by Leia Shaw
“How the hell did you get out, Houdini?” he asked, his eyes wide and eager.
“It’s a long story. And I’ll tell you someday. But right now, I need your help.”
Dalton wasn’t one to give up control easily. Would he help her or hinder her? His brows drew together. “Whatever it is, we do it together. I’m not letting you out there alone again.”
Of course it wouldn’t be easy. “I have a plan to take down the prison. And I have someone working on the inside, but I don’t have a lot of time for explanations. You have to trust me, Dalton.”
He started shaking his head.
“This is big. This could be the end of Marwolaeth Du. Don’t be an obstacle.” She gave him a stern look. “I’ve been in there for weeks. Who else has ever escaped from there?”
“Nobody,” he murmured.
“Right. What I’m about to do is nothing in comparison.”
He frowned at her. “We’ve always confided in each other. After years of working together, trusting each other, you can’t spare a few minutes to fill me in?” His face drooped and he actually looked hurt.
Years ago when she was near the end of her training and Salvatore was ready to give her a partner, she’d worked so hard to impress Dalton. Every day she practiced shifting, over and over, not just to her two main forms, but to every kind of animal she could find. She wanted to be the best, the fastest. The hard work had paid off. She was the fastest changing shifter in the colony. He watched her spar one day, and she knew he was sizing her up. She was so nervous and his face was unreadable. Afterward, she overheard Salvatore tell him she was the most passionate recruit he’d seen in a long time. Over the next few years, they’d learned to read each other, trust each other, and even love each other as friends and teammates.
After all they’d been through, she owed him an explanation. “I can spare a few minutes.”
He smiled. “Thank you.”
They sat down on a nearby bench and she told him everything, starting with Inkman. He listened without interrupting, even when she told him she’d been intimate with Maddox in order to jog his memory. She left out the part where he’d pretended to be Dalton – there was no need to go there. But she told him Maddox’s father was on the Council and that Maddox had a plan to destroy Marwolaeth Du before they attacked the Underworld.
When she finished, she grimaced, waiting for the worst. Would he think she was a slut? Or possibly insane?
His brow creased. “Why didn’t you tell me about him sooner?”
“It was hard to talk about.” She shrugged. “I had no idea where he was. I didn’t even know if he was alive.”
“Felicity,” he said slowly then took her hand. “Are you sure he isn’t leading you on? This could be an elaborate plan to get you to bring them other members of the rebellion.”
“What? No! Of course I’m sure.” Honestly, she hadn’t thought of that. But the anguish in Maddox’s eyes when he looked at her, the tears he’d wept after they’d made love… There wasn’t an actor alive who could’ve faked that. “I know it seems far-fetched but you have to trust me.”
“It’s really far-fetched. What’s his plan? Are you sure you can trust him?”
Looking him in the eye, she told him somberly, “I trust him as much as I trust you.” Maybe more. “I don’t know the details of his plan but I’m following him anyway. The question is, can you follow me?”
He thought for a long while, which was so like Dalton. Logical and calculating, he didn’t often take big risks. When she was about ready to give up and move on without him, he finally nodded. “What do you need from me?”
She grinned. Though a little surprised, her admiration for him grew. “I need you to ready the colony for an influx of freed prisoners. Have food and medical help on standby.” She thought for a moment. Dalton was one of the strongest warriors she knew. Extra muscle couldn’t hurt. “We could use your help there too. When I’m done with my task, I’ll come back with more information. Do you have any contacts in Caerwyn?”
He flinched. “Caerwyn? That’s suicide, Felicity.”
“I’ll bring a disguise. If you knew someone safe, it would help.”
“Everyone I knew there has left. It’s become more dangerous than ever.” He shook his head. “I don’t like the idea of you going there.”
“I don’t have a choice. You know once I’ve got my mind set…”
“I know, but you’ve got to give me more information than that.” With a mock look of authority, he said, “Don’t make me get Salvatore.”
She fake gasped. “You’d tell on me?”
