“But we have to get Frost back. There is no other choice.”
“There are always choices.”
“Not always good ones.” She rested her head on my chest.
“Well, that is an entirely different point.”
“Do you like being in your wolf form or humanoid form better?” She abruptly changed the subject.
“They are different.”
“That doesn’t answer my question.”
“But it is the answer. It is an impossibility for me to prefer one. Although I do prefer this form around you, so it may become my favorite.” My wolf growled inside. “But my wolf got angry when he heard that. He is a fan of yours too.”
She smiled. She had such an amazing smile. “We should go back and rejoin the others.”
“In a second.”
“Why delay?”
“Because.” I crushed my lips into hers. I was never going to get enough.
Lacey
I just agreed to follow a couple of naked women through a tree to some still undisclosed place. I was crazy. Completely crazy. “I am out of my mind crazy.” I finally spoke my thoughts out loud.
“You are crazy, but that doesn’t mean you are making the wrong choice.” Wren had come with us out to the woods. The storm had died down, but it was still freezing. I was grateful for the cloak and boots Gytha leant me, but they couldn’t completely keep out the biting cold.
“Would you step through that tree?” I pointed.
“Yes. If anyone would let me. But I get it. I need to stay here. And it sounds like I’m the one they want.” Wren was not happy about being made to stay behind. It had taken some serious arm twisting, until she finally agreed. We were all in trouble if we couldn’t find a way to help her harness her power.
“Are you sure you are okay with me going?” Maybe she was okay with staying back, but did that mean she was okay with me getting to potentially see Frost first?
“More than okay. I want Frost back.”
“I know.” I squeezed her hand. “And I am going to do my best to bring him back.”
“Besides, Miranda is staying. It’s not like you are leaving me alone with strangers.”
“Against my will.” Miranda stood a small ways off, but fully within conversation distance. “It is hard to allow Lacey to leave…”
I walked over to her. I knew she was struggling with staying. “But Wren needs you more. We have no idea who else might be after her.”
“I know. But that doesn’t change that I’m supposed to follow you.”
“You are supposed to do what is best for the court, and staying here with Wren is what’s best. You know I won’t order you to do anything. When you decided to come, I freed you from any obligations, and I have no plans to change that in any way.”
“I realize that. But that does not change my duty to my court.”
“And that duty should keep you here.” I knew expressing my views on this was tantamount to giving her an order. It was hard for her to disagree, but I also knew I couldn’t keep quiet.
“You aren’t crazy.” Miranda adjusted her trousers over her boots. “Not in a bad way at least.”
“Is there a good kind of way to be crazy?”
“Absolutely.” Creighton joined us, putting an arm around my waist. “Sometimes crazy is necessary. It gets the important things done.”
“It sounds like you are speaking from experience.”
“I may be.”
“Is this another one of those times you dangle details about yourself in front of me only to pull back and give me nothing?” I leaned into his touch, loving the way his fingers felt as they lightly caressed.
“I give you nothing, huh?” He pushed his fingers down, just enough to feel like a tighter embrace.
“You know exactly what I mean.”
“Wow…” Wren looked between us. “You two are something else.”
“Hey, I am about to risk life and limb to get Frost back.”
“You are doing this for more than Frost. I also need to figure out the chasms.” Wren reached down and touched the icy ground. “The magic here is so strange.”
“I know. I know.” I started with her first point. “Do you have to be logical?”
“That’s usually your job. It’s not my fault you are making me play into it.”
“Well, it kind of is. But you are right. The magic here is strange. My guess is it would feel different everywhere.” I had never traveled too far from the Courts. I rarely traveled from my own court.
“Are you two done?” Della, the blonde nymph, whined. She was wearing a makeshift dress out of a long man’s shirt. She had it tied at the waist with a belt. Mink, the brunette, was wearing something similar. It was the only thing they’d agree to wear. “We have been waiting long enough.”
“Yes. We are done.” I hugged Wren. “Don’t open too many chasms while I’m gone. Okay?”
“Make sure you come back,” she whispered.
“I’ll be back. And it will be with Frost.” I stepped back from the hug. I was nervous about going, and the longer I stalled, the harder it was going to be to get moving.
“She will be safe with me. “ Creighton put his arms around me from behind. He kept doing things like that. Things that only couples do. Were we already a couple? After such a short period of time?
“I don’t know about that.” Wren gave a wry smile. “But it’s a nice sentiment.”
“Do you doubt I would protect your friend?” Creighton pulled me back against him. He felt hard, strong. Cool to the touch, but also warm. Perfect.
“Oh, I am sure you will protect her from other dangers. I’m just not so sure you’d protect her from you.”
“You think I mean her harm?” Creighton tightened his hold. “You cannot believe that.”
“Just because you don’t mean something, doesn’t mean it won’t happen.” Wren stared at him while avoiding my gaze.
“She is safe with me.” Creighton nuzzled my neck. “I promise.”
I should have been embarrassed by the display of affection, but I wasn’t. It was all so natural. And he was so serious. As though us trusting him was the most important thing possible. And I did trust him. I wasn’t sure why, but I did. “I can take care of myself. You know that very well, Wren.”
