“There are no questions,” Peri interrupted. “You’ve said enough.”

  “Why don’t you want to be found?” the draheim continued, showing no offense at Peri’s interruption.

  She sighed. “What part of ‘there are no questions’ did you not understand?”

  “The part where you forgot I could squash you like a bug if you get on my nerves by not answering my questions.”

  Peri laughed. It was something she would have said to one of her own annoying friends, some of whom were currently attempting to help her mate get into the draheim realm. Damn, I miss them. The part of Peri that had been cold, shielded in ice by her fear and anger, was thawing. And now the anguish of being separated from her family, her pack, settled into her bones and ached.

  “I’m just not ready,” Peri finally said. “Besides, Tenia, Skender, and Torion are safe here.”

  “I understand Tenia and Torion need to be protected from the Order. Tenia’s power is unique, which makes her valuable. But the wolf?” Serapha asked.

  Peri snatched the opportunity to change the subject. She began to relay to Serapha the story of Skender and his past. More than two hours later, the draheim up to speed, and Peri found herself wishing the wolf had done more stupid things so the story was longer. Night had fallen, and when she glanced over at Galan, she saw Torion was furled up against the adolescent draheim’s chest.

  “So you want Skender to stay here so that the people on the other side of our veil don’t kill him,” Serapha said.

  “Exactly.” Peri snapped her fingers at the draheim.

  “Do you think he should die for his crimes?”

  “Six months ago, I would have said absolutely,” Peri admitted. “But now”—she tilted her head back and looked up at the star-covered night sky—“I need to believe that even someone who’s made Skender’s choices can be shown mercy.”

  “We all make mistakes, Peri. That is simply the nature of an imperfect being. Some mistakes are greater than others. And the consequences are more dire. That does not mean that mercy can’t be granted. But you aren’t giving your family a chance to show you love and grace by hiding from them.”

  The draheim was right. Peri knew she had to face her mate and the rest of her pack. She took a deep breath and nodded. “One more day,” she said. “Just to let me gather myself and plan a way to keep Jen from killing Skender the minute she sees him.”

  “This Jen is a fierce warrior?” Serapha asked.

  Peri shrugged. “You could call her that. But those of us who know her call her batshit crazy. Most of the time, the two are indistinguishable.”

  Serapha’s gigantic head pulled back as she frowned. “I do not understand the human sayings. How can the droppings of an animal be mentally unstable?”

  “It’s better not to overthink anything the humans say.” Peri walked over to Torion and rested her hand on his shoulder. “It will start killing brain cells.” She flashed her and the boy to just outside the cave. Torion didn’t stir. He laid at her feet in the same position he’d been sleeping in when curled against Galan. “I hope you two are dressed,” she called out. “If I have to alter my memories to forget the sight of you two groping one another, I will be very put out.”

  A few seconds later, Tenia emerged from the rear of the cave. Thank the Great Luna she has clothes on.

  Tenia’s eyes dropped to her son. “I see that you’ve worn him out.”

  “Surprisingly, you are not worn out. Skender must be a lazy lover.” Peri clucked her tongue. “Strong intimacy is the backbone of any healthy relationship, Tenia. Don’t let him start out with mediocrity beneath the sheets. It will be all downhill from here.”

  Tenia’s eyes widened. “I don’t even know what to say to that.”

  “Sometimes ignoring her is the best response.” Skender marched past his mate and straight to Torion. He scooped the boy up and turned before walking briskly back the way he’d come.

  Tenia turned to follow Skender and glanced back over her shoulder. “Are you coming? Surely you need some sleep before we have a talk about our next move.”

  “I will be in shortly. Tomorrow we will have that talk, but tonight, we rest.”

  Tenia’s eyes softened. “By rest, you mean avoid the inevitable hell that’s going to break loose once we leave this realm?”

  Peri nodded. “Astute as ever, Tenia.”

  “I’ll agree to that,” Tenia said, surprising Peri. She was sure the fae would argue with her. “For Torion’s sake, we’ll have one more night.”

