“Exactly,” she blurted. “That’s why—”

  “It can also,” he interrupted, “cause damage to those who could use that knowledge to their own gain.”

  Nissa opened her mouth to speak again, but Anuva held up a hand. “There are some things, Nissa of the high fae, that are not for everyone to know. This is true, despite your involvement in the record of it. Your kind and mine are long-lived, and sometimes forgetting is the safest thing for us all.”

  The fae female felt as if someone had punched her in the gut. It was clear the djinn would not be swayed. He wasn’t going to tell her anything. Tears of frustration and anger formed in her eyes, but Nissa clenched her jaw and blinked them away. She suddenly felt as if a part of her would always be missing if she didn’t find out what happened to her and Peri.

  Nissa pushed up from the table and straightened her long silver gown. She kept her mouth closed until she was sure that she wouldn’t say something disrespectful. It wouldn’t do to insult the djinn. There was nothing she could do to force him, and one simply didn’t go around provoking all-powerful beings, regardless of how angry they might be.

  “Thank you for your time.” She locked down the whirlwind of emotions raging within her. “Please understand before I depart that I disagree with your assessment, and I leave this place without a boon that you could have provided.”

  The djinn stood and bowed his head to her. “I am sorry that I cannot give you the knowledge you think you need. But I assure you, only pain would come from it.”

  Nissa breathed out and made a growling sound in her throat. “The avoidance of pain has never been something that guided my steps, Knowing One. I am led by my convictions about what is right and wrong.”

  “I am aware.” A small smile formed on his lips. She heard respect in his tone, but that didn’t blunt the sting of his refusal. “The integrity you have shown in your life shadows your steps. Take solace from this. The information you seek forms the beginning of the noble person you have become.”

  Nissa flashed before her emotions could get the better of her. Far from providing solace, the djinn’s final words had only fueled her desire to uncover her lost memories. If she’d stayed around any longer, that so-called nobility would have become a thing of the past. She didn’t want to lash out at the djinn who was simply doing his job. For all she knew, he might have been commanded by the Great Luna herself to keep the information secret.

  She reappeared in front of the sprite compound but stood in the shadows as she gathered her composure. For now, she would have to accept Anuva’s decision. Perhaps after they’d dealt with their current threats, with Peri’s help, she could attempt to access her memories. She couldn’t just let it go, no matter what the djinn said. Nissa had to know why she and Peri had been saved and by which draheim. And more importantly, she needed to know why the memories had been hidden in the first place.

  “You’re avoiding talking to me.” Decebel closed the door to the playroom, where all the kids were safely tucked away with Rachel and Gavril. He and Jen had been spending time with Thia before they would have to go their separate ways on missions from which they might not return.

  Damn, I’m just a ball of warm, fuzzy thoughts. Jen mentally growled at herself. One second, she was elated that she’s pregnant. And then in the same damn breath, it was as if someone had ripped all the happiness from her world, and it would never return. She never felt like this when she was pregnant with Thia, at least not that she remembered. Granted, during her pregnancy with Thia they had been in the middle of a different crisis, but then when were they not? Maybe she had been too distracted to realize that she was a walking emotional hurricane.

  “I’m talking to you right now, B.” She walked toward the great hall, which would lead to the doors to take them outside of the sprite compound. “So how can I be avoiding it?”

  He sighed. “Don’t be obtuse, Jennifer.”

  Jen felt his frustration through their bond, but that wasn’t all she sensed. There was also excitement, joy, and love. Her mate wasn’t just happy she was pregnant; he was ecstatic. It was practically suffocating her.

  “I’m suffocating you?” His voice sounded hurt, and Jen cursed herself for not censoring her thoughts.

  “No, I didn’t mean it like that. I’m just feeling a little overwhelmed.”

  “Maybe you should stay here and guard the children. Not because I don’t think you can’t handle yourself—” he started, but Jen turned and held up her hand.

