He could have saved himself the trouble and worry with Declan by killing him, but instead, he rescued Declan from his father and himself. He’d helped forge him into the man she was proud to call her mate.
“It will take some time to fill you in, but we have a town to check on and a weapon the likes of which you’ve never seen before,” Declan said.
Their eyes fell on the sword in Willow’s hand when Declan waved at it. Her grip tightened on the hilt. Once they learned what it could do, they would take it from her. With the power it possessed, it belonged in the hands of the king, but she didnotwant to let it go.
“I’ve seen a sword before,” Nathan said.
“You haven’t seen anything like what this one can do,” Declan assured him.
“What makes it so different?” Brian asked.
When Willow held up the sword, she admired the way the sun shone off the blade and illuminated the beautiful, unearthly gem. “It turns whoever it stabs to ash.”
Brian’s snort of laughter faded when he saw the look on her face. “You’re not kidding?”
“I’m not kidding. And you don’t have to stab them in the heart to kill them, so I’d be nicer to me if I were you.”
“You’re the one who’s always been the asshole.”
Willow chuckled; she really had enjoyed aggravating him over the years. “Yeah, I am.”
Ronan rubbed his chin as he studied the weapon. “I can’t wait to see what it can do.”
Chapter Fifty-Two
After Willowand her sisters finished hugging and yelling at each other for getting involved in this mess, they cried and hugged each other again while everyone else stood awkwardly around and listened to them blather. When they finished, Vicky handed Willow her phone so that she could call her parents. She cried some more when her mother started sobbing on the other end.
Declan stood beside her while they talked, and when she got off the phone, he opened his arms to her. She went into them and hugged him as she tried to shut out the memory of her mom’s tears. She’d planned to keep their relationship strictly business when they were around other members of the Alliance, but she required his soothing presence after hearing her mom’s distress.
She hated what her parents went through, but she knew the risks when she joined the Alliance and the impact it would have on her family if something happened to her. She never wanted her parents to go through this again, but she was more determined than ever to destroy the Savages and demons who were becoming a blight on their planet.
Abby handed her some clothes, and Ronan produced clothes for Declan. They changed in the barn, and when she reemerged, Willow felt halfway normal again. A long, hot shower and a bed would help get her closer to normal, but those would have to wait.
“We have to go,” Ronan said when they rejoined him and the others by the SUV.
When Declan reluctantly released Willow, Abby and Vicky grabbed her again. Willow’s shoulders scrunched up, and her breath was forced from her lungs when the identical twins crushed her between them. They were about four inches shorter than her, and the whole thing looked comical as Willow shot him a pleading look, but love shone in her eyes.
Vicky clasped Willow’s hand and dragged her to the SUV. “You have to tell us everything that happened.”
Three more vehicles were parked behind the SUV, and Saxon, Asher, and Logan came forward to embrace Declan. While Saber and some other members of the Alliance remained spread out around the vehicles with their attention riveted on the woods.
“It’s good to see you,” Saxon said.
“You too,” Declan said as he clapped his friend on the back.
“Always getting yourself into trouble.”
Declan smiled at him. “Far less than you, my friend.”
“Did you see any sign of Lucien?”
Declan rested his hand on top of the vehicle as Willow and her sisters climbed into the back. She slid the sword under the seat in front of her and smiled at him when she sat back.
“No,” Declan said. “Where’s Killean?”
“He and Simone are leading a small search group for Lucien,” Ronan said before climbing behind the wheel. “Let’s go.”
Logan clasped Declan’s shoulder and squeezed it. “I’m glad you’re back.”
