “Right?”
Kale‘s dark gaze drifted to Cree. “What’s the plan?”
Cree looked to the rising sun. “You and Uriah head to Evan’s compound. Check on Kat, Marie, and Makiah, and meet us back here in two hours.”
Kale and Uriah both nodded and wasted little time taking off.
“Don’t we need them?” Holly asked.
Cree nodded. “Of course we do, but we need a plan, and the five of us, with Makyle and Samira’s help, can make that plan while they go see the people they are fighting for.”
“Perhaps I can try and get to Samira’s memories. If we can figure out where the lamp is, we’ll know where Kadar is headed,” Lothar offered.
“Maybe Iz can help with that,” Bain suggested.
She nodded. “Samira and I may be able to figure out a spell or something.”
“It’s worth a try,” Cree agreed. “You two get Samira and send Maky
le to my office. Bain, Holly and I will start working on a contingency plan.”
Izzy grinned. “Are you telling me we’ll find them in the same room right now?”
Cree returned her grin. “They were when we headed out here.”
Chapter Fifteen
Izzy grinned as her knuckles rapped against Makyle’s door. The smile stretched even further when he answered it with Samira standing just behind him.
“Isabelle.” His voice held a warning tone, but the smile that twitched at his lips had her head shaking. “Do I want to know what you said to Alistair?”
“You were spying on us,” she accused.
“I was watching. You said something that caused waves.”
“The real question should be do you want to know what he said to her,” Lothar said, crossing his arms over his chest.
Makyle sighed. “I am guessing by that stance that it was unkind in some way.”
Lothar arched a brow. “I always thought Zarek was the… unkind one.”
“Zarek is the unyielding, surly one. Alistair is the curt one, though he is a bit more reasonable.”
“So where does that leave Josiah?” Izzy asked.
“Somewhere between the two of them. Now what did Alistair do?” His diamond gaze bored into her.
Izzy waved off the question. “The point is what they offered us.”
“What was that?” Samira asked.
Izzy smiled. “We have three days to find Kadar.” She looked back to Makyle. “If we can return him to them, they won’t come for Makiah again. And while they say a conversation is needed with you, they have agreed to call it even.”
Makyle smirked. “A conversation.”
Lothar nodded. “That’s what they said. Now Cree needs you, Makyle. And Izzy and I need your help, Samira.”
“Of course.”
Makyle looked back at her. Samira smiled softly and nodded. “I’ll see you later.”
“All right.” He looked back to Izzy. “Walk with me for a second?”
“Sure.” She looked to Lothar. “I’ll meet you two in Rowan’s study.”
Izzy and Makyle walked in silence until they were out of earshot. “What did Alistair say?”
Izzy laughed. “Your brothers are assholes.”
Makyle shrugged. “They aren’t used to not getting their way. What did he say?”
She sighed. “Does it really matter?”
“It does to me, Isabelle.” He gave her a sidelong glance with those piercing, diamond eyes of his.
“He said something about me being fearless, and that it was misplaced… that I should be scared right now.”
Makyle nodded. “He’s not wrong.”
She was taken aback by that. Stopping, she stood and stared at him.
Makyle stopped and turned to look at her. “This isn’t something you should take lightly. Because of your magic, you and the warriors were able to break into their domain, and not only did you get me out, you also allowed a dangerous Fae—we have history with—to escape.”
Izzy scoffed. “Wow.” She started to turn, but Makyle caught her arm.
“Don’t,” he said firmly. “I am very thankful to be out of there, but I worry about the risks you are willing to take.”
She sighed and fought against the lump forming in her throat. It was much the same conversation she’d had with Bain. “You sound like Bain.”
Makyle’s lip curved with amusement. . “Now, there is no need to insult me.”
She laughed softly. “Am I really that different?”
Makyle nodded. “Absolutely. But the thing is, at your core, you are the same woman you were when I met you that first night—the woman who was willing to sacrifice what she wanted for the people she loved. However, now you have all this power that is fueling who you are. You need to be careful, because no matter how much you hate and believe my brothers to be assholes, they can hurt you, and there is little you or anyone aside from myself can do to stop them.”
Izzy chewed on her bottom lip, but gave a small nod.
“That being said, you know you are one of my very favorite Fae, and I would do anything to keep you safe.”
She swiped at a traitorous tear that started to run down her cheek.
“Why are you crying?”
“Because I hear you, and I know you’re right, but I still wouldn’t have done a damn thing differently. They fucking crucified you. They’re assholes, and they called me your pet.” She had a petulant tone as she finished.
Makyle chuckled and wrapped her in his arms. “I’m not asking you to change; I’m just asking you to be careful. And you are far from my pet—you’re my baby Fae.”