  “I understand what you’re saying, Dec, and I’m sorry you feel the need to walk on eggshells because of my reaction the last time you suggested I stay.” She stopped walking, closed her eyes, took a deep breath, then opened them and met her mate’s amber gaze. “I love you. And I am so excited that we’re going to have another hellion to turn loose in this jacked-up world. But I need to do this. I have a gut feeling that I need to be there with Jacque.”

  He stared at her, his eyes searching her face even as his mind looked into hers. Jen left the bond completely open, allowing him to feel everything she felt. “Okay.” He reached for her and pulled her tightly to his body. “I love you so damn much.”

  Her lips turned up in a small smile. “I know you do. You tell me every five seconds.”

  Decebel chuckled. “You’d complain if I didn’t.”

  Jen patted his chest. “Yep.” She pulled back and lifted her face to his. He leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. She sighed and soaked up the adoration she felt from him. One of his arms released her, and his hand rested against her stomach. It reminded her of when she’d been pregnant with Thia. He had loved to touch her stomach and press his ear against it to listen to their daughter’s heartbeat.

  “And I do again,” Decebel said through their bond. He dropped to his knee and pressed his ear to her abdomen. Jen ran her fingers through his hair, and he hummed.

  “He’s got a strong heartbeat.”

  “Psht,” Jen huffed. “Already wishing for a boy?”

  He turned and pressed his lips against her stomach, and then stood. “There is no way I can handle another female, mate. If this little one isn’t a boy, I will happily live in a doghouse.”

  “Ha … ha … ha,” she deadpanned. She saw the playfulness on his handsome face, and her heart felt lighter. “You have to be able to put a doghouse together before you can live in one.”

  A smirk appeared on his face, and his eyes danced with a wicked gleam. The same gleam that had put Jen in her current condition—with a furry bun in the oven. “Has it been too long since I span—”

  “Nope.” She pressed a hand to his lips. “No dirty talk around the bean.” She pointed at her stomach with her free hand. “We didn’t censor ourselves while we were pregnant with Thia. I think that’s why she’s such a nut.” She tilted her head and screwed up her face. “A nut I love, of course. But a nut, nonetheless.”

  “Are you sure it’s not just your genetics?”

  “Who wants a spanking now?” She pushed him away with a laugh at his rumbling growl.

  She started off again and picked up her pace as she heard him pursuing. She felt Dec’s eagerness to catch her through their bond. As they reached the outer doors, he scooped Jen up in his arms, and she let out a ridiculously girly scream, which was cut off by his lips against hers.

  “Glad to see you two are attempting to rip each other’s clothes off in public again.” Jen heard Jacque’s voice. “Oddly enough, I find this more comforting than when Jen is shoving your hands away, Decebel.”

  “Don’t be jealous, Red.” Jen pushed at Dec’s chest until he finally put her down. “I’ll totally tell you the secrets to getting yourself knocked up again, and it doesn’t even have to include public relations.”

  “Why do I feel like she’s not talking about the PR that involves improving communications between species?” Sally stepped outside with Costin at her side.

  “Because she doesn’t know what kind of PR that is,” Crina answered.

  Jen snorted. “I have obviously trained you all too well in the art of sarcasm. Remind me to knock you off your high horses when we get back.”

  “You can try.” Zara joined the group.

  Wadim gave his mate’s butt a pat and grinned. “Only if I get to watch.”

  “Perv,” Jen muttered.

  “Takes one to know one.” Wadim winked.

  “Quit winking at my mate, history boy,” Decebel grumbled.

  The history boy in question groaned. “Bloody hell, here we go with the ridiculous possessiveness. It gets worse when his woman is pregnant. He’s going to be insufferable for the next six months or so.”

  “You’ll survive.” Fane strode out into the middle of the group gathered on the lawn of the sprite compound.

  “I need all the fae who are transporting to step forward.” Fane’s voice rose, so that everyone stopped talking and turned to face him.

  A host of fae stepped toward Fane, including Peri, Elle, Cyn, Adam, Disir, Dain, and, to Jen’s surprise, Nissa.

  The alpha looked at Nissa and gave her a nod. “All is well?”

  Nissa’s features were tight, but she returned the nod. “For now.”

