Page 65 of Red

Why would this female suddenly appear walking around during the night, claiming to have knowledge to bring down the Order? It seemed a little too coincidental. The female sighed and pushed back her hood showing her rounded face and long length of brown hair.

“I know you have no reason to trust me, and I know how this looks, but I swear this isn’t a trick. My cousin needs your help and I know Cyrus, he will want this opportunity to fuck over the Order. This is it—this is his one real shot tomorrow night. My cousin is being forced into marriage with the First Elite and he will use her to cement his hold on this city. I know you do not want that. Cyrus definitely does not want that. I do not want that. Furthermore, I want to get my cousin back to her true family.”

“What is your cousin’s name?” he inquired, pushing down the hope that threatened to rise in his chest.

She hesitated as if she wasn’t sure if she trusted him, at last she said the one word that brought him to life after days of living in a half-death. “Arie.”

“Arie,” he groaned. He could have wept.

“You know my cousin?” she asked.

“Yes.” Hoping she wouldn’t be too frightened, especially with the terrible scars running down the side of his face, he moved out of the bushes and stood at his full height. Her mouth dropped open and she pressed a fist against her chest, but she didn’t scream. She drew in a harsh breath.

“Ragoru. Are you… are you one of Arie’s mates?”

“I am. I am Kyx.”

Her eyes filled with tears. “Oh, my Blessed Mother, Arie thinks you are dead! I don’t think there has been one day I have passed in her company that she hasn’t wept for you.” She pressed her hand against her mouth, blinking up at him as if she were seeing a marvel.

Kyx shifted uncomfortably, knowing that the lamps had revealed the scars on the side of his face, matched only by the other scars on his chest and belly. He knew he was a terrible sight. He didn’t understand why she wasn’t afraid of him. Instead, she had that look similar to one Arie would get when she was about to hug him. He cleared his throat and focused on her, his hand raking through his mane with the frustration that seethed within him.

“You will take me to my mate, immediately,” he demanded, knowing that Rager wouldn’t like it in the least that he went after her without them. At that moment, he didn’t particularly care. Unfortunately, the female shared more than one trait with her cousin. Her jaw stiffened stubbornly despite the pity in her eyes.

“I am sorry. I can’t. I must see the Master of the Guild. It is too important.”

“Nothing is more important to me than getting my mate back,” he snapped, affronted by the suggestion that something else must take priority.

She shook her head regretfully. “I understand why you think that, and believe me, being reunited with you is Arie’s priority, too, but she also understands the necessity of this. There is too much at stake to lose this moment now. We must utilize it to strike the Order from power. I’m sorry but I will say no more until you have taken me to Cyrus.”

Kyx gritted his teeth and paced the small stretch of grass in front of her. He wanted to snatch her up and demand she show him where his mate was hidden, but if Arie was in agreement with her cousin, he was reluctant to go against her wishes. Although their territory was far from the reach of the Order, it wasn’t unheard of for huntsmen to make it that far. He couldn’t deny that striking down the Order made sense if they had the opportunity. While it wouldn’t guarantee that they would never have problems with vigilante humans again, it would have far-reaching effects. He huffed with irritation, but his decision was made. He didn’t like it and was certain Warol was going to want to beat him once he found out, but when it came to the Order, it concerned all of them.

“Very well. I will need to carry you… unless you are proficient at making your way over the roofs,” he added at her obvious reluctance.

“Ah, no. I’m afraid scaling buildings is not in my skillset,” she replied, a faint smile pulling at her mouth.

He opened his four arms. “Come on, then. The sooner we can get to the Court of the Thieves Guild, the sooner I can get my mate back.” At her fearful look, his expression went soft. “Do not worry. I have carried Arie over long distances. I will not drop you.”

“I am a bit heavier than Arie,” she muttered irritably, making him grin.

“You are small, human. It will be of no effort at all. No harm will come to you while we travel—I swear it.”

Just as he thought she was going to refuse, she surprised him by stepping within his reach of and lifting her arms away from her body. Pleased with her show of trust, he snapped his lower arms around her and lifted her high against his chest. She squeaked in alarm, fingers clenching into his fur.

“Hold tight,” he said with a laugh as he vaulted up, his upper arms reaching for the nearest handhold of the large building.

“I can’t believe we are climbing on the temple of the Mother,” she said. “The priests would be certain to have a heart attack if they saw such disrespect.” Despite her words there was laughter in her voice.

“What is a temple?” he whispered as he leaped to a higher tower, angling his body to leap across the short expanse to one of the nearby buildings.

“It is the holy house of the Mother.” For a moment, he had an attack of conscience. He was climbing on a sacred place? She must have noted the panic in his stillness and the way he dropped his head with uncertainty because she giggled.

“I doubt the Mother will care if it is the safest way to accomplish our means.”

“Ah, yes, that makes sense,” Kyx murmured as he shifted, his muscles tensing for his running jump. Her fingers clenched tighter, pulling the fur almost painfully.

“Oh, Blessed Mother,” she whispered.

He gave her a comforting pat and rushed forward, picking up speed so when he leaped, he sailed easily over the street, his upper arms outstretched. She buried her face against him to muffle a shriek, but within seconds they landed with a hard jolt. She muttered an oath and a sharp rebuke following their landing that made him grin, but he continued to the next roof, never slowing his pace. He was surprised that not once, during their winding race over the rooftops, did she risk glancing up from the thick fur of his scruff. She seemed content to pray and trust him to deliver her safely to the Court.

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