  Peri watched Tenia until the woman disappeared to the rear of the cave after her mate and child. Then Peri stood there for a good twenty minutes, arguing with her mate-starved soul. Her subconscious was giving voice to the part of her that was scared to move forward. Though Peri hated to admit it, she was frozen with fear—unable to go back and do things differently, yet unable to move forward and face the consequences of her actions.

  “Dammit.” She huffed and then flashed from the cave opening, reappearing in front of the draheim veil. She stared out at the group of supernaturals currently resting on the ground in various states of repose. Some sat. Some lay on their backs or their sides, but all looked exhausted.

  The image brought back so many memories of times she’d been in some forest or another with these very people, fighting the good fight, protecting those who need protecting, and yes, even attempting to break into closed veils. “My, how the mighty have fallen,” she whispered and snapped her fingers. A chair appeared next to her. Peri tucked her robes under her and took a seat, crossing one leg over the other. She leaned forward and rested her elbow on her knee. As her eyes ran over the group again, she realized Lucian was not among them. Peri’s heart clenched painfully in her chest. Her eyes were hungry for the sight of him, and yet he was nowhere to be seen. Had he tired of waiting? Had he given up on her?

  “Is this what the great Perizada has been reduced to?” Peri said to the empty forest around her. “Pining pitifully after friendships that I damaged and a mate that I pushed away?” She shook her head and closed her eyes. “Why am I so afraid?” The words stumbled from her lips, then she snorted. “And I’m talking to myself.” When she opened her eyes and looked at the veil again, Peri was startled to find Elle standing just on the other side, looking straight at the gateway. The fae’s brow drew into a deep V on her forehead. She appeared to be concentrating intensely. Peri knew Elle couldn’t see her. The ward she’d set on the veil was too strong for the younger fae to penetrate, not to mention Serapha had lent Peri some of the draheim realm’s magic to reinforce her own power. But her comrade still stood staring as if she could will her eyes to see beyond the magic.

  Movement behind Elle caused Peri’s eyes to shift. Jen stood up, her mouth moving as she walked toward Elle. She took up a place next to Peri’s longtime comrade and looked from Elle to the veil. Jacque was up next. She took a place on Elle’s other side. Jewel and Stella joined the women next. Then Peri watched as Anna took Heather’s hand and pulled her up from where she’d been sitting with her mate. They walked her over to the line of women standing in front of the veil.

  Peri gingerly pushed up from the chair, her movement hesitant. She watched the other women continue forward. Next came Myanin, Lilly, Jezebel, and, finally, Nissa. Eleven in all, standing mere inches from her, yet she felt as if a great chasm separated them. Each of these women held a special place in her heart. They’d been through the fire with her in one way or another. They’d forged unbreakable bonds because of the trials they’d faced together. Had she really thought about throwing that away? Before Vasile had sought her out several years ago, Peri had simply been an ambassador. She’d followed the Great Luna’s commands to keep communication open between the other supernatural races, though she specifically represented the wolves more often than not. She’d taken on the role, like the rest of her race, as the supernatural police. In some ways, both positions had set her apart and kept her from having any sort of deep friendships. But then something happened to change all that. The prince of the Romanian pack found his true mate. Their relationship seemed to be the catalyst for all that had followed in Peri’s life. Since then, Peri had been pulled into the fold of their pack, and they’d held onto her just as tightly as she’d held onto them.

  The ice that Peri had wrapped around her heart before she set the world on fire was gone. She was no longer protected from the painful emotions that came from caring for someone else. Seeing Elle, remembering the last words she’d said to the female fae, gutted Peri. And she deserved to feel every ounce of the pain because of the hurt she’d caused Elle and the others. Peri knew it had to happen. Like a physical wound needed to be debrided, washed, and bandaged, emotional wounds had to be purified through the process of confession, humility, and a willingness to accept one’s responsibility for the injury. Before this instant, she hadn’t been ready to let the process begin. Fear ruled her heart and kept her from being what the Great Luna called her to be. Now, standing before people she’d willingly die for, and who she knew would die for her in return… Maybe she was ready. She’d wasted enough time. Though the fear still held on tightly, her need to restore the broken relationships was stronger.

