Dragos eyed me carefully. His breath was hot and quick. “Fine, let’s go. But this conversation is far from over, Gray.”
Aldric got up and stood between us. “You will not speak to her like that. You will not put your hands on her ever again. Do you understand me?”
Dragos’s face twisted in contempt. The animosity between them ran deep.
Arcadia huffed. “As entertaining as watching your little love triangle unfold has been, I am ready for all of you to leave.”
I rolled my eyes. “For once, we agree on something.”
A devious smile formed across Dragos’s face. “I’m not going anywhere with him. You want my help, he stays.”
Aldric charged at him again, but I gripped his arm, holding him back.
“Out of the question. I am not letting her go anywhere with you alone.”
Dragos knew me well. He knew that I would agree to his demands. He knew that I would do anything to save Valentina. And he knew that it would drive Aldric crazy to watch me go off with him.
Dragos snickered. “Afraid she’ll choose me instead? Well, you should be.”
Aldric puffed out his chest and clenched his teeth. “I’m going to kill you.”
He grunted as he started toward Dragos. This time, I couldn’t hold him back. Dragos laughed, waving him over for round two. I took a deep breath and braced myself.
Lycos dashed over and placed a strong, but gentle hand on Aldric’s shoulder. “I will go with them.”
Aldric looked at him, puzzled.
Lycos pleaded. “I give you my word that no harm will come to her.”
Aldric relaxed, slightly, as he weighed his options.
“You can’t possibly think I will let you leave with her.” Arcadia pouted.
“I’m not asking your permission, Arcadia.” Lycos was gentle, but firm.
She let out a squeal as she stomped her foot.
Aldric looked around, helpless.
I cupped his face in my hands. “It has to be this way. I will be fine. I promise. Trust me.”
Aldric nodded, but he didn’t look convinced. “It seems I don’t have much choice.”
Dragos chuckled.
Arcadia sauntered over and draped an arm around Aldric. “Don’t worry, sister. I will take good care of him while you’re gone.” She snickered as Aldric shoved her arm off of him.
Arcadia shot Lycos a defiant look, which he ignored. Something was happening between them. It seemed like she was losing her power over him and she knew it.
I didn’t look back as the three of us made our way toward Seven’s ship. I couldn’t bear to see the hurt look on Aldric’s face.
Like a band of misfits, Seven regarded us cautiously as we approached. He shot me a look. There was just one last thing to do. I spun around and placed a hand on each of their heads.
“Obscuro.”
Dragos gasped. “I…I can’t see.”
Lycos remained calm and silent.
I chuckled as I pushed Dragos on board. “You didn’t honestly think I was going to let you see our location, did you?”
Dragos swore under his breath as he stumbled onto the ship.
As we set sail, my heart ached for Aldric. What have I done to him? I prayed he would still be the same man I loved when we returned.
Twenty-Seven
Dragos whined and complained the entire trip. Once we were safely inside the Hall, I lifted the spell. His eyes darted around the room, half expecting an ambush. Lycos, on the other hand, was calm as he methodically took in his new surroundings.
Dragos spun on me. “Where is she? Where is my sister?”
The desperation in his voice was real. It puzzled me. After all he had done to her, he was now concerned about her well-being?
The Keeper emerged from the study and met us in the main hall. He regarded Dragos with quiet contemplation before approaching.
“Follow me. We haven’t got much time.”
My heart sank. She was slipping further and further into her own mind. I said a silent prayer to the gods as we followed him to the healing clinic. I still blamed myself and I begged for their forgiveness.
Dragos stormed into the clinic behind The Keeper and slammed the door shut, but not before throwing me one more menacing glance. I shook my head. He had a lot of nerve being angry with me. It was so typical of him to lash out at everyone else.
Time seemed to drag on. Seven paced around the room as he had done before. He was beside himself. He and Valentina shared a special bond. I didn’t know all the details, but I knew she had gotten him through a difficult time. With her life hanging in the balance, there was nowhere else he’d rather be.
But why was Lycos here? Why did he volunteer himself for this journey? He could have easily stayed with Arcadia in the forest, leaving Aldric and Dragos at each other’s throats. Yet here he was. He planted himself in one of the chairs next to me, across from the clinic door. He didn’t move a muscle.
I didn’t waste any time. “Why are you here?”
Lycos didn’t even flinch. “My people have a long and complicated history with your kind.”
I was intrigued. “I don’t know much about your people.”
Lycos tore his eyes away from the door to look at me. It seemed to pain him to do so. “Do you believe in destiny? In prophecies? My people do. We live by it. That is why I am here.”
I was still confused but mesmerized by the smokiness of his voice and the careful, yet deliberate way his lips formed words.
I shrugged. “My kind only knows blood. We take what we want regardless of who suffers. If that is my destiny, then I have truly been forsaken by the gods.”
His eyes sparkled. “The gods didn’t forsake you, Gray. They are testing you. We are always exactly where we are supposed to be.”
His words lingered in the air between us, clinging to me like a dream. Every hair on the back of my neck stood up. The prophecy. Valentina. The wolves. He knew. His eyes lit up as he saw the realization sink in for me.
