Nissa suddenly appeared in the doorway. Jacque noted that the fae didn’t just appear in the middle of the room, the way a certain other high fae would have done. For some reason, instead of appreciating the act of kindness, Jacque found herself irritated because it should have been Peri that showed up. It should have been the high fae who’d promised over and over to always be there for them.

  “Alpha,” Nissa said, her voice formal as she addressed Fane. He turned and gave her a slight nod of his head. She walked farther into the room. “You requested I seek out the healer sprites.”

  “Ugh,” Sally groaned. “Why didn’t I think of that?”

  “Pregnant brain,” Jen said dryly. “Currently your brain cells are screaming ‘we’re dying, please save us,’ but there’s no saving them. You’re just going to get less and less useful until the baby comes.”

  Sally glanced at Jen from the corner of her eye, her lips pursed. “Thank you for that complete and total lack of encouragement. Remind me to return the favor the next time you are in a situation where you need help, like if you’re clinging to a ledge, holding on for dear life. That way I can boot you the rest of the way and save your fingernails from being ripped off.”

  “Okay, wow,” Jacque tried to sit up, but Fane placed a hand on her forehead and gently pushed her back down. She glared up at him, but he wasn’t paying her any attention. “Sally, maybe you could go check on Slate for me?”

  Sally rubbed her forehead and nodded. “I can do that. Seeing Thia is a good idea, too. It will remind me why I shouldn’t strangle her mother in the middle of the night.”

  They all stared after Sally’s retreating form. “Is it just me, or does anyone else think she might be growing a demon baby inside of her that’s trying to take over our sweet Sally?” Jen asked.

  “Pregnancy made you a crazy crybaby,” Jacque pointed out. “Don’t judge.”

  “Fair point,” Jen said.

  “Nissa, if you could please bring Cindy and some of the other healing sprites, that would be very helpful. Of course, speak with Andora, first,” Fane said, completely ignoring the Sally conversation.

  Nissa nodded and then flashed from the room.

  Five minutes later, the high fae returned with Cindy Morgan, Andora the sprite queen, and Diedre, one of the healer sprites that Jacque remembered meeting. Cindy didn’t say hello to anyone. She hurried over to the table on the opposite side of Fane.

  “What happened?” Cindy reached for the cloth that was covering her wound. “And where in the world is Perizada?”

  Jacque wasn’t surprised that Sally’s mom asked about the high fae. Everyone who’d spent any amount of time with them knew that Peri was always present when one of them was injured. She took each of the girls' safety personally. Or at least she had at one time.

  “A crazy rogue wolf with claws dipped in fae metal decided he wanted to see what my heart looked like on the outside of my body,” Jacque answered, attempting humor because she could feel her mate’s anger beginning to rise.

  “Fane,” Andora spoke up. “Will you please let Diedre have a look at your mate?”

  He glanced back at Jacque and then stepped to the side so that the sprite healer could come forward.

  “Hmm.” Diedre lowered her face closer to the wound. She pressed her hand over it and then closed her eyes. Jacque tried not to wince at the pressure, taking slow breaths in an attempt to remain calm.

  Everyone seemed to be holding their breath as they waited for Deidre’s verdict. After several minutes, she opened her eyes and looked into Jacque’s. She saw despair staring back at her as the woman stood up and then looked at Fane. “The fae magic has touched her heart. There’s only one way that fae power can be removed from another supernatural being. Your mate needs to be taken to the healing waters in our land, and she needs the full power of all the healer sprites.” Diedre’s eyes moved to Andora’s, and Jacque saw the sprite queen’s jaw tighten as she raised her chin.

  “So what’s the problem,” Jen asked. “Why isn’t Nissa whisking her away so y’all can do your spritey mojo?”

  Andora’s gaze focused on Fane’s. “Because one sprite from each of our clans has gone missing.”