  “I can feel you, just on the other side. Either your shields are dropping, or you’re just getting old and tired.” Elle’s voice filled her mind through the unique bond that Peri had with each of the fae she’d commanded over the centuries.

  Peri’s throat threatened to close when she heard the familiar voice filled with worry. “You wish. I age like a fine wine. I get more delectable with time,” she said, easily falling back into the familiar banter they’d always shared.

  “Why are you over there?” Elle asked. “You can’t get on anyone’s nerves from the draheim realm. And as you can see, we desperately need entertainment.”

  Peri almost smiled.

  Elle turned her head slightly when Jen started speaking to her, though Peri couldn’t hear the blonde’s words. Elle nodded, and then Jen placed her hands on her hips and slowly turned her head back toward the veil. Apparently, Elle had shared the fact Peri was there. Jacque’s mouth moved next while she stared straight at the veil. One by one, each of their eyes widened at the revelation that Peri was just on the other side of the veil. Peri looked down the line again and frowned.

  “I’m sure Sally is safe with her mate in the sprite realm. But where is Kara?” Peri looked around the girls at the males behind them. “And where are the rest of the mates to these females? Where is Fane?” What had she missed? When Peri had delivered the message to the sprite realm, she’d hadn’t known why she was delivering the message, just that the Great Luna had commanded her to do it because her friends needed help. She’d seen Jacque lying in a bed, not looking her best, but she did not know what had happened to the female alpha, and she hadn’t allowed herself to dwell on it. Mostly because she’d been having her own pity party.

  Considering Jacque stood just feet away and looked healthy enough now, Peri assumed the fae stones had done whatever it was they’d been sent to do. But that didn’t explain Kara’s absence.

  Elle’s face darkened, and she folded her arms in front of her. “Kara has been taken by the Order. Fane is with Nick and some of the others as they hunt for her. I’ve been with them but came here after Fane asked me to check in on the group.”

  Peri’s stomach crashed to the ground. “Was she at the compound when I … when I destroyed it?”

  The high fae could actually read the profanity spewing from Elle’s lips. “We do not know. No one is exactly sure when she went missing.” It looked as if an idea struck Elle. She dropped her arms and took a step closer. “What about the message you delivered in the sprite realm? Wadim and Zara have been working on it constantly, trying to figure out what it means.”

  Peri’s mind pulled up the words that the Great Luna had given to her. “The fae stones heal, and they reveal,” she said to Elle. “When I showed up, there was something wrong with Jacque, right?”

  Elle nodded.

  “And the fae stones helped her heal?”

  Another nod.

  “And they traveled with me in order for me to reveal how they were needed.”

  “But what about the rest?” Elle asked. “The prodigal is returning, and a new son will join your ranks. Evil will think it has prevailed, but hope will be born from the supposed triumph.”

  Peri knew exactly who the prodigal was, but she wasn’t sure now was the best time to mention Skender’s name. As for the “new son,” there was only one son that she could think of that now had ties to their pack: Torion.

  “Peri?” Elle’s voice interrupted her thoughts.

  “I have some theories, but I don’t want to throw them out there just yet. I think I need to right some wrongs before we can move forward.”

  Elle’s eyes softened, and she bowed her head to Peri.

  “I will return in the morning,” Peri told her. “Then I will open the veil.” Peri’s head snapped to the side just as Lilly suddenly dropped to the ground. Peri raised her hand, but before she could utter a word, Elle spoke again, her words issuing with an urgency Peri could practically feel.

  “Lilly says do not open the veil. She said it’s not time.”

  “Not time for what?” Peri’s hands itched to remove the boundary between her and the warlock queen who was currently in Jacque’s arms on the ground.

  “You know it doesn’t work like that.” Elle sounded weary. “She can only tell you what is permitted, and she might not even know why she’s giving you the message, only that she’s been prompted to do so.”

