Page 123 of Facade

My feather-light touch traced over his bicep, moving to his rigid abdomen.

“We’re going after her and Malachai, right?” I asked after a moment longer of studying the runes within the ink. Air hissed past his lips as my hand stilled below his navel.

“Of course we are. Just need to wait until nightfall. It’ll be easier to fly.”

My smile faltered. “I don’t know if I can. The other night… My wings—they’re too weak.”

“Then I’ll carry you.” His voice dropped an octave. “Always.”

My toes curled as his eyes grew clearer, that hunger lighting them once more. I had no warning except the wicked grin that lit his face as he pulled me on top of him, eliciting a chuckle from me, as my legs straddled him, his hard length pressing against my already wet core. We were tired and had a long night ahead of us, but I’d worry about that later.

I was able to get off the ground all of five seconds before my wings seized. So Ryker ended up carrying me, much to my chagrin.

We landed west of the Castle, observing for a while before we made our move.

There was a plan. A foolish one, but a plan nonetheless. It could work. Maybe. Okay, it was a bad plan. But we both agreed we had to get Aniah and Malachai. Neither one of us could leave here without them.

I’d go into the castle. With my hair back to normal, no one should recognize me. Not here. Unless I ran into Aiden, or Cressida… or anyone from the group I’d been with. Again, not the best plan considering there were multiple beings that could out me.

Ryker hated the plan. But in the end, I urged him to let me go. That I was smaller, less conspicuous than he was.

“You can’t go in after me,” I said in warning. “Give me time to find them at least.”

His lips pressed into a straight line, his brow furrowed.

“I don’t like this.”

“I know,” I said.

Ryker would create a distraction, drawing enough guards and Shadow Stalkers away from the castle to give me a chance to roam inside a little freer. We were both relying on me to find Aniah, and on her to call in reinforcements from Thaddeus.

His chest rumbled, the sound animalistic, as if his Gargoyle couldn’t stand the thought of me going into the castle either.

I pulled the black, fur-lined coat around me tighter to block the chilling wind. The closets had been stocked with fresh winter clothes for both of us, and not just clothes, but fighting leathers specifically tailored for Gargoyles.

The grounds were eerily quiet. There were no Shadow Stalkers patrolling, no Fae soldiers—as if it were left unguarded on purpose. A trap, no doubt.

Regardless, it was a risk we had to take.

“I’ll cover you. Be careful,” he said before his eyes went wholly silver, and the air around me shifted, a dense fog spreading out with dark clouds forming overhead. I took a deep breath, then stalked straight into the nest of the enemy.

36

Aniah

The Council left me in a stone room—chained to a wall—nothing but a long oak table and battle maps everywhere.

The war room.

Time became nonexistent in here. The Council had stayed for hours, while breaking Malachai piece by piece. Over and over. I’d vomited until nothing was left.

My eyes adjusted to the darkened room. Blood crusted over my mouth and chin from the nosebleed. No matter what the Councils tried, they hadn’t been able to find the location of the orb. That was something at least.

A single torch burned on the far wall by the door. It didn’t help much, but it lit up the outline of—

“Malachai!”

He groaned, chains clinking. Golden eyes blinked to life across the dark room.