Page 35 of Facade

“This doesn’t need to be done now—”

“Ryker.” I shut my eyes, inhaling slowly. “I need to process this. Alone. I might as well be productive while I do.”

He gave a short nod before reluctantly turning back to the horses.

As I walked to the area I’d seen some of the ingredients I’d need, I rubbed my arms, gaze locked on the manor. Everything we'd sacrificed and worked toward over the past three years was just beyond those trees. We hadn’t deviated from our path once. I hadn’t let myself wonder who else from the Western Realm could be trapped here in the Fae lands. But hearing Malachai’s name cracked the walls of focus I’d built.

How could I ignore that he’s with them? With Aiden and working for the Fae?

He is—was—my one true love.

10

Evanee

“Wake up, lazybones!” Lyra chirped. I rolled over, peeling my eyes open. Bright rays of sunshine washed over me. I growled, yanking the covers over my head.

“Wow. Has anyone told you that you sound like a rabid wolf when you do that? Speaking of! I could’ve sworn I heard one howling last night. Did you hear it? Maybe one of those delicious males is a Shadow Stalker!” she exclaimed, banging around the room like a damn hogbeast. I groaned, peeking out from the heavy comforter.

“Hurry! They’re ready to leave. Oh, and uh… I wouldn’t use that fancy toilet in there. I went in to pee, and it turned into something else…” She waved her hand in front of her nose before she danced right out the door. I looked toward the bathroom and grimaced.

My head pounded as I peeled myself up, hanging my legs off the side of the bed. No one had a drink last night. We had many drinks. Thaddeus didn’t let my wine glass sit empty. Every time it ran low, there he was filling the crystal again, and I foolishly kept draining it.

I don’t know what I was thinking. We weren’t allowed to have wine except on holidays like the Winter Celebrations and the turn of the year. Even then, it was grossly watered down, and we were each given one glass. Last night the wine was rich, smooth, the best I’d ever had. Now, I wish I could stick my head in a pile of snow.

The worst part was when the room started spinning. The night was patchy, but I danced at one point when Thaddeus brought out an instrument that played the most beautiful music. I let the melody take over my body. Maybe that’s where the spinning came in—I started turning in circles, round and round, until I lost my footing and fell—only I didn’t hit the ground.

I fell into Aiden’s lap.

Heat rushed to my cheeks as I groaned into my pillow, recalling the dark amusement in his eyes. The way his hand lingered on my hip—my traitorous body reacted to his touch, heat pooling low in my belly.

I'd tried to focus on the stories being shared around me as I climbed out of Aiden’s lap and stumbled to a spot on the floor near the crackling fire. I remember giggling to myself when I caught him staring at me, the sound foreign from my lips. But as I cast my gaze up at him, his smile, those exposed fangs—the stranger’s face cut in, sharp and uninvited.

I shivered, remembering how the stranger's scent intoxicated me as much as the wine had. I could almost swear he smelled of mountains—which made me snort. How could someone smell of mountains?

When Thaddeus had his servants bring out little cakes topped with white powdered sugar, it brought me back to the unique color of that being’s hair. I’d never seen hair that color on someone so young. It was like snow, but he couldn’t have been much older than me. And his voice—Evanee. How could my name sound sinful? His rich voice caressed the syllables like velvet dragged across naked flesh.

I drank to drown my thoughts.

It didn’t work.

They only multiplied—sharp and relentless—and now bile burned my throat as the memory of collapsing into Aiden’s lap replayed, yet again. Mortification threaded through every nerve as I bolted for the bathroom, emptying the contents of my stomach, and steeled myself to face him.

Everyone was at breakfast except Thaddeus. They looked about how I felt, and all seemed ready to kill Lyra as she talked incessantly. Aiden, especially, as he moved his eggs around the plate but didn’t eat. His gaze instantly landed on me as I walked past, expression unreadable.

“Thought we were leaving before sunrise?” I teased, hoping things wouldn’t be weird between us now. He grunted in response before dragging his gaze to mine, his mouth tugging up on one side as he looked me over. My stomach coiled beneath his scrutiny—had things changed between us? Did he think I was attracted to him? Or had he thought me foolish, overindulging, unable to handle myself?

His eyes were duller with dark shadows beneath them, and his hair was sticking out in every direction. He’d stayed longer than I had last night. No telling how long he drank.

Breaking our stare, I sat at the opposite end of the table next to Dimitri. I glanced at Aiden again, meeting his gaze, a frown on his face. He gave a pointed look at the empty chair beside him, then scowled, shifting his focus back to his plate. My jaw tightened as I roughly yanked my chair closer to the table. What the hell was that about? Like I’d sit next to him after last night. Does he think I’m going to fall all over myself simply because he’s a captain and I’m… well, what I am? Please.

“I guess you know my secret,” Dimitri said quietly. I dragged my focus away from Aiden, grateful for the distraction.

For a Werewolf, Dimitri seemed… normal. His warm, chocolate-brown eyes appeared kind. A scar ran from his eyebrow to his jawline. Faded, nearly invisible, but there. He ran a hand through his close-cropped brown hair as he smiled.

“Oh, uh yes. I did see… Sorry.” I offered. What could you say when you saw someone as a wolf? And then not so long after, completely naked as a man?

“No need to apologize.” He reached for a biscuit. “It’s not exactly a secret. But we don’t like to advertise it outside of Castle Lawryn unless necessary. I’d call the skur scum more than necessary.”