“Yup. So start talking, brat.”
Laughing, she said, “Oh fine, tattletale! I’m looking for somebody. His name is James Elias. Have you heard of him?” It’d be nice to have a lead. Maybe she should’ve asked Salvatore too.
He shook his head. “No.”
“Darn it.” She chewed her lip and stared at the ground.
After a long drawn-out sigh, he said, “I have one person in the city. Just one. I’ll call him. He’ll let you stay at his inn.”
It wasn’t much, but it was a start. And at least he wasn’t really telling on her, though she figured he wouldn’t. “Oh! One more thing. In my hospital room there’s a phone in a backpack. I need you to text the one number programmed and say that everything is fine.”
She could tell he wanted to argue but he just rolled his eyes and nodded.
“Thanks. I owe you.”
He gave her a small smile. “Just keep yourself alive, Felicity. It was hell when I thought I’d lost you.” For the first time since she’d known him, his voice cracked. He covered it with a cough then inhaled deeply as he pulled himself together. “Don’t do that to me again,” he ordered.
“Yes, sir.” She chuckled then leaned in to hug him again. “I’ll be careful.”
A falcon or a hawk – or even a raven or owl – would be suspicious seen flying over Caerwyn. They were the most popular shifter flying forms. Felicity watched a small finch peck at seeds on the ground. It was a new form, which meant the first change could go very badly.
She stared at it, concentrating hard on its puffy body. Its plump belly looked comical on the stick-like legs. After closing her eyes, she pictured the bird in her mind then pushed the magic out from where it lingered in her chest. It tingled through her limbs and down to her fingers and toes. Her human body started to melt away.
Muscles tightened and she fought to keep the vision in her head. Instinct pushed to shift into a falcon but she couldn’t let that happen. A grunt escaped as her bones snapped and crackled. The grunt turned to a chirp then movement stopped.
The deserted alley she’d shifted in was intimidating from this low to the ground. The buildings looked enormous. As a falcon, she could make herself the size of a small dog and be passable, but as a finch, she felt no larger than piece of fruit.
Leaving her clothes behind, she flew up onto the high gate surrounding the shifter colony. Flying as a finch was nothing like flying as a falcon. Her small wings meant she had to beat them faster to carry her fat little body. It would be a long trip to the city.
Dalton had given her directions to his friend. The Green Roof Pub had a few rooms on the second floor that the owner rented to friends or overly drunk patrons. He probably charged them double.
The journey didn’t take as long as she’d thought. Her strength was returning quickly, thank the gods. She spotted the green roof on the south side of the city, right where Dalton had said. She circled it, checking for soldiers, then swooped down to street level. A small white box on the doorstep caught her eye. On top, her name was written in black marker. Dalton must’ve arranged it for her.
The Inn was located in a narrow alley shielded from the main road, which was busy even at a little past six in the morning. She shifted, then grabbed the box and hid behind a large dumpster. The blue dress was indecently short and made her wonder if it’d been purposeful. Men could be such perverts. Ya
nking on it didn’t make it any longer so she sighed, stepped up, and knocked on the back door of the Inn.
Something hard hit her head. Pain exploded, and before she could panic, the world went black.
The first thing Maddox did back at the prison was make himself an ID card. Maddox Blackwell was gone, but Joshua Brenson was a new recruit from Caerwyn. At a desk he’d moved into the storage room, he pored over blueprints.
His office had been ransacked. He’d avoided his father in case he recognized him through the disguise. Instead, he’d stayed holed up in the back of the file room, drawing up pages of escape routes for the prisoners. As a new officer, he didn’t have clearance to control the intricate security system. But what he did have was years of practice hacking through their shields to make them stronger against enemies.
When Felicity found James, and his mate came to help destroy the place, he’d jam up the cell locking system. Before then, he needed to spread the word to the prisoners to be ready. For that, he needed access to them. As a new officer, his duties consisted of patrol, not interacting with prisoners. But if he glamoured himself to look like someone from the kitchen, he could tell each prisoner when he delivered their meal.
