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He crossed his arms over his chest and stared out across the gorge to the opposite cliff, beyond the tree line and into the southern night sky. A bright glow of stars burned along what he knew to be the Milky Way.

His world shared the earth’s universe on a separate yet joined plane. His access point was Harrisburg, a city in Pennsylvania. He had a communication center there. Ben had seen to the construction and later the overall operations.

Yet very few humans visited his realm anymore, not with so many Invictus attacks in Camberlaune.

Stone moved to stand on Ian’s right. “Looks like they were after you or maybe Regan.”

“I’m thinking both of us. I knew the mastyr; he’d served in my Guard for a long time. When he disappeared several years ago, I thought he was dead. Instead, he’d joined Margetta’s army.”

“Fuck.” He then glanced at Ian, frowning. “How the hell did you defeat him? His power must have been off the charts because he was wraith-bonded.”

“It was and actually I almost bought it, but Regan intervened. I’m not sure how she did it, especially since the bonded wraith attacked her.” He held up his arms. “We’ve been sharing power, though, because of these.”

Stone peered at his arms. “What the hell is this?”

Ian explained.

Stone shook his head slowly. “And this allowed Regan to defeat a wraith. Sweet Goddess.”

Ian turned to glance at the house, at the shattered windows. Regan was inside somewhere. “To my knowledge, this is the closest she’s ever been to a battle.”

Stone sighed heavily. “I don’t think I’ll ever understand this whole blood rose thing that puts our women in harm’s way. It’s not fair to them.”

“No, it’s not.”

“What’s the plan, Ian? You’re not staying here.”

“No. I’m taking Regan to my cabin for the rest of the night. She’ll be safe there.” He rubbed his forehead, thinking hard. “But we’ve got to find some way of locating Margetta’s fortress. It’s damn time we went on the offensive.”

“I’ve been thinking the same thing. Not sure how to get the job done, though, when there’s a powerful shielding mist problem like the one you described.” Stone met his gaze. “What about Regan? This should be up her alley. And I know the things the mastyrs have said, those bonded to blood roses. There always seems to be a task the pair must accomplish together. Maybe this is yours.”

“I don’t know,” Ian said. He didn’t want it to be true. He’d protect Regan for the time being, but as soon as it was safe, he wanted her back in Swanicott and for his own life to get back to normal.

Stone pressed him. “Think about it. Every blood rose couple has become a team. Look at Ethan and Samantha. Together, they rehabilitate Invictus pairs. We’ve been able to save realm-folk now because of Samantha’s blood rose gift.” He gestured to the south, in the general direction of Swanicott Realm. “And Olivia can shield Zane besides creating a Zephyr wind in battle. Maybe you and Regan will be able to establish the coordinates for Margetta’s army, I mean if you worked together.”

Ian ground his molars. “You know how I feel about her. Our history is bad.”

“I know, and I sympathize. But I have to speak my mind, Ian, because if you could find Margetta’s army, then maybe you and I together could take her on. It would be a start.”

Was it possible? If he worked with Regan, could the two of them together start bringing the war to an end?

Stone turned his head in a westerly direction. His realm lay two hundred miles from Ian’s home, directly west. He shook his head slowly. “I’ve flown over that region thousands of times, over the border between our realms. But I’ve never seen a damn thing, not even the mist you’ve talked about.”

“I’d never seen it either, not until Margetta abducted Regan.”

His gaze flipped back to Ian. “Another sign.”

Ian didn’t want to admit it, but Stone had a point. Why hadn’t Ian been able to see Margetta’s mist until now?

Stone muttered a curse. “All this time, so close to my realm.”

“I know the feeling.”

With his mind made up to take Regan to his cabin, Ian turned to Ben and talked over how the rest of the night would be handled. Ben told him not to worry, he’d keep a fourth of the Guard on patrol where the gorge ended and the plain began. He also expressed the opinion he thought it likely the attack at Ian’s home had been prompted by Braden alone and wasn’t an opening salvo to a full-scale war against Camberlaune.

Ian had to agree. If Margetta had been intent on conquering his realm, she wouldn’t have sent a couple dozen Invictus pairs to his home; she would have sent her army full bore down into the Leberion plain.

So why hadn’t she done just that? Too many damn questions, not enough answers. He also kept mulling over Regan’s observation that Margetta wasn’t behaving like she was up against the ropes.

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