Neither did he. An hour later, when Lexi andKaylia joined them for dinner, they were still giggling andhappy.
And now, as he watched Kaylia’s fingersmoving faster and faster against the stone, he realized she was asanxious as the rest of them about this day.
“I’m not sure this is a good idea,” Kayliasaid.
“Noone thinks this is a good idea,”Cole replied. “If you have any better suggestions, I’m allears.”
“I don’t,” she admitted. “I just hatethis.”
Those words summed up his feelings about ittoo.
Kaylia resumed drumming her fingers againstthe mantle as she focused on the books across from her.
A step in the hall turned his head toward ita second before Lexi glided into view with Sahira at her side. Hisheart battered his ribs as she entered the library.
He could only stand and stare as she stoppedin the doorway. The dress fit her curves in all the right ways. Itemphasized the swell of her lush breasts and small waist beforefalling into a full skirt.
The pale-yellow color emphasized the goldenhue of her skin, the hint of her freckles, and the simple pearlnecklace she wore. Sahira had pulled her hair into a twist, buttendrils of it fell to frame her face.
She didn’t wear any makeup to hide thefreckles on the bridge of her slender nose, but Sahira had added atouch of black around her eyes. That black made the green of themstand out more than normal.
“Wow,” Brokk breathed.
When Cole shot him a look, Brokk took a quickstep away as he held his hands up. “Uh… wow… that’s a beautifuldress,” he stammered.
Orin and Varo appeared behind Sahira andLexi. Orin had been about to bite into an apple but froze when hesaw them. Varo smiled as he strode forward to clasp Lexi’shands.
“You look beautiful, sister of mine,” Varosaid.
A small flush crept up Lexi’s neck and intoher cheeks as she smiled at him. “Thank you.”
Cole broke out of his paralysis and sweptacross the room toward her. As Varo released her, Cole claimed herhands, and Lexi beamed up at him.
“You’re stunning,” he said, his voice hoarsewith the emotion choking him.
She looked gorgeous, and he might be leadingher to her death. Her eyes flickered toward the walls, and hersmile faltered as the shadows swayed.
“Don’t,” she said.
He smiled at her as he reined in the shadows,but he wouldn’t keep them caged today. He would set them free if itbecame necessary and damn the consequences.
“We’re going to be fine.” She let go of hishands to brush her hand down his chest. “You’re looking pretty goodyourself.”
He stroked her cheek with his knuckles as hecontemplated running with her. What did it matter if thousands diedas long asshelived? And if he went to the Gloaming first,he could order them all to evacuate before the Lord attacked.
He wouldn’t have much time before the Lordreceived word of his orders, and he would be tearing apart thelives of his followers and making them marks for the Lord when hemight not have to, but she would live.
They would hunt them, but he could keep hersafe.
They could run.
CHAPTER 44
Lexi must have seen something on his face asshe said, “We can’t run.”
“We can. I’ll keep you safe; I won’t let himget to you.”
“And you can keep me safe in Dragonia too.But we saw what he did to the pixies; do you think he’d be lessmerciful to the Gloaming, or the witches’ realm, or the lycans’realm? He could go after all of them too. We never know what he’sgoing to do, and we can’t throw everyone else to the wolf to saveourselves.”