  Chapter

  Twelve

  “When you live as long as I have, you think that you have prepared yourself for every possible scenario in life. You walk around convinced there is nothing left in life that would take you by surprise. It becomes tedious. Even wars aren’t really all that interesting. Fighting for the same thing in every battle, the same thing that any race faces—freedom. But then a miracle happens, and suddenly your battle is no longer against the tyranny of others. Instead, it is the battle your heart wages against love. I thought the feelings for my child would be the only battle that love won. I’m beginning to think I was wrong.” ~Tenia

  “Have you talked to him?” Tenia asked Myanin, her voice barely a whisper as she angled her body toward her djinn friend. They were standing on the second floor of the Order’s indoor training facility. A walkway completely surrounded the building, allowing them to look down on those currently sparring on the ground level.

  “Just through text,” Myanin whispered back. “But I was going to see if you could take me to the warlock queen’s mountain tonight. I will think of a false reason to go. Maybe make up something about the queen having inside information she wants to give us.”

  Tenia nodded. “We’ve been bringing in the future fodder vamps like good little soldiers. Surely, he has some trust in us.”

  “People in positions of power like Alston and Ludcarab do not trust anyone.”

  “Speak of the devil,” said Tenia.

  Myanin’s eyes narrowed as the two men they’d just mentioned came sauntering into the building.

  Tenia’s stomach rolled at the sight of them. Knowing that Alston held her in check because he could harm her son at any moment made her want to puke.

  “I won’t let that happen,” Skender’s voice filled her mind. This time her stomach did a flip for a different reason. Not because of anger or revulsion, but because her mate’s voice comforted her and filled her with desire at the same time. They were not two emotions that she’d ever have thought could be joined.

  “You have that look on your face again,” Myanin murmured.

  “What look?”

  “Like a cat who’s been having its belly rubbed and is feeling languid and liquidy.”

  Tenia’s mouth pinched at her friend's description. It was much too accurate and sounded a tad disturbing. She blanked her face, slamming her defenses back down. She tried to fortify the wall in her mind that she was constantly trying to keep erected between her and Skender. Most of the time, she failed miserably, especially when she was feeling emotional, which was all the damn time.

  “It’s my job to comfort you,” her mate told her. Apparently, her mental wall sucked pixie butts.

  “I thought you were trying to keep your distance," she challenged. Tenia watched Ludcarab and Alston make their way around the room, their eyes roving over the supernaturals that were training for war.

  "Believe me, that was my intention, but the pull between mates is strong—stronger than I could have ever imagined, even though I’ve seen it in others. I know you feel it, too." His words were laced with regret, and she could feel frustration rolling off him through their bond. Tenia wondered if he knew how much emotion he revealed through the mate bond, or if he was completely oblivious to it.

  "How is Torion?" she asked to change the subject.

  "He’s good. I do need to speak with you about him tonight if you have time." The hesitancy in his words concerned her.

  "About what?" She tried to keep the worry from her voice but knew she failed when she felt warmth wrap around her, as if he was draping her in the safety of a blanket to ward off a chill. It wasn’t a physical touch, but it seemed just as intimate.

  "It’s nothing bad," Skender assured her. "Just something that I want you to know, and I want you to find out through me, not someone else."

  Tenia glanced at the large clock on the far wall. It was just a little after noon which meant she had another eight to nine hours before she’d be able to meet up with Skender. “Just promise me that whatever it is, it means he’s safer than he was before he met you.”

  "I don’t know how many times I have to tell you, though I’m happy to do it until my dying breath. I would never in a million lifetimes hurt you or Torion." Tenia felt the truth of his words in her soul. Once again, she found herself pissed off that she had a mate she knew she could love and yet would not have the opportunity to experience that love with him.

  “Vipers headed our way,” Myanin’s voice was like a bucket of cold water being splashed on top of Tenia’s head. She snapped out of her focus on Skender and forced her eyes to look at the two approaching males—males who held her future in their hands.

  “Am I alone in fighting the urge to gut them like freshly killed hogs, knowing I’ll find pleasure in watching their entrails pour onto the ground?” Myanin placed her hand on the hilt of the dagger that rested in its sheath on her right hip.

  Tenia cleared her throat. She placed her hands behind her and squared her shoulders. “No, but perhaps it’s better if we don’t speak of your need for violence against viper one and viper two while in their presence, no matter how far away in the room they might be.”

