“No,” Cole said. “This is perfect. I’ll beback later.”
Varo watched Cole ascend the stairs. Thoughthere was something sad and defeated about him, he kept hisshoulders back and chin high while he climbed.
Despite having no reason to draw them to him,the shadows in the hall turned as if they were going to follow butremained where they were. There were many things in Varo’s lengthylife that he’d hated seeing, but watching Cole climb those steps,and the shadows reacting to him, was in the top ten.
Refusing to plunge his brother into darkness,Varo left the door open and turned away. Cole hadn’t wanted to goto Lexi, but that didn’t mean Varo couldn’t bring her to him.
Because, if there was one thing he wascertain about, it was that she could help with this.
CHAPTER 69
When a knock sounded on the door, Lexi’s headlifted, and her heart soared. But then, it crashed. Cole wouldn’tknock.
Rising, she discarded the blanket and pulledMaverick’s jacket around her. She felt a little more prepared todeal with someone in the jacket than in a blanket, especially sinceit was probably Orin with clothes for her.
She opened the door, and her eyebrows rosewhen she discovered Varo standing on the other side. She likedCole’s youngest brother, but they hadn’t had much contact with eachother. He was the last immortal she expected to see on the otherside of the door.
He held some clothes out to her. “Cole isback.”
Ignoring the clothes, Lexi stepped forward tosearch the hall but didn’t see him. Uncertainty twisted in herbelly as she looked back to Varo. She bit her lip when shediscovered his eyes haunted in a way she’d never seen before.
“What happened?” she whispered.
“He needs you.”
“Is he okay?”
Varo nudged her with the clothes. “He willbe. Get dressed.”
Lexi almost threw the clothes aside. Shedidn’t care about them. “Take me to him.”
“It’s best if he doesn’t see you wearing hisuncle’s jacket. You know how a lycan can be.”
Lexi grunted. She hated that he was right,and she would have to waste time dressing, but he was.
Closing the door, she shed Maverick’s jacketand yanked on the brown pants and black fae tunic with greenpiping. Her hands trembled as she dressed.
Where was Cole? What had happened thatstopped him from coming to her immediately?
There were no socks or shoes, and she wasfine with that. She’d already wasted too much time dressing in thefirst place.
Flinging the door open, she almost walkedinto Varo, hovering on the other side. She snatched Maverick’sjacket off the floor and handed it to him.
“This shouldn’t be in our room when Coleenters it,” she said.
She was being optimistic about him comingwith her when she had no idea what was keeping him away now.
“I’ll make sure it gets back to its owner,”Varo promised. “This way.”
Varo took the jacket from her and starteddown the hall. The cool stone floor chilled her feet as she hurriedto keep up with him.
“Where is he?” she asked.
“He wanted to be alone, so I escorted him toa place.”
Lexi’s step faltered for a second. “And youdon’t think that’s best for him?”
“No, I don’t. Do you?”
