A finger of unease ran down Nicole’s spine as she remembered the story Kyan had told her in Estwood.
The story of the death of the Druids …
‘A Fomóir killed the Druids, didn’t they? A god?’ Nicole asked.
The Druid’s head dipped slightly. ‘Why do you think the Wake wanted Kyan as one of their Empyreals? They wanted to make sure that one of their greatest enemies wasn’t capable of turning that power on them.’
Kyan was shaking his head softly. ‘If I killed a Fomóir without this goddessblood, how did I survive?’
From the look in the Druid’s eyes, it was a question she’d been waiting for, but a bark behind them stole her attention. A small wooden staff on the Druid’s belt elongated magically into more of a weapon and she grasped it as Nicole turned.
An unfamiliar figure emerged into the clearing. Evidently, the wolfhound had tracked something coming their way in the woods.
‘Jesus Christ,’ the man said. ‘The Wake willloveto hear about this.’
Kyan positioned himself in front of Nicole. ‘Logan.’
CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO
Kyan
‘RITH,’KYAN ORDERED THE DRUID BEHIND HIM.
Run.
‘Níl mé ag imeacht,’ she said –I’m not leaving– and palmed herstaff.
‘He’s here for you,’ Kyan hissed.
‘I can deal with him,’ she snarled back.
‘He’s mine.Go.’
She met his glare and swore under her breath, before ordering the dog to stay put, then disappearing into the woods.
‘I don’t believe this,’ Logan said, striding closer.
Nicole had gone rigid behind him, and Kyan knew she was scanning the forest for a way around this. But when Logan’s eyes raked down Nicole, a killing calm more intense than Kyan had ever experienced came over him, and an unusualknock,like a second heart,tapped at the power in his solar plexus.
He’d been unable to save the people he loved in this forest, once.
It wouldn’t happen again.
‘You don’t plan to bring her in at all, do you?’ Logan asked. ‘Or do you just want to keep her as a secret little fu—’
‘Finish that sentence and I’ll rip your fucking head off,’ Kyan snarled.
Logan shook his head, eyes alight. ‘I’ll admit, some part of me is loving this. The Wake’s loyal little dog being proven a traitor. I should really thank you. All these years I was wondering how to knock you down a peg. You were always so invulnerable. Always so closed off to taunts and competition. And now you’re like a powder keg. Brawling,snarling. Rebelling.’ He laughed. ‘It’s so satisfying knowing that you’ll be your own downfall and I can take your place.’
‘You can have my “place”. I don’t care.’
Now, he had something else to live for.
And it was as terrifying as it was heartening.
‘But you have no idea what’s really going on here,’ Kyan continued, stepping down from the dais, feeling the power in the forest ripple out beneath his boots. ‘The Wake aren’t what you think they are. They’re stealing creatures; mutating them. They want to bring the Hunt—’
‘You think I don’tknow?’ Logan cut in. ‘Who do you think brings them in? Who holds them down? Summoning the Wild Hunt will finally secure the Wake’s hold. They’ve already told me I could get into the inner circle. I’ll be as strong as the Huntbringer, but I’ll keep my mind, my life. I just have to bring them the Druid and the girl, if you won’t.’