“I know you can.” Wren stepped back to stand with Matilda. “But protecting your heart—”
I cut her off before she could continue. “Stay safe, please. If you fall into the wrong hands, we are all in trouble.”
“I don’t plan to fall into any hands. The only hands I want on me… well, you know.” She smiled, and I knew her thoughts were on Frost.
“We are going to bring him back safe and sound.” It was strange seeing Wren this way. Caring this much. Previously I’d only seen her this protective and concerned over one person, her sister.
“Okay.” James returned to our little crowd around the tree. “That’s enough goodbyes. Time’s a wastin'.”
“I need to meet this fiancee of yours to understand what she sees in you,” Wren teased.
“Trust me, I wish you could meet Ainsley. I’m missing her. But I’m also glad she’s far away from this mess.”
“Ah, come on. No pretending women aren’t as strong as men.” I was growing tired of all these gender discussions.
“Oh, she’s strong. But that doesn’t mean I can’t want to protect her.” James shifted his weight from foot to foot. “Maybe she’d say the same about me.”
“And on that note.” Creighton moved from behind me, and took my hand instead. “The sooner we leave, the sooner we come back.”
“Hopefully.” I knew we had to do this, but I was incredibly nervous.
“Not hopefully.” Creighton squeezed my hand. “Stay positive. Crazy and positive.”
“Interesting combination.” I smiled despite all my nerves.
“And interesting is good.”
“Most of the time.”
“Okay. Enough
chit chat. It’s time for action.” Mink groaned. “Let’s go.”
I didn’t want to listen to the nymphs per se, but I was feeling the exact same way. It was time to go.
I hugged Wren again. I wasn’t sure we’d ever hugged as much as we’d been doing since arriving in Energo. Near death experiences seemed to elevate the need for hugs.
I turned to Creighton. “Have you traveled through a tree before?”
“No. Can’t say I have. Have you?” He readjusted our entwined hands.
“No… but trees are a spring thing. So it doesn’t sound so bad.”
“Remember positive and crazy.”
“Oh, I remember.”
The nymphs stepped up to the tree and touched it. There was a bright light. So bright I couldn’t see. I felt myself moving forward, and then my stomach lurched.
I blinked. My stomach felt better, and I waited for something to happen, for us to move.
It was just so bright. Like staring up at the sun. So I shut my eyes tight again and waited. There was no reason to risk hurting my eyes for nothing. I was nervous, bordering on scared, so I focused on Creighton’s arm around me. His touch was already so comforting. I hated that, yet I loved the strength and support it gave me. Given the present circumstances that was incredibly important.
“Who are these people?” A male voice asked.
My eyes flew open. The bright light was gone, and I started blinking again, trying to adjust to the darkened room. There was just enough light to see, but it seemed so dark after all that bright light.
I glanced around. We were inside. That was for sure. My eyes adjusted more.
The walls were a bright white, and the floors a dark black marble. It was cold, not as cold as Icentris had been in the storm, but still too cold for me.
Creighton’s hand was still wrapped firmly around mine. I looked around for the source of the voice.
“The friends you sent us for.” Della pointed to us. “Or we think.”
“That’s not James Mendel.” The man finally walked into my line of sight. He was tall, with jet black hair. He wore a white shirt with dark blue pants and boots.
“No. It’s not. He stayed back. But this is a wolf and a Fae. She’s supposed to be royalty.” Mink sat down in a chair in the corner of the room. “But we haven’t seen proof of that or anything.”
“Who are you?” Creighton asked the man.
“The name is Jared.” He walked toward us. “And you are?”
“Creighton.” Creighton took the conversation lead, and I was fine with that. “This is Lacey.”
“Royal Fae?” He looked me over. “Are the girls right?”
“Does that matter?” I had no interest in talking about myself. We needed to find Frost, Preston, and Elron and get out of there. Wherever there was.
“You can calm down. I’m one of the good guys. I’m not going to hurt anyone.” Jared held up his hands as if in surrender. “You can trust me.”
I laughed.
“Is there something funny about what I said?” He watched me with a mix of amusement and annoyance.
“The very fact that you called yourself a good guy makes me doubt that you are one.”
He rubbed his chin. “Sometimes people tell the truth.”
“But is this one of those times?” I had planned to stay quiet, but once I’d opened my mouth it was difficult to close it. I was also too tired and stressed to worry anymore. I was quickly heading for some sort of mania.
“Yes.” Jared nodded. “My job is to protect, not to hurt.”
“Even if you have to hurt to protect?” I pressed. “There are exceptions to everything.”
“I don’t make it my business to hurt innocents if that is what you are implying.”
“Am I an innocent?” I had no idea how I appeared to others.
“I guess I don’t know that yet. Are you a friend of James’s?”
I thought about it for a moment. Friend may have been pushing our association, but Jared seemed to respect James, or at least want him, so saying we were friends might give us protection and probably wouldn’t hurt. “Yes.”
“Well, James isn’t friends with all that many innocents, but he also has a fairly strong moral compass, so I doubt you are truly evil either. Probably somewhere in the middle.”
