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Damn him for being honorable.
Natalie laughed out loud. “I thought the same thing. I wish I’d had my Glock with me. I wouldn’t have been so gracious.” She then held Renee’s gaze. “So, what is it you need to tell me this time because I sense you have some kind of message for me.”
Right. Well, I’ve been told to be extremely careful with what I tell you. I mean this is, after all, your life and your path, what you have to go through. But the Higher-ups want you to take a look at your deepest fears and they have little to do with dying or the pain of battle or that Kryder blew up Grant’s burrow.
“What fears?” Natalie really was confused. What could possibly be worse than Kryder deciding, for instance, that his next move would be to blow up the Meldorin Compound?
Renee shrugged, and the mist did a quick up-and-down flow. This time, however, it didn’t ref
orm. Instead, Renee said one last thing before she vanished, Good luck, Sister.
Natalie felt completely deflated. This was the second time in a matter of a few minutes that she’d been left completely alone. She sure wished she’d been given a little more information.
She’d never dreaded the solitary state before. Yet she did now, as though it didn’t feel right anymore.
She heard her wolf whimper inside her.
Her wolf.
The sudden reality that she was no longer just fae struck her hard. “So, what do you think, wolf? What’s going on here?”
She released her wolf who then leaped up onto the sink where Renee had been sitting. She was so beautiful, an opaque rhythm of ever-moving violet, green and blue patterns. She was joyous, wary and perfect.
Natalie spoke the first thought that came to mind. “I need to go home.”
Her wolf yipped and appeared to smile.
“If you approve, then that’s what I’ll do.”
Natalie took her time dressing. She then made the bed and savored the furs that she’d piled on top. She tried to imagine Grant as he’d been before Five Bridges, as a high school science teacher with a love of the stars. Somehow, she couldn’t. She only knew him as a powerful alter wolf, with furs on his bed and in charge of over two hundred wolves.
She withdrew her phone from the pocket of her tunic and called Agnes. She knew she needed a greater degree of security than her house could provide, especially since she planned to leave the safety of Grant’s compound. Though she snickered at the word ‘safety’. Where would she be safe now?
But she talked the situation over with Agnes and was grateful when the strong fae woman offered her a cottage in her compound. No one else in Revel had the kind of security set-up that Agnes did. Even Kryder, in an invisible state, couldn’t slip through undetected. In the past few months, she’d added several more cottages as well, so there was room for her.
With her plans made, she tapped on Grant’s telepathy.
His greeting didn’t surprise her. Sorry to be ignoring you, Natalie, but I’ve got about a thousand things on my agenda right now.
No worries. I’m heading back to Revel.
What? Wait a minute. Are you sure? You can’t stay in your house.
I know. Agnes offered me a cottage and I’m taking it. When he didn’t say anything more, didn’t protest, didn’t beg her to stay, she added, Please, don’t take offense but I don’t feel like I belong in the compound right now. Even my wolf approves my leaving. She hoped her tone sounded as light as she was trying to achieve, but there was a long pause.
Finally, he said, Maybe it’s for the best.
Something in the finality of this statement made her heart sink. She hadn’t intended to break with him, but this sure felt like an ending. Grant? Am I coming back?
We’re at war, Natalie. My compound is the last place you should be right now. When I’ve ended this conflict with Kryder, in whatever form that takes, we can talk. Right now, I’ll send a squad to escort you home, at least a half-dozen trained warriors.
So many?
She wasn’t sure how she could tell, but she knew he’d released a sigh. Yes, that many. I would send more, but most of my soldiers are on the perimeter watching and waiting.
You think an attack is imminent.
I do. Knowing how Kryder thinks, I wouldn’t be surprised if he brought a battalion to burn this place down. It will be easier for me knowing you’re safe.