He leaned in close and whispered, “Vulkodlak.”
My whole body trembled.
Sometime in the middle of the night, the clinic door finally opened. A pale and disheveled Dragos came stumbling out. I held my breath as I waited for him to speak. I tried to search his face for some indication, but all I could read was exhaustion.
Lycos and Seven stood on either side of me, like two warriors who had spent all night on the battlefield. Their patience was holding on by a thread and threatening to snap if they didn’t hear what they wanted.
Dragos’s eyes were sunken in and covered in dark circles. He turned only to me. “She’s awake.”
I could breathe again. Tears streamed down my face like rain. I threw my arms around Dragos’s neck and sobbed into his shoulder. He was as surprised as everyone else. I forgot for a moment who he was. So many emotions flooded through me, but mostly relief.
Dragos’s arms tightened around me, snapping me out of my delirium. I jumped back. What was I doing? We locked eyes and his face softened.
My cheeks were burning up. “Sorry. I…I just got caught up in…I’m just happy she’s awake.”
He smirked and nodded as I brushed past him to go to Valentina’s bedside.
Her face lit up when I walked into the room. Her skin was moist and pale, but her eyes were clear and alert.
I squeezed her hand. “How are you feeling?”
A hint of color was starting to return to her cheeks. “He saved me.” She smiled, childlike.
A pang of guilt shot through me. I put her here, and Dragos saved her. The irony was not lost on me.
I smiled back. “I knew he would. He loves you very much.”
She reached for my hand. “He loves you too, Gray. He always has.”
Here it comes. The truth that I could never see until now. She never gave up on him. On us. She had been clinging to this hope, all this time, that we would be one big happy family again. I didn’t have the heart to tell her othe
rwise. Not in this moment.
“Val…what did you see in there? In the Siren’s song?”
She turned her head away, her eyes welling up with tears. “I don’t want to talk about it. Ever.”
I understood. The things I saw and felt were…unspeakable. “I’m sorry. You must be exhausted. I’ll let you get some rest.” My knees trembled as I walked toward the door.
She called out. “It wasn’t your fault, Gray. Everything happens for a reason. We are all exactly where we are supposed to be.”
The floor nearly fell out from under me.
I stumbled into Lycos while he waited directly on the other side of the door. “May I see her?”
It was more of a statement than a question. My head hurt, and I didn’t have the energy to question him. Something beyond my control was happening between them. I stepped aside and gestured for him to go in.
The Keeper raised an eyebrow at me.
I shrugged. I needed a moment to myself. “I’ll be in the study if you need me.”
With just one foot in the study, Dragos was already nipping at my heels.
“Gray, can we talk?”
I sighed. “Not now, Dragos. I’m too tired for your mental warfare.”
His eyes darkened. “Very well. Another time then.”
For the first time ever, he didn’t put up a fight. He just let me be. I didn’t care to think about his reasons. I was just happy to be alone. I poured myself a glass of whiskey and settled in by the fire.
I was so entranced by the flames, I hadn’t realized how much time had passed. Lycos’s heavy footsteps shook me out of my daze.
He cleared his throat as he stood in the doorway. “Seven has prepared the ship for departure. It’s time for you to go back.”
I almost choked on my whiskey. “Don’t you mean us?”
A gleam of mischief twinkled in his eye. “I’m not going back.”
Great. This day just keeps getting better. “What I am supposed to tell Arcadia? We made a deal with her.”
His voice was firm but gentle. “No, you made a deal with her. I simply promised Aldric that you would not be harmed. I think it’s safe to say that you are not.”
I let out a deep sigh. Arcadia was going to flip out. How did everything get so complicated?
My heartbeat quickened. “Arcadia is going to come after you.”
Lycos smiled softly. “She cannot control me. She will soon see the truth.”
The only thing Arcadia was going to see was red. “And what is that truth, Lycos?”
He leaned against the side of the door frame as a playful grin spread across his lips. “Balance. Like the scales of Libra and the changing of the seasons, it is a time for balance.”
He was no longer under Arcadia’s control. He was free, and it was all because of Valentina. He was drawn to her from the moment they met. It was more of a mystery than Lycos himself.
I raised an eyebrow. “How did you know about the Dhampir-wolf link? About Vulkodlak?”
Lycos chuckled. “My people created it. Much like the Helm of Awe that is burned into my back, it is a form of protection. We have been waiting for the red-eyed one since the beginning of time. Valentina is Vulkodlak. Once we link, my people believe we can never be controlled by the magic of the Wolf Charmer ever again.”
Everything clicked into place. The prophecy. Valentina’s fascination with wolves. The Keeper telling her about Vulkodlak. My head was spinning. This war was not mine alone. It stretched far beyond my need for revenge. There was so much more at stake than I could have ever imagined.
Dragos struggled to keep up with me as I bolted toward the ship. I wanted to avoid him like the plague.
“Gray, slow down please. You are being ridiculous. I just want to talk.”
Why did he insist on badgering me? I just wanted to get back to Aldric. I missed him more than ever. I longed for his calm, soothing voice and tenderness. Unlike this maniac behind me who insisted on driving me insane.