“And is that where you fall?” I asked. “Somewhere in the middle?”
“I guess that would depend on who you ask. My wife would probably suggest it’s closer to evil, but what does she know.”
Creighton laughed.
“You’re married?” I asked.
“Why do you sound so surprised?”
“You sent naked women to find someone.” I wasn’t sure about his wife, but I wouldn’t want my committed partner hanging out with naked nymphs. I sure didn’t like Creighton doing it, and I didn’t even know what to call us.
“Vera isn’t bothered by the nymphs. She knows she’s the only one who will ever have my attention.” Jared got a far off look. He was probably thinking about his wife. That’s the kind of look most women wanted their partner to have when thinking about them.
“Vera.” I repeated the name. “I like that name.”
“You’d like her more than me.”
“You’re probably right.” I was feeling feisty. Maybe I had absolutely no idea where I was, but since that was out of my control I decided to just roll with it. “But my guess is I won’t get to meet her. Just like James is supposed to have this super great fiancée and she hasn’t been around. It’s like you all hide the women.”
“Vera isn’t hiding. Hell, you try to get my wife to do anything she doesn’t want to do. It’s not going to happen.”
“Good for her.” Maybe Jared wasn’t so bad after all. If he really did let his wife call some of the shots.
“I agree. I respect strength, whether it’s in male or female form.” He ran a hand through his hair. “And I can see you are strong. Ready to tell me whether this whole Fae royalty thing is real?”
“Yes. I am exactly that, but that doesn’t really matter. I am here for Frost.”
“He’s not your mate?”
Creighton made a growling sound. I turned to look at him, surprised at his reaction.
Jared smiled. “He’s your mate, eh?”
“I will be.” Creighton put his arm around me.
“Frost is my friend’s mate. Not that it matters. You can’t keep him against his will. This is ridiculous. Don’t play Mr. Nice Guy when you keep prisoners.”
“What about the elf?” Jared grinned. For some reason he was really enjoying our conversation.
I couldn't say the same thing. This conversation was getting old. “I would prefer if you released Elron too.” I was dying to ask about Preston, but that would involve showing more of my cards and seemed like a mistake.
Jared laughed. “Prefer? That’s all you’ve got?”
I sighed. “Listen, I care about everyone, but right now I don’t have time to worry about everyone.”
“You are the one creating the chasms then?” He asked in an offhand way, but it was obviously an act.
“I’m not.”
“Then your friend. The one who is mated to Frost?” He half asked and half said as a statement.
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Of course it does, and you just admitted it. This ability of your friend, is it typical of your kind?”
“My kind? Meaning Fae?” I assumed he didn’t mean women, and I wasn’t sure what other category I fell into. “And I'm not admitting anything. I’m sure whatever Frost told you is the truth.”
“Royal Fae from your world? This is all new to me.”
“Just stop. I’m not admitting to anything.” I was growing frustrated, and I was seriously tired.
Creighton seemed to sense my exhaustion and moved his arm so I could lean into his side. I didn’t want to seem weak, but at the moment I was feeling just that.
“Fine. How about we change the topic. W
e don’t have to talk about chasms. But how about where you are from. You guys still have the four courts?”
“So you do know something…” Maybe I should have denied everything, but I didn’t see the point. I was going to have to share some information in order to get to Frost.
“Which court are you?”
“You can’t tell? You seem so very perceptive.” There was a hint of antagonism in my tone. I didn’t care.
He smiled. “If I had to guess…Spring. You seem spring-like, yet uptight.”
I stifled a gasp. He wasn’t going there. “I am not uptight.”
Creighton laughed.
I glared at him.
“Best be careful, man. You do want to mate with this woman.” Jared chuckled. “Oh, young love.”
“Oh, but I love being teased.” I went heavy on the sarcasm, but without an edge. “Absolutely love it.”
“That she does.” Creighton winked.
And just like that any annoyance disappeared.
We had our own inside jokes now. As weird as that was. We barely knew each other, yet we had inside jokes. There were very few people I’d ever had them with. Then again there were very few—okay no—guys I’d ever made out with without really knowing. Risk taking wasn’t generally my thing. But that was neither here nor there. “Where is Frost?”
“I need to understand how the chasms happened.” Jared crossed his arms. “Until I do, I can’t bring you to your friends.”
“I think we all wish we understood that, but we don’t.”
“What was the point of you coming if you have nothing valuable to share?”
“We were told to come if we wanted our friends back. Isn’t that reason alone?” I yawned, a full-on, loud yawn. “Let me see them.”
“You aren’t going to say please?” Jared smiled, and I wondered if I was maybe breaking through his resolve.
“Any chance we could deal with your wife instead of you?”
“Maybe if you play your cards right.” His smile turned into a smirk. I was getting tired of all the smirking.
“And how do I play my cards right?” I let out another yawn. This wasn’t good. I was running out of energy by the second.
“Maybe instead of asking to see your friends, you should ask to take a nap.” He laughed.
Spring's Wolf (A Court of Shifters Chronicles #2) Page 6