He sighed, tossing blueprints back into the box next to him. He’d just gotten used to this new version of himself. What would Felicity think? She’d recognize him, of course. Anyone who really knew him would – glamouring wasn’t an exact science.
Felicity. He’d been busying himself to keep his heart from aching. He missed her. It’d barely been a day but already he felt empty. Amazing how he hadn’t known what he was missing these last few years, but now she was such a part of his life, his soul, he couldn’t stand being away from her. His surroundings didn’t help. The oppression was choking him. The sadness, the stench of fear, the constant reminder of what he’d done… It weighed on him. He’d start to lose himself soon. He already felt it every time he walked through a cell block. His chest would tighten, his knees would shake, and then he was back there. Strapped down. Bleeding. Screaming as the lash fell.
It was a vision he’d had before, but recently it had begun to change. Out of the corner of his eye, he’d see a face in a window. It watched, motionless, as the whip cut his skin over and over. Cold eyes, graying hair. His father.
The memories alone could’ve dragged him under, locked him in the prison of his mind again, but add to that reliving the nightmare every time he walked from one end of the prison to the other and he felt like he was slipping further into darkness. Felicity was the sliver of light he needed – one small thing to grasp onto. It was just enough to keep him going.
With a deep breath, he focused back on his mission. This would all be over soon. He could make it until then.
Felicity woke with a massive headache. She cracked her eyes opened and groaned. Couldn’t she sleep just a little longer? She tried to roll over, but her body was stuck.
The memory of taking a needle in the arm crawled into her foggy mind and her eyes flew open. Drugged again? Wasn’t her body becoming immune? A room, lit dimly by a fire in a hearth, greeted her. She smelled the scent of pinewood. It was better than the fluorescent bulbs back at Marwolaeth Du and it didn’t reek of death. She supposed that was an improvement.
She was sitting up in a chair but her hands were tied behind the back and her ankles were bound to the chair legs. Not expecting good results, she tried giving it a tug anyway but couldn’t move.
The room was empty. Whoever had kidnapped her had left her tied up alone? Didn’t they know she was a shifter? She snorted. Magic pushed out from her chest as she started to shift back into the finch. But something sharp pricked against her throat, stopping her.
“Don’t even try to shift,” a man said behind her.
She froze, then watched as the man circled her, keeping the knife on her throat. She swallowed hard and the point dug in, making her wince.
A pale man with reddish blond hair stood in front of her, looking down with angry blue eyes. “You smell like a man I know. One I’ve been searching for for years.”
Smell? The last person she’d touched was Dalton. Was this an enemy of the rebellion?
“Maddox Blackwell,” he continued. “How do you know him?”
Her heart raced. Stay calm. She focused on keeping her expression neutral. This guy wasn’t a shifter, so if he was looking for Maddox, he was most likely a sorcerer from Marwolaeth Du. She didn’t understand why he wouldn’t take her there, but she wasn’t giving him any information that would jeopardize Maddox.
“No. I’m sorry. I don’t know him.”
The knife pressed into her skin and she cried out.
“Liar,” he hissed. “I can smell him all over you.” She felt a trail of blood dripping down her neck.
“Talk, shifter, or this will get a lot worse for you.”
She wanted to roll her eyes. As if she hadn’t just been through worse already. What was he going to do? Starve her? Kick her in the ribs? She prepared to shift despite the knife at her neck.
A bang sounded behind her and a rush of fresh air chilled her skin. Someone had burst through the door. A body barreled into her captor, causing the knife to slash a shallow cut under her chin. The blond man went flying across the room, his assailant following him. They tussled for a moment, each trying to get the upper hand. Their bodies were in the darkest corner and she could barely make out either of their faces. Who was this new person?
Green light burst into one hand then blue light in another. The stranger backed away, panting, then he glanced at her. Deep brown eyes pierced her and she pulled against her bindings.
Maddox!