“Oh, I think you’ve said enough.”
Dragos sighed heavily as he followed me aboard ship. Seven shot me a puzzled look as he was most likely wondering where Lycos was.
I rolled my eyes. “It’s a long story.” He shrugged and disappeared below deck.
Dragos moved in front of me. I couldn’t shake him. “Gray, forgive me. I was harsh with you back in the forest. I was scared and upset, but I meant none of it.”
A quiet rage had been building just below the surface, and now he was pushing me over the edge. I lost it. “Which part? The part where you blamed me for everything? Or was it when you finally admitted to wanting me dead?” I turned to face him, fists clenched.
“None of it. You know how I feel about you. It was just…seeing you standing there, next to him. It made me angry. It should have been me, not him.”
I couldn’t hide the bitterness in my voice. “You had your chance to stand beside me many years ago. Instead, you chose to stand behind me, so you could stab me in the back. Yes, you made it very clear how you feel about me.”
Dragos threw his hands up in the air. “I made a mistake, Gray. I know that now. But you can’t honestly tell me that you would rather be with him, over me. You were hurt and wanted to get back at me. I understand. You made your point. Now drop this charade and come back to me. We belong together.”
I gasped, almost falling over. “We are not doing anything together. Aldric is better than you in every way. You and I are done. Let it go.”
His eyes flared. He grabbed the back of my waist, pulling me toward him and pinning me against the rail. I tried to wriggle free, but his grip was too tight.
His lips brushed my cheek as he whispered, “You and I will never be done.”
I pushed him hard, sending him flying backward. He chuckled as he regained his footing and waved his hands up in mock surrender. I marched over to him and placed the blinding spell on him again.
“Don’t speak to me for the rest of the trip, or I’ll make you a mute as well.”
A chill ran down my back. I could still feel the trace of his lips on my skin.
Twenty-Eight
Arcadia’s screams echoed through the forest, threatening to crack the ground we stood on. Birds scattered, and branches snapped all around us.
“Where is Lycos?”
I bit my lip and lowered my head. “He’s not coming. He’s chosen to stay with Valentina. I’m sorry.”
Arcadia’s eyes widened and her lower lip quivered. I did feel bad for her, slightly. Regardless of the circumstances, I believed that she loved him.
“What do you mean he’s not coming? He has to…he’s my…”
As the weight of my words hit her, I could see all traces of sanity leaving her.
Dragos chimed in mercilessly. “Another one bites the dust, my dear. Don’t worry, I’ll comfort you.” He shot me a wicked smile.
Arcadia shook her head, dumbfounded. “I don’t understand.”
Was she really that clueless? “You can’t control everyone.”
Her eyes narrowed as she glared at me. “This is all your fault. You brought that gypsy here. You’ve ruined everything just as I knew you would.” Her voice was shaking. “Tell Lycos his days are numbered.”
Dragos trailed after her as she stomped off. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he paused to get in one last, snarky comment. “See you soon, love.”
He blew me a kiss and ran to catch up with Arcadia.
Aldric stiffened and moved to go after him. I grabbed him and pulled him back. “Don’t. He’s not worth it.”
He tightened his jaw as he looked back and forth between me and Dragos’s direction.
Aldric snapped, “Can we be done with this now?”
His tone was sharp, and I didn’t blame him. I nodded and gently stroked his cheek.
“Let’s get out of here. Together.”
Aldric softened and pulled me in close. “I’m never letting you out of my sight again.”
O
n the way back, I filled Aldric in on everything that happened. Well, almost everything. I told him about Lycos and the prophecy and how it involved Valentina. I told him about the war that was brewing between the wolves and the Consilium. I left out the parts about me and Dragos. I had already put Aldric through so much, there was no need to further agitate him. He sensed there was more, but he didn’t push. I don’t think he wanted to hear much more about Dragos either.
For the next four days, we trained. Aldric never left my side. There was still some uneasiness between us, but our magic grew stronger. Valentina’s spirits had lifted, and she agreed to not mention Dragos. She and Lycos were inseparable. They teased and flirted and couldn’t keep their hands off each other. Her spunkiness returned, and I was pleased that she was back to her old self again.
Today was an important day. It was the day that Lycos and Valentina would become linked. He would take in the blessings of Apollo, becoming half-Dhampir, and she would embrace the earth and the moon as half-wolf. They would be the first of their kind. A new breed. A new force to be reckoned with.
That morning, I managed to pull away from Aldric to meet The Keeper in the catacombs. He asked me to come alone.
“Did you get what I asked for?”
I nodded and pulled out the carefully wrapped herb. “You were right, there was no shortage of wolfsbane there.”
The Keeper had told me it grew rampant in Diana’s Forest. I managed to clip some and shove it in my pocket while everyone was arguing. It was necessary for the Vulkodlak ceremony.
“What will happen to her? As a wolf…will she still be…herself?”
The Keeper smiled. “No more than you are still yourself after linking with Aldric. Different, but the same. She will have her own pack after today. A loyalty like you have never seen. They will die for her. But she will always need you, Gray.”
Blood and Magic (Blood and Darkness Book 1) Page 17
