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Now she was married to a ruling mastyr.
Holly supposed their latest trip into the time-path and the discovery of Cruce’s army had overset her. Yet, her faeness warned it was more.
Stone turned the conversation. He wanted details about Cruce’s cavern set-up.
“So, where is it?” Stone’s question came out like a bark.
Rosamunde extended her hand and covered one leather-clad knee with her palm.
Stone appeared startled for a moment as he met her gaze. He then nodded to her.
When she withdrew her hand, Stone addressed Rez in a calmer voice. “Let me rephrase. Do you have any idea where Cruce’s compound might be located?”
Holly shifted her gaze to Rez, but her mind flew back to Millerell. Rez was shaking his head in the negative when Holly figured it out. “Mist.”
“What do you mean?” Rosamunde sat up a little straighter.
Rez twisted his torso to meet Holy’s gaze. “You’re right. That’s it.” He went on to explain about the disguising mist at Millerell.
Rosamunde shook her head and covered her mouth with her hand. Stone surrounded her shoulders with his arm. “It’ll be all right. You’ll see. What you have to realize is that this mission isn’t on your shoulders this time or even on mine.”
She frowned as she met his gaze. “What do you mean? Rez and Holly have come to us for help.” Then her eyes widened as she glanced from Holly to Rez. “Oh, I see. I hadn’t thought of that.”
Holly’s faeness shouted at her. Mastyr Stone was right. Everything she’d gone through with Rez so far now made sense. For whatever reason, she and Rez had been chosen for this particular task, to discover Cruce’s location so Stone and his Vampire Guard could take them out.
Rez wasn’t there yet. “What are you getting at?”
Holly only half-listened as Stone addressed him. He talked about his journey with Rosamunde, what they’d gone through and how they’d bonded.
Instead, Holly’s thoughts were given to how amazing the previous night had been. It was as though she’d lived a lifetime. All the while, she’d come to know Rez much better, to admire and respect him. Vojalie had been right. Holly trusted him, first on instinct alone. But now she’d gotten to know his character. He was a good man and in his own way, had never stopped serving Tannisford.
Rosamunde’s question brought Holly back to the conversation at hand. “But how is the bond being formed? The original Invictus process required a wraith.”
Holly thought she knew. “I believe the dark fae has found a way to use wraith blood to create the Invictus bond between two regular realm-folk.” She described Lanarae’s workshop and how she was processing vials of blood which she kept in her fridge. “Dozens of them.”
Silence reigned for a long minute. Holly pondered all of it.
Stone’s brows were drawn together in a tight furrow. He leaned forward, his gaze switching back and forth between her and Rez. “I need you to do whatever you can to locate Cruce’s base. Once you’ve found him, I’ll take my Guard in and clean out this vile nest.”
The plan was simple and straightforward.
Rez rose to his feet. Holly joined him. “Rosamunde’s vision confirms what we need to do.”
Stone and Rosamunde rose as well. “I’ll inform the Guard.”
Rez turned to Holly. “I think we should start out at the mine and talk with Oregis. He knows Tannisford better than anyone. You and I both saw the snow-capped mountains from the cavern so he might have some ideas. I’m also thinking we need to pay a visit to the black market. Oregis can help with that as well.”
At the mere mention of Oregis, Holly smiled. “You know he’s going to get us in trouble.”
“I have no doubt of it.”
~ ~ ~
Now that a couple of decisions had been made and their course set, Rez turned to face Holly. “The continuum?”
“It’s easiest and fastest.” When he extended his hand, she took it.
He glanced at Stone. He’d pulled out his cell ready to contact the Guard. Rez dipped his chin once as the time-path vibration began.