His black hair stuck up in a strange spiked hairdo. His long-sleeved uniform covered any tattoos he hadn’t with the glamour. He hurled a Bolt at her captor, but the man disappeared before it hit. A table exploded. Maddox threw another in the other direction.
The stranger’s body moved in a blur then he was standing on a loft balcony just above a set of stairs. How was he moving so fast? She’d never seen a sorcerer do that. The only supernatural that had that kind of speed was a…
“Wait!” she yelled. “Stop!”
A blue orb soared from above and made a hole in the floor just next to her. She shrieked. Maddox growled and lunged for the stairs. He was going to kill his best friend.
She fought against the ropes. “Maddox! No!”
James froze. “Maddox?”
It was too late. Maddox had made it up the steps and he flew at James, knocking him into a wall behind him. His hands went around James’s neck.
“Maddox,” James gritted. “It’s me. James.”
Vampires were stronger than sorcerers. James managed to dislodge him then punched him in the mouth. “It’s me, you idiot. Stop fighting!”
Maddox backed away. “James?” His body filled out to its normal muscular size. His face shifted from the baby-faced soldier he’d been disguised as to the hardened bald man she’d grown used to.
James took a step toward him and looked him over. “It’s me. But you…” He gestured up and down his body. “What the fuck happened to you, mate? I’ve been looking for you for years. I thought you’d died until I passed by her scent.”
As if he’d just remembered she was there, Maddox turned and flew down the steps. “I’m sorry, love,” he said, bending down next to the chair. He used magic to burn through the ropes and she shook her arms free. “Are you okay?”
His gaze zeroed in on her neck and his nostrils flared.
“I’m sorry,” James said from behind him, handing him a tissue. “She smelled like you and it was the first lead I’d had in over a year. I had to question her without risking her flying away. I had no idea she was your…”
“Mate.” Maddox took the tissue and dabbed it on her neck.
Ignoring the wound, she threw her arms around him. “Are you okay? Did everything go okay at Marwolaeth Du? I’m so glad you’re safe.”
“The Fortress of Night?”
At James’s question, they pulled apart and looked at him. “What happened to you? You look...different.”
Maddox rubbed a hand over the back of his neck. “It’s a long story.” He looked at Felicity and smirked. “I sent you to find James. Ending up as his prisoner isn’t what I had in mind.”
She shrugged. “Everybody has their own way of doing things. At least he didn’t tie me to the bed.”
He chuckled and kissed the top of her head. His gaze fell down to her legs then his eyes widened. “What are you wearing, woman?”
She looked down at her bare legs. “I think it’s a dress but I’m not sure.”
He scowled at her.
“It wasn’t my idea! Someone’s idea of a joke. How did you find me?”
Wrapping his arms around her shoulders, he hugged her close to his side. “Your partner texted me and –”
A loud thud outside made her turn toward the door. It burst open. The wood splintered and pieces shot into the room like little arrows. A giant beast lumbered in on all fours. He bared his teeth and roared. It echoed so loudly she covered her ears.
Holy fucking shit! There was a bear in the living room!
Green and blue orbs lit up on either side of her. She threw herself in front of the bear and put one hand out in front of her.
“Stop!”
James and Maddox froze. The bear growled behind her. “Stand down, Dalton,” she said to the bear, keeping her gaze on the sorcerers, who still had their palms lit up. “They’re my friends. I’m okay.”
Maddox’s eyes flitted back and forth between the bear and Felicity. His forehead crinkled in a worried expression.
The bear-shaped shadow on the floor shrunk. Dalton, in human form, stepped forward, naked and unashamed. She averted her gaze as her cheeks heated.
James rushed to close the door. Well, the best it would close considering it was hanging halfway off the hinges.
“Um,” she said to the ceiling, avoiding Dalton from the waist down. “This is Maddox, the guy I was telling you about, and his friend, James.” Moving her gaze to Maddox, she gestured at Dalton. “This is… Well, you should recognize him.”
