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Time began to drift by. Eventually, Griffin drew out of her, leaving her feeling strangely empty. He once more tucked a cloth between her legs and headed to the bathroom. She turned on her side a hand beneath her cheek. She needed to figure out what to do next, but felt horribly overwhelmed by the knowledge Margetta was planning her wraith-bonding ceremony in only a couple of hours. And she still needed to get the key to the Ruby Fae.
A knock on the door had her rising swiftly and putting on her robe. “Who is it?”
“Yvonne.” The housekeeper scratched on the door. “Your absence has everyone talking. And Mastyr Griffin cannot be found.”
She opened the door and met the troll’s worried gaze. Sandra wanted to know what the troll would see, if Sandra looked any different now that she’d bonded with a mastyr. “I’ve not been myself tonight, so I’ve been resting. As for Mastyr Griffin, he probably went into the forest to hunt for deadfall.” It was a stretch. To her knowledge, Griffin had only served on a couple of the wood-collecting forays.
Yvonne shook her head. “Fulton’s been threatening to form a search party to look through every room of the fortress. I told him to shove off. He wasn’t too pleased by my attitude, but these stone walls are my domain and the hell I will let him or any other bully invade my kingdom.
“But you would do well to return to the kitchen. Besides, I’ll have the Ruby fae’s meal ready in half an hour. Will you take it to her?”
Sandra gasped. “What time is it?”
“Almost half-four.”
She put a hand to her lips. “Oh, Goddess.”
But her fae powers intruded and this time the future rolled through her mind. She had a sense she was being presented with one possible path, not necessarily a fixed sequence of events, so she allowed the various images to come together.
A swell of pure excitement flowed through her, sending shivers racing over her shoulders and sides. She knew then exactly what she wanted to do and it included the fortress housekeeper.
She grabbed Yvonne’s hand and pulled her into the room, closing the door behind her.
“What are you doing?”
“I have Griffin with me, here in my bedroom.”
“What?” Yvonne looked genuinely shocked and all three forehead ridges drew so tight together the seams turned white from the pressure.
“Griffin. Come here.”
The bathroom door opened and Griffin appeared on the threshold. He’d donned his clothes once more, though it appeared he’d brushed some of the dirt off.
“Look who’s here,” Sandra murmured.
A smile softened his features. “Mistress Yvonne. The miracle worker of the fortress kitchen. The meals you serve have made my life bearable, and I thank you.” Those allowed to sleep in the fortress also had table privileges for the first meal of the night. The food was outstanding and Yvonne was the reason.
Sandra took Yvonne’s hand then waved for Griffin to join her and take Sandra’s free hand.
He frowned slightly “What’s going on?”
“I’ve come to a decision. You both know Margetta intends to mate me to a wraith tonight and I can’t do it. Won’t do it.” She narrowed her gaze at Griffin. “In fact, I’m not even sure it’s possible at this point.”
Yvonne’s eyes widened and a gasp followed. “By all the angels serving the Goddess in heaven, you’ve bonded with Mastyr Griffin. I can feel it in these powerful vibrations flowing through my hand.” Her face crumpled. “Sweetheart, what have you done? She’ll kill you both now.”
Sandra squeezed her hand. “She’ll have to catch us first, all three of us.”
“What do you mean?” Yvonne’s brows rose and her ridges once more compressed.
Sandra’s lips curved. “How would you like to see your daughter, Eva again, who you told me lives in Juniango?”
Yvonne shook her head back and forth. “I don’t understand. How could that ever happen?”
Sandra knew the time had come to lay it all out. “We’re going to leave together, you, me and Mastyr Griffin. I want you in the rose garden just after I deliver the meal to the Ruby Fae. Be there with anything you want to take with you because Griffin and I are leaving the camp as soon as I help the Ruby Fae to escape. And you’re coming with us.”
Griffin released Yvonne’s hand then moved to stand in front of Sandra, his brow furrowed. “This won’t work. Yvonne has already said they’re hunting for me. It won’t be long before they storm this place, especially if Margetta hears about it.”
“She won’t. Or if she does, she won’t believe either of us is disloyal. She’s odd that way. She thinks her slaves adore her.”
