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“They gave me a shifter sedative and I can’t access my magic.”
Growling, he picked me up and held me close against his chest. “Bastards. Did they say why they took you?”
I hid my face, pressing it against the side of his neck, inhaling deep draws of his scent, and whispered, “They were going to livestream killing me to prove their dedication and to try to convince others to join their cause.”
His hold on me tightened, he stopped walking, and after a moment, he rested his head against mine. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart.”
“Did you find her?” Riddick demanded as he ran down the hallway, sliding to a stop. He took in my appearance and frowned. “What’s wrong? Is she hurt?”
“Let’s go back to the hotel,” Caleb said. “We can talk more later.”
Riddick nodded, but it was obvious he wanted to ask us questions, to find out what had happened. Honestly, I didn’t really want to go over it right now. It hurt to be betrayed by people who had raised me, even though I knew they hadn’t loved me. Even though I knew they had abandoned me.
As we climbed into the SUV they had driven to what turned out to be a warehouse on the outskirts of the city, I stayed in Caleb’s arms, letting him hold me on his lap and provide a feeling of safety. Branson and Triston stayed quiet as we got in, but they all followed as we walked into the hotel.
“Will you stay in my room while you try to sleep?” Caleb asked. “It will make me feel better to see you. You know, alpha protection instincts?”
I nodded, not wanting to be alone at the moment anyway.
“Caleb?” Riddick asked softly.
Caleb growled softly at whatever Riddick wanted without answering. Or perhaps the growl had been his answer. He held me tightly all the way up to his hotel room and set me down gently on the bed. He squatted down so he could look into my eyes and rested his hands on my thighs. “Do you want to take a shower?”
I shook my head and looked around the large suite. I hadn’t realized that it was only us until now and felt bad I hadn’t thanked the others for coming to help rescue me as well. I’d do that later.
For now, I asked the question I’d been focused on the entire time, “How long until my magic is back?”
He frowned. “I’m not sure. Let me call someone.” He pulled out his phone and started to walk away, but I grabbed his hand.
Stopping, he backed up until he could sit on the bed beside me, draped an arm around my shoulders, and tucked me in against his side. Did he know I needed to feel safe, grounded right now?
“Nana?” he asked when a woman answered. “You know those shifter sedatives?” She shouted something and he pulled the phone away from his ear with a grimace. “Nana, calm down. No, I did not use one on myself to test my abilities and resistance. Geez, Nana. No, I just need to know, if a mage-shifter hybrid was injected with it, how long would it take for their magic to resurface?” Glancing down, he winked at me and for some reason the silly gesture relaxed me a bit.
It also made me realize that I was cuddled up with a prince, a man I barely knew, like a scared child. I was a damn adult, a powerful woman, and was acting a bit ridiculous.
And yet … I didn’t want to move. So, I didn’t.
“I don’t know how much she was given or how long she was asleep, but it’s been about two hours since she was given it. Yes, she’s fully awake.” He looked down again and asked, “Can you describe what it feels like when you try to access your magic?”
“Like there’s a wall or barrier preventing me from reaching it,” I answered and shuddered as I tried again and felt the same thing.
Caleb rubbed his hand up and down my arm. “You hear her?” He was quiet a long time before he said thank you and hung up. “She said you should be able to feel them again in about an hour, but not to worry if it takes two. It depends on how much they gave you and how powerful you are, so there are several variables we can’t ascertain right now.”
“I’m sorry to be clingy,” I said and started to shift away.
A gasp escaped as he pulled me into his lap and spun me around so that I was straddling him, facing him with my legs on either side of his body. “Ember, I understand you may not be used to relying on others, but please know that as an alpha, especially being your hybrid royal, it is my duty to provide you comfort and ensure you understand that you are safe.”
I smirked. “So, if there were another random female who was scared, you’d pull her into your lap right now, too?”
His lip twitched. “No, I’m not courting them.”
“So, it’s not so much that you’re an alpha or a royal, but that you are an alpha courting me that matters?” I clarified.
“Yes, and the fact that you were taken while under my protection, in my grandfather’s hotel.” He sighed dramatically and dropped his head forward so it rested on my shoulder. “What an absolute failure of a prince I am.”
“To be fair, didn’t your mother get kidnapped by a pizza delivery guy right in front of all of your fathers when they were courting?”
He threw his head back with laughter so hard that he fell onto his back on the bed, pulling me down with him. “You’re right! I’d forgotten that had happened to them.” He continued to laugh while rearranging me so that I lay on my side, nestled against him with my head on his chest. “Thank you, I needed that laugh.”