  Jen didn’t believe the fae for a second. Nissa never looked anything but calm, but Jen could see the storm brewing in the high fae’s eyes.

  Fane stared at her for several seconds, as if he, too, could sense that something wasn’t right with the female, but then he turned back to the group. “Cyn, can you take my mate and her group to meet with Cain?”

  “Of course,” Cyn said. Thalion glanced down at his mate, and Jen saw something intimate and full of meaning pass between them. It was a look that she had seen on Decebel’s face many times when they’d parted ways, and she would no doubt see it today as well.

  “The others will flash the rest of us to Alston’s mountain,” Fane said, drawing Jen’s attention back.

  She felt Decebel’s hand rest on her back and then ball her shirt in his fist as if he dreaded being separated from her. “I’ll be fine, B,” she assured him. “You just make sure your fine ass doesn’t get injured.”

  “What about the rest of me?” he teased. “You don’t care if other body parts are damaged?”

  She turned to look up at him and raised a brow. “You know damn well that if you come back with so much as a scratch on you that I will be very put out.”

  “Does that mean you will destroy more of my clothes?”

  “Ugh.” She groaned out loud. “You’re never going to let me live that down.”

  “Nope.” He tilted her chin up and kissed her deeply, his taste invading her mouth as every nerve in her body lit up like live wires. He didn’t play fair. “Stay safe,” he murmured against her lips and smacked her butt hard.

  “You remember that I like to retaliate, right?”

  “I’m counting on it, baby.” Dec marched off toward Adam, where the fae stood surrounded by several other wolves, their hands resting on his shoulders and arms.

  Jen laughed and walked over to Cyn, feeling much more at ease than she had been less than an hour ago. Now, if only she could keep this feeling at the forefront and keep the negative ones from taking over her sanity.

  Adam landed them in the forest directly in front of Alston’s mountain. Fane crouched and began scanning the area. The other fae appeared within a few seconds, and the attackers spread out in an arc in front of the mouth of the stronghold, which didn’t seem to be sealed or guarded. Fane found this curious, as Alston was likely expecting an attack, and the fae knew that Fane had captured three of his people. But Alston couldn’t know whether his lost warriors would spill any of the compound’s secrets. So the high fae must be confident in his forces.

  Fane kept his voice at a normal speaking tone. Every one of his people had supernatural hearing and there was no need for loud commands. “Remember, clean kills. No survivors.” With that, he signaled Thalion and the elves to send up arrows toward the mountain. Rushing forward was futile; they would only be ambushed by Alston’s hidden army. As Fane expected they would, the enemy returned fire. Fane cataloged the width of the attack and motioned with his hands for his people to spread out even wider. The enemy fae gave away their positions by gathering power. He saw balls of light fill their hands as they readied themselves to attack. Fane didn’t see or hear anyone give a signal to attack, but suddenly, a loud roar filled the night. The enemy supernaturals from the mountain rushed at their attackers from all directions. Some spilled from the entrance of the stronghold while others rushed out of caves and crags within the mountain itself. They came barreling down the face of the mountain toward Fane and his allies. Still more appeared in the surrounding forest.

  Fane turned when he heard rustling behind him. “Back to back,” he yelled. He began stepping backward, glancing over his shoulder to make sure the others had obeyed. All of his pack—fae, elves, wolves, and djinn—now had their backs turned, forming a circle facing outward.

  He heard arrows whipping through the sky. “We got you covered,” Adam hollered. Fane saw an arrow fall to the ground at his feet. His fae were ensuring the flying objects wouldn’t strike true. Good job. Then Fane’s first opponent reached him. The wolf within the alpha snarled, and Fane’s fingers phased to claws while his canines lengthened. Fane’s body grew larger, though he did not allow his wolf to complete the phase. His attacker wasn’t a wolf or fae. It was a troll. The creature reached him and swung a huge club at Fane’s head. But the monster was entirely too slow. Fane ducked and whipped his arm up, slashing across the troll’s face. It flayed open in a gory mess. The alpha didn’t stop until the troll lay still at his feet. As soon as that enemy quit twitching, another took his place.