  “I hate it when you’re sensible.”

  “So you’ve said many times.” Tenia tried not to smile.

  “We can’t both be sensible. That would make our friendship boring, and I don’t do boring.” The djinn's back straightened, and she shifted on her feet as Ludcarab and Alston finally made their way to where Tenia and Myanin stood. She whispered even softer, “And have I mentioned that I haven’t had cotton candy in two days, which is its own form of hell? And that’s saying something considering where we are.”

  “Hush,” Tenia bit out through her clenched teeth.

  “How are our two hardest workers?” Alston’s smile stretched too wide across his face, and his eyes gleamed with entirely too much joy for an ancient supernatural being who had a rotten soul and a rock for a heart.

  “Eager for more action,” Tenia answered before Myanin could open her mouth. There was no telling what the female would say.

  “I see our benevolence in allowing you time with your son has had the desired effect. I knew you’d eventually come around.” Ludcarab’s eyes bore into hers. Tenia wondered if he was trying to discern any deceit in her. She made sure her mask was firmly in place before she answered.

  “Perhaps being out around humans has made me realize that some of the Order’s beliefs do make a bit of sense, though there are still things I disagree with.” She kept her voice flat so as to reveal no emotion.

  “That’s fair.” Alston shrugged. “I don’t agree with everything Ludcarab thinks, and he certainly doesn’t agree with everything I think. Besides,” he added, “we can’t have our entire army made up of mindless soldiers who can’t think for themselves. That only goes so far on a battlefield.”

  She gave a sharp nod of agreement, but thought to herself, Riiiight. As long as thinking for themselves means agreeing that all humans must be enslaved.

  “I received a text from the warlock queen asking to meet with me,” Myanin said, her voice also void of any emotion.

  “Oh?” Alston’s brow rose as he looked at her with interest. “And did she happen to mention what she wanted to meet with you about?”

  “No.” Myanin shook her head once. “Because it would be foolish of her to disclose sensitive information on a device that can be, what do you call it—” She glanced at Tenia.

  “Hacked,” Tenia provided.

  Myanin nodded. “Yes, that. All she said was that she wanted to speak with me, and could I make that happen without arousing suspicions.”

  Tenia held her breath as she waited to see what the two men would decide. If they tried to send another fae with her instead of Tenia, things could get messy.

  “Of course,” said Alson. “Tenia will accompany you—”

  Tenia released a breath she hoped the two Order leaders didn’t notice.

  "—along with another fae,” Ludcarab added. Tenia sucked the breath back in. If Ludcarab saw it, or if he saw the sharp look Alston gave him, he didn’t show it.

  Myanin shifted on her feet and crossed her arms in front of her. “Bringing someone new along would be a dumb as—”

  “She means it would not be prudent,” Tenia interrupted. “The queen might feel threatened if someone new shows up when she is only expecting Myanin and myself. She is unlikely to reveal anything at that point.”

  “He won’t go into the warlock mountain,” Ludcarab practically growled, his irritation with them—or maybe it was Alston—evident in the cruel slant of his mouth. “He will remain in the woods. He can cloak his presence. Then he will return Myanin.”

  Tenia frowned and started to ask why the other fae would be the one returning the djinn, but Ludcarab held up his hand. “You will drop Myanin off, then you will pretend your phone has vibrated with a message that requires you to leave her.”

  “Might I ask what this message refers to?” Tenia tried to keep from clenching her jaw, but it was difficult. She knew she wouldn’t actually have to make up the whole message scenario, considering that she wasn’t truly a spy for the Order.

  “We have some new recruits, not of the vampire variety, who need a little persuading toward our cause,” the elf king explained. His eyes danced with a sudden wicked delight that made bile rise up in her throat.

  “And after you deal with that,” Alston added, “I have some things I need to speak with you about.”

  Tenia did not like the sound of that. There was something in Alston’s tone that set her teeth on edge. “Very well.” Tenia gave a sharp nod. “Who is the fae that will accompany us?”