She squeezed him a little tighter and held on for a bit longer. When she finally pulled back, she smiled. “All right, you get to Cree. I’m gonna go help find a way to save you and your girlfriend.”
Makyle cocked his head. “Girlfriend?”
Izzy shrugged. “She doesn’t strike me as the booty call kind of girl.” She patted his chest and walked away.
****
“This room is amazing… there is so much information just waiting to be devoured,” Samira said, as she settled into an overstuffed chair with a large, magical tome.
Lothar smiled as he plucked a book from the shelf. “Rowan loved this room; it was her sanctuary.”
“So, we need a spell to…” she furrowed her brow, “…do what, exactly?”
“Well, we’re hoping to find a way to let me into your memories. To see if we can find where the spell you cast on the lamp returns it to.”
Samira shook her head. “I never knew where it went. He never let me see where he kept it. The only time I saw the lamp was when he pulled me from it, and he kept it on him while I was out.”
Lothar dipped his chin. “That may be true, but there is only so much that the conscious mind catches, and, as is often said, time changes memories.”
“You think I’m blocking my time with Kadar.”
Lothar shook his head. “Not purposely.”
Samira laughed. “Well, you would have been right. I don’t want to remember a damn thing from my time with him. But I will let you poke around all you want… if you think it will help us find him now.”
Lothar smiled. Regardless as to how okay she was with him “poking around” in her mind, he could sense her reservation. “You know, Izzy can probably do it instead of me, if that would make you more comfortable.”
She smiled. “I imagine feeling everything from everybody has made you quite adept at keeping others’ secrets. I don’t really want Izzy or any of them to witness my humiliation. I think you’re perfect for this job.”
Lothar dipped his chin in sympathy. “Your secrets are safe.”
“Thanks. And no judgment, right? What you see won’t be favorable. I was headed to mid-level Hell, so… yeah.”
“No judgment. I’ve never judged anyone on what I’ve learned from his or her emotions. I won’t start with you.”
“Thanks… okay, let’s get down to work, then. What kind of spell do you think we need?”
“Something like the linking spell you and Izzy did, with a little twist to it.”
Samira smiled. “Well, that’s easy enough.”
Izzy joined them, taking a seat next to Lothar on the settee. “Remember, the spell doesn’t last long, so make sure you both are ready to dive in once you cast it.”
Samira let out a deep breath. “Right. It’s only good for a few hours.”
“Exactly,” Izzy confirmed. “So, if you two have that covered, I can work on severing the rest of the bond between you and Makyle.” She smiled at Samira and winked. “Unless you want to be able to check up on him?”
Samira laughed lightly and shook her head. “I don’t think so.”
Izzy’s brows furrowed. “No?”
Samira shrugged. She glanced at Lothar with a smile. “People deserve privacy, and as frustratingly impossible as Makyle can be, I don’t want to intrude on him. Beside
s, it isn’t just where he’s at—I felt it all. Secrets are hard to keep, and whatever his are, I don’t want to know them unless he feels like telling me. So yes, find some way to sever the link.”
“So it’s like you’re Makyle’s own, personal empath?”
“Yes; just like last night, I felt what he was feeling when he saw you in the Underworld… he loves you to a degree that most will never understand.”
Izzy smiled. “You know he calls me his baby Fae, right? I’m like his daughter.”
Samira laughed. “Yes, I know. That wasn’t jealousy speaking. Just saying I know things that are his alone to know. So, I would like the link severed.”
“Okay, you got it,” Izzy said as she moved to the desk and flipped open the book of Circe magic she’d been studying.
****
Kat sat with Makiah in her lap. He was busy chewing on his fist while she and Marie watched.
“There is drool everywhere,” Marie chuckled as she grabbed a soft towel and wiped at his face. He squealed and grabbed at it.
Kat smiled, but the sadness that had taken residence on her pretty face wasn’t well hidden.
“You okay, Kat?”
Kat sighed. “I’m trying to be, but every time he leaves me behind, I do nothing but worry. He’s impulsive.”
Marie grinned. “He’s also kickass… I worry about Uriah, too, but I’ve seen him in action, and I have faith that together, he and all the warriors will be fine.”
“You’re probably right. I just wish he understood that I can handle what we are faced with… I may not be like your sister, but I can handle my own. He seems to forget that I was part of the group that broke into the Dark Castle and got all Darion’s slaves out.”
“Have you reminded him of that?” Marie asked, reaching for Makiah as he started to fuss.
“I try, but he worries about me like I worry about him. I suppose it’s part of the “true mate” thing.”
Marie smiled and stood to grab a bottle for Makiah. “You can tell me to mind my own business, and really, I won’t be offended because I don’t know you that well, but it seems to me that there is something you aren’t saying.”
Kat nodded. “You’d be right.”
Immortal Awakening: Immortal Heart Page 7