  How long Fane fought, he couldn’t say. But one by one, he took down fae, elf, and troll. Few could even scratch him, much less land any significant blow. He saw no wolves fighting on Alston’s side and wondered about their absence. But he didn’t have time to stop and consider the implications. He kept fighting, and soon bodies were piled on the ground around him. A fae fell before him, and Fane waited for the next attack to come. But as he snarled and prepared himself, he realized there was no one left. The forest had gone quiet, and he was mostly alone. Fane heard the sounds of battle coming from closer to the stronghold entrance.

  He turned and saw that some of his pack had pursued the retreating supernaturals. He took off at a run, jumping over fallen foes and trusting the fae to keep any sharp objects from hitting his person. When he reached the mouth of the cave, he called to his warriors. “Stop!” All of his pack halted and formed up beside him.

  “Peri,” Fane said.

  She threw out several balls of light, and the other fae did as well, lighting up the interior of the cave within. He saw tunnels leading in all directions.

  “Well, that won’t make this difficult or dangerous at all,” Adam said dryly.

  “Scared?” Drake taunted.

  “You wish.”

  Fane ignored their banter. If it helped them keep calm and focus, then they could go at it all they wanted. “Group yourselves up and divide the races among each squad as evenly as possible. It will take all of our power working together to keep us safe.” They immediately moved to do as he commanded.

  Peri, Lucian, Thalion, and Synica, the djinn elder, joined him. Fane glanced around quickly. When he saw everyone had organized themselves, he started forward. He marched straight ahead to the center tunnel.

  Peri hurried in front of him, but he didn’t take offense. She had the power to put a protection spell around them. He’d be foolish not to utilize his people’s abilities because of pride.

  The glow from Peri’s hands lit the tunnel in front of them, giving them about ten feet of visibility. She sent out more balls of light, illuminating the darkness farther down. Fane saw nothing but the rocky passage ahead. So far, the tunnels were quiet, but Fane felt Alston would suddenly appear at any second and say, “Boo.” Probably because it’s what he imagined Peri would do.

  As they continued forward, the tunnel branched, and then side passages and other alcoves began appearing.

  “Adam was right.” Peri’s head swiveled from side to side. “This won’t be difficult or dangerous at all. In fact, it’s getting easier by the second.”

  “That’s sarcasm, right?”

  Peri glanced at Synica, the djinn elder. Fane could tell that she wanted to say something snarky. “Yes. That is sarcasm.”

  The high fae’s self-control impressed Fane. Usually, she wouldn’t have passed up an opportunity to give someone a hard time, especially one that was ignorant of human vernacular.

  They passed several more tunnels before Fane finally stopped and sighed. “We’re just going to have to bite the bullet and go down one of these.” He motioned around to the other openings. Then he took a deep breath through his nose to see if there was a scent that would give him some sort of clue. Fane turned his head, leaning first to his left and then to his right. He took a step forward and took another breath. His wolf’s attention snapped to the tunnel right beside him. The smell of fae magic is strong down that way, his wolf told him. Fane nodded. “This way. My wolf has picked up on something.”

  Peri stepped forward and led them into the dark. She put out more balls of light, revealing a long corridor. The deeper in they moved, the stronger the smell of magic became.

  “I can feel it. It’s definitely Alston.” Peri picked up the pace until they were jogging. The tunnel was narrow, forcing them to march single file. Doing so made Fane uneasy. He didn’t want to be in such a vulnerable position if they were attacked.

  A few paces later, cool air hit Fane’s face. Peri held up a hand, and they came to a halt. She sent a ball of light ahead, and Fane could see the tunnel opened up into a large, circular room. They inched forward, cautious of an ambush. In the center of the room, Fane turned in a quick circle. The others fanned out and did the same. It looked to be sleeping quarters. There was a bed on one side of the circle and next to it a bedside table. A wardrobe rested several feet from them, and around the room were bookshelves that appeared carved into the walls. The ceiling was at least twelve feet tall, and the shelves ran almost to the top.