  Just as Ludcarab opened his mouth, Trigger, the male fae who’d joined them on their vampire gathering excursions, appeared.

  Myanin opened her mouth in what Tenia was sure would be a protest so she jabbed her elbow into the djinn’s rib.

  “Trigger will accompany you.” The elf king motioned to the fae male as if they wouldn’t know who he was talking about. “Myanin, you two swap contact information so that you can text him when you are ready to return.”

  Myanin held out her hand to the male and glared at him as if he was a bug that was annoying the hell out of her. Trigger smacked his phone into her hand. Tenia watched as Myanin fumbled around trying to figure out where the contact information went. Just when Tenia was about to snatch the phone away and do it herself, Myanin managed to input her info and send herself a text from his phone. She quickly tossed it back to him, and Tenia didn’t miss the smirk Myanin gave him when he fumbled to catch the device.

  “Leave now,” Ludcarab said, then looked at Tenia. “After you two reach the warlock queen, give yourself a few minutes, then make your excuse and meet me in building four.”

  She kept her face blank, but the fact that he wanted her to meet him in building four made her nervous. They’d put a null spell on that building to keep something inside contained. Whoever or whatever it was, it was powerful.

  Tenia grabbed Myanin and Trigger by the arms. Without another word, she flashed them from the building. They reappeared in the forest, roughly two miles from the warlock mountain. She rounded on Trigger and pointed a finger at him, narrowing her eyes. “Do not screw this up by doing something stupid. If you try and pull off a stunt to impress Ludcarab or Alston, I’ll get you.”

  “For someone who is supposed to be on the same side as I am, that sounded awfully close to a threat,” Trigger said coolly.

  “It didn’t sound like a threat,” Tenia hissed. “It was a threat.”

  “She’s right,” Myanin added. “We’ve got an in with the warlock queen. We can’t let her become suspicious of our motives. The slightest change in our behavior could cause her to cut ties with us. Do not get in our way. It won’t end well for you.”

  Trigger looked back and forth between them and then shrugged. “I’ve no reason to try and impress the Order leaders. They already know where my loyalty lies. There’s no suspicion of my motivations. Can the same be said for you two?”

  Myanin started to move toward him, but Tenia shook her head at her hot-tempered friend. “Let’s go.” She flashed them to the front of the mountain, and then Myanin sent Lilly a quick text. The djinn’s phone vibrated less than a minute later.

  “She said to come to her chamber,” Myanin said.

  When they appeared in the warlock queen’s suite, Tenia did a quick sweep of the room. Not because she didn’t trust Lilly, but because Ludcarab and Alston had both requested her presence. She was suddenly feeling very paranoid.

  “Gerick is on his way,” Lilly said in lieu of a hello. She turned to Tenia and her brow drew down in a deep V. “What’s happened?”

  Tenia didn’t want to worry Lilly. She already had enough on her plate, but she could tell by the determined gleam in the queen’s eyes that she wasn’t going to get out of giving her an answer.

  “She’s got male problems,” Myanin said before Tenia could answer.

  “Skender?” Lilly asked, her voice softer and filled with understanding.

  “Yes, but also Ludcarab and Alston.” Tenia quickly explained what the elf king and high fae had told her.

  “If your son wasn’t there, I wouldn’t let you go back.” Lilly’s hands rested on her hips as she tapped her foot. “I don’t like it. What is it that Ludcarab expects you to do with these newly acquired supernaturals?”

  “If I had time, I’d fill you in,” Tenia said honestly. “But I need to get back so they don’t get suspicious.”

  Lilly walked over and gave her a tight hug. “You take care of yourself and your son. And let Skender help.” Lilly pulled back and put her hands on Tenia’s shoulders, giving them a firm squeeze. “His past is abhorrent. But he is your true mate, and he will not let anything happen to you or Torion. For now, that’s just going to have to be the way it is. You can decide later, when everything has settled down, whether or not a relationship with Skender is worth fighting for. Because Tenia”—Lilly gave her a little shake—“that’s what you will be doing if you choose him. You will have to fight to keep him.”