AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’ve sent for the prince. He will be down to receive you momentarily.”
I turn to look at the guard who spoke. He’s not one of the two who led us here. He stands closest to the castle, guarding what appears to be a hall I can only assume will lead inside if it requires a guard.
“I don’t give a fuck about the prince. Where is Serena?”
I grab Storm’s arm at the last second, hauling him backward before he can get in the guard’s face or worse.
So much for him being calmer.
The guard who spoke looks at me, his face void of emotion, but his eyes tell me I better keep him in check.
Usually, I wouldn’t care about Storm rushing in half-cocked, not with our power levels. But we’re not in our realm anymore, and we have no idea what anyone here is capable of. Until we do, it’s probably best not to test our luck, especially when they have not only Serena but Sol somewhere inside that castle. The last thing we need is more problems right now.
“Bring me to my mate!” Storm demands as he tries to yank free of my hold, clearly not giving a shit about what attacking one of their guards might do.
“I have no idea who you’re referring to,” the guard says, sounding bored.
Storm growls and curses, and I take a second to look around a little better, unwilling to waste my breath when I know he won’t hear me right now. He’s better off wearing himself out.
Though all the guards wear armor, it’s not exactly what I would have thought. When I think of guards to a royal family, my brain goes to medieval times, with full suits of metal armor, helmets, and weapons, mainly swords.
None of them have full armor. Some wear breastplates; others have plates and arm guards. As far as I can see, none of them has a weapon on them. They all wear high boots and have gold cloaks underneath, except one.
Of all the guards in the garden, the asshole at the castle entrance is the only one who appears slightly different from the others. Whereas everyone else’s cloaks are gold, his is a deep red. In place of a helmet, he has a hood that is pulled up and rests on his head. It reminds me a lot of an assassin’s hood, the way it billows out, resting on his shoulders.
Between that and the fact that none of the others have said a word since we arrived, I’d bet he’s the highest rank, at least here.
Storm doesn’t seem to give a shit what rank he is or how far up shit creek we might be if he tears this guy apart.
Movement over the guard’s shoulder pulls my attention, and I see Garrett jogging down the hall toward us. For the first time since we’ve met him, I think the guys are grateful to see him. It’s kind of strange.
“Where is she?” Storm demands even before Garrett is entirely in the garden. I drop his arm, letting him run toward Garrett. He makes it maybe three steps before the asshole guard is there, blocking his path.
I thank the gods that Storm’s element is water and not fire, or the poor guy might have ended up barbecued. Storm doesn’t stop walking, unfazed by the guard's attempt to block him. Instead, he pushes forward until they stand chest to chest.
I hadn’t noticed until now, but Storm stands just a few inches taller than him, leaving him looking down at the guard. He seems to realize it, too, as a wicked grin curves his lips into a mocking smile.
“Nero, stand down,” Garrett says, his voice ringing with authority. It’s a far cry from the fun-loving, joking tone I’d grown used to and seems out of character. Or maybe this is the real him, and the guy we met in our realm was just an act. He is a prince, after all.
The guard, Nero, hesitates for a moment, and I can see the war that wages inside of him. He doesn’t want to back down, but he also can’t disobey a direct order. With a growl of annoyance, he returns to his position at the castle entrance.
“That’s what I thought,” Storm taunts. Nero’s eyes darken further, and somehow, I know we’ve made an enemy of him.
Fucking fantastic.
“Serena is with my mother and Sol in one of the medical rooms. She’s checking her over now to try and figure out what’s going on.”
Garrett points up toward the castle in the general direction of what I assume are the medical rooms, and we all look as if we might get a glimpse of her. It’s stupid; the castle’s wall is stone, with only small windows every few feet, but I still feel disappointed when I don’t see her.
“Take me to her,” Storm says, moving toward the castle once again. This time, Garrett stops him with a hand on his shoulder.
Storm stiffens at the contact but doesn’t lose his shit the way I expect him to. He’s already on edge as it is. Add that to the fact that he isn’t a fan of being touched, and I’m surprised he didn’t shift and try to bite Garrett’s face off.
“I can’t, yet. My mother needs to be able to concentrate to get an accurate reading. No offense, but I don’t think four more naked guys storming into the room is going to help with that,” he laughs, but it sounds forced. I’m unsure if it’s because of Storm or Serena. Either way, it doesn’t feel like a good thing.
Storm growls but stays where he is, and I see the war raging inside him. I get it; I feel it too, but whereas I want to see her, need to see her, I can fight against it. It’s almost as if he can’t. I’d bet it has something to do with their bond.
“Damn it!” He shouts before turning and walking back toward us, only to turn around and move back toward Garrett. Nero stiffens as if ready to step in should he have to, but Garrett waves him off. I’m not sure it’s a great idea to trust Storm as he is right now, especially not with their track record. He isn’t exactly fond of Garrett, but Nero stepping in again would ensure this goes the worst way possible.