  Peri took a step back and crossed her arms in front of her chest, hoping it would keep her from denying Lilly’s order. If the warlock queen said it wasn’t time, then it wasn’t time. She watched as they raised Lilly back to her feet. The warlock queen took several deep breaths. Her mouth moved as she spoke to Elle, and then the fae turned back to Peri.

  “She said all she knows is that if you come out too soon, the knowledge will be lost. Timing is everything. There will be beauty from ashes. It must happen this way.”

  Peri wouldn’t lie and say she understood or that she was okay with waiting. Mostly, waiting sucked. But she’d been alive long enough to know that not waiting until the right time for the Great Luna’s plan had dire consequences. Hence the position she found herself in currently.

  “How long do I need to wait?”

  Elle turned back to Lilly, presumably to ask the queen Peri’s question.

  “Lilly says you will know when it’s time.”

  “Fabulous,” she muttered under her breath. She glanced around the group one more time, but still didn’t see her wolf. “I will check back in tomorrow,” Peri told Elle.

  “Stay safe, Perizada. I love you. But don’t think that doesn’t mean I’m not going to kick your ass for being a butthead.”

  Peri did smile that time. “I look forward to it.” She glanced one more time at the people who’d shown up to get her back. They’d come because they cared. Despite what she’d done and the mistakes she’d made, her friends had shown up. Peri sent her thanks to the Great Luna for such an amazing family and then flashed back to the cave.

  When she rounded the rocky outcropping that gave the group privacy from the entrance, she found Tenia and Torion curled up together on the pallet bed, sound asleep. Skender sat next to them, staring at the dancing flames of the fire, his expression forlorn.

  “You’ve found your true mate. She’s forgiven you for all your crap. You’ve completed the Blood Rites. And you’ve inherited an amazing fae son.” Peri took a seat across from him. “So, why, pray tell, do you look like someone just drowned your favorite kitten?”

  Skender continued to stare at the fire. His legs were drawn up close to his chest, and his forearms rested on his knees. Peri noticed his shoulders were coiled with tension, as if he might need to jump up at any moment to protect his mate and child. After several moments, he finally answered. “I wasn’t going to allow myself to claim her,” he said, his voice deep but soft, as if to keep from waking Tenia and Torion. “She deserves better than the likes of me. But she wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

  “Tenia is no spring maiden. She’s a grown woman who has lived a very long time.” Peri leaned back against the cave wall. “She’s capable of making her own choices. Not to mention, considering it affects both of you, she should have a say in the decision.”

  Skender’s eyes left the fire and met hers. “Are you seriously lecturing me about my relationship with my mate?” There was humor in his voice, not condescension. “Considering you’re here and not with your mate, where you should be.”

  Peri smirked. “Ironic, isn’t it?”

  “It just goes to show that no matter how ‘put together’ someone’s relationship looks on the outside, that doesn’t mean it isn’t a complete mess on the inside.” Skender sighed and glanced over at his mate and child. “I thought you and Lucian were solid.”

  “And how would you know?” Peri asked. “You were too busy betraying us. It’s not like you had ample time to sit around and chat with us over coffee.”

  “True. I suppose I just thought that true mates always just worked, no matter what.”

  “Nothing just works, Skender. Everything takes work. No matter the type of relationship, soul mates or not, any union takes two individuals willing to put aside their own wants and needs for the other. It takes sacrifice, and that sacrifice makes you very vulnerable. I don’t think any being, human or supernatural, wants to feel vulnerable.” Peri’s words weren’t just for Skender’s ears. They were for her own as well. “Vulnerability opens you up to the possibility of pain, and pain is something most people avoid at all costs, regardless of whether it’s emotional or physical.”

  “Is that what happened to you?”

  Peri found her mouth suddenly dry, and it was difficult to swallow. She cleared her throat. “In my long existence, I have never experienced the kind of pain I felt when Vasile and Alina died. And for a time, all I wanted was to make sure I never felt that kind of pain again.” As the agonizing memories emerged, Peri didn’t try to stop them. Instead, she let them play like a movie in her head, a horrible, tragic, gut-wrenching movie. She knew that if she didn’t let them out, healing would never begin.