The collective look of horror on everyone's faces made her laugh, bright and defiant in the face of the enormity of what we were planning.
But as I watched my family, because that's what they were now, my family, rally around this insane plan, I felt the Oracle's presence stir in the back of my mind. Not demanding or threatening, just waiting.
Soon, the whisper seemed to say. Soon we'll have our answers.
Chapter
Fifty-Seven
Winter
It was the night before we left to meet with the Oracle, and I couldn't stop pacing.
Back and forth across our living room, my bare feet silent on the hardwood as my mind churned through every possible way this could go wrong. The Oracle's mark on my forehead pulsed with each step, a steady reminder of power I still didn't fully understand. The bone shard in my pocket hummed against my thigh, responding to my agitation.
Fenric and Milo had left hours ago to collect specialized equipment from the Bureau, containment circles, protective wards, and what Fenric had ominously referred to as "emergency extraction protocols." They'd been gone longer than expected, which only added to my spiraling anxiety.
That left me alone with Rook and Zane, who had been watching my restless circuit with increasing concern.
"Winter." Zane finally stood from the couch, moving to block my path. "You're going to wear a groove in the floor."
I stopped and wrapped my arms around myself. "I can't help it. What if Milo gets hurt? What if the Oracle tries to possess him like they did that other agent? What if…"
"Hey." Zane's hands found my shoulders, his touch warm and grounding. "Look at me."
I met his mismatched eyes, one blue, one green, both filled with understanding.
"We have you," his voice was steady, certain. "All four of us. We're your Keys, remember? No matter what happens down there, you're never alone. The power you carry, the choice you have to make, you don't face any of it by yourself."
Something in his tone, the obvious conviction, made my racing heart slow slightly. But the fear was still there, gnawing at me.
"I'm scared," I whispered, hating how small my voice sounded. "What if I make the wrong choice? What if I become like the Oracle, trapped and corrupted and…"
I never got to finish the thought. Rook appeared behind me, his large frame solid and reassuring as he wrapped his arms around my waist, pulling my back against his chest. Then Zane stepped closer, his hands cupping my face with infinite gentleness.
"You won't," Rook's voice rumbled against my ear, his breath warm on my neck. "Because you have us. Because we won't let you become lost."
Before I could respond, Rook turned my head toward him and captured my mouth with his own. The kiss was deep, desperate, full of everything he couldn't say aloud. I melted into it, my hands fisting in his shirt as he poured his fierce protectiveness into the contact.
When we broke apart, I was breathless. But then Zane's fingers were on my chin, turning my face toward him. His kiss was different. Slow and deliberate. I could feel the fae powerin him responding to my prophetic energy, creating sparks between us.
The fear didn't disappear, but it transformed into something else. Need. Hunger. The desperate desire to feel alive and connected before facing whatever waited in the Vault Beneath.
When Zane pulled back, his eyes had darkened with desire. "Winter," my name was a question on his lips.
"Yes," I breathed, not even sure what I was agreeing to. "Please."
"We know what you need," Rook's voice was rough with want. His hands found the hem of my shirt, pulling it over my head in one smooth motion. "Let us take care of you."
The blue markings on my skin flared to life as cool air hit my bare torso. Zane's eyes tracked the glowing lines with fascination, his fingers tracing one pattern that spiraled around my ribs.
"Beautiful," he murmured, his touch sending electricity through my nerves.
Rook's mouth found my neck, kissing and nipping at the sensitive skin while his hands worked at my bra clasp. When it fell away, Zane made a sound of appreciation, his hands coming up to cup my breasts, thumbs brushing over nipples that were already tight with arousal.
I arched into the dual sensation. Rook's mouth on my throat, Zane's hands on my breasts, a moan escaping me as pleasure built low in my belly. The Oracle's mark pulsed in time with my racing heart, but for once it felt like approval rather than warning.
"Bedroom," Zane suggested, his voice strained.
