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Alexander nodded toward Rodrick and Zarya. “Absolutely. Especially if you allow your two Spellbinders to assist.”
Ava cut in. “Of course. I’ll call Deion and request he send two more Pack Spellbinders to meet us at my place. Let’s get the three of you into the other limo and pull some of the guardians over here to accompany us. Then you and the two SUVs can finish tracking Rory and Sorsha. Assess the situation when you figure out where they are. If you think you can extract them safely, do so. But if not, call us so we can work out a strategy.”
She glanced around the rest of us. “Does that sound like a plan?”
“Sounds like a solid one,” I said, winning the tiniest of smiles. After so long of only earning glares from her, it felt like basking in the sun. And it left me wanting more.
Shea, Connor, and Ava made calls to those in the other vehicles, and we pulled over at an empty parking lot to swap positions. I nodded at my brothers before sliding out of the limo. Ava’s concerned eyes met mine when I looked at her. Undoubtedly most of that worry was for the girls, but I pretended some of it was for me.
“Be careful, Finn,” she finally said, making my self-delusion even easier to continue.
“Whoever took the girls needs that advice a fuck-ton more than I do,” I said a little gruffly. Something that unexpectedly earned another smile and sent warmth spearing through me. “You’ll hear from us when we find them.”
Alexander and the two Spellbinders had slipped out the other door, so I closed mine and followed them to the second limousine. Walking away from my brothers and the woman who could touch me far more deeply than the one I’d thought had broken my heart was hard as hell, but I fucking did it. Shea and Connor were far better at solving puzzles than me, so they’d be a lot more use to Ava in figuring out whatever clues her sister had left behind. I wasfarbetter at throwing fists and fangs. Something our nieces were undoubtedly in more need of in the moment.
And after this disastrous night, I was downrightitchingfor another fight…
AVA
Shea and Connor kept their thighs glued to mine the entire 10-minute drive to my high-rise condo. My former resentment at how much I still, after all these months trying to resist the siren call between us, desperately wanted all three brothers had faded significantly over the past few hours. And not simply because we’d been magically bound together. Not evenmostlybecause of that reason, truth be told.
Two things had become crystal clear in the short time since I’d witnessed my sister’s murder. One: Any of us could lose our lives atanymoment. And two: There wasno onein the world I would trust with my life—or my nieces—more than the three Shadow Wolves I was beginning to considermine.
There’d need to be a “Come to Jesus” moment between Finn and me—and all four of us would need tosurvivethe next few days picking up the pieces—but I wassoover pretending not to care about them. About what we could become.
And Grandmother had another thing coming if she thought I’d just give up my bond with them.
One of my building’s security guards buzzed us into the private parking garage the moment we arrived, thanks to me calling ahead. Two of our Shadow Wolf guardians went ahead to make sure everything between us and my condo was safe. They met the two Spellbinders Deion had sent from the Manor in the lobby, along with four more Pack Shifters Sanai had sent in an abundance of caution.
Once they sent the all-clear via cell phone, Shea and Connor hurried me out of the limo and to the elevator, where the same security guard used a key card to transport our remaining guardians and the three of us straight to the 18th floor. I slipped him a generous tip and then herded our oversized entourage into my apartment.
Shea and Connor refused to leave my side, letting the guardians and Spellbinders confirm a second time that there were no threats lurking in any shadows or closets. Connor perched against the wall between us and the front door, obviously assigning himself the role of chief lookout. We’d left two guardians outside that door, so hopefully it would be an uneventful watch. I was content to let the Spellbinders magically scan the condo. My attention was focused on one thing: checking my favorite collection of Cinderella stories for whatever message my sister had hopefully left me.
Shea’s lips quirked as I drew the gorgeously-embellished hardcover book from the shelf of fairy tale anthologies, drawing my attention when he made an odd noise I couldn’t interpret. My brows arched as I began flipping through the book.
“You see something I don’t?” I asked absentmindedly, hoping to find something straightforward like an envelope tucked between some of the pages.
He shook his head ruefully. “The strongest sense of déjà vu hit me just now. You and I were standing pretty damned similarly to this a few hours ago.”
Even though he hadn’t meant to upset me, those words had a pang of sadness welling inside. A few hours ago, the world had been an entirely different place. I’d been Kayleigh’s Understudy rather than St. Louis Beacon, and more importantly—she’d been alive.
Shea must have sensed my sorrow through our bond, because he crossed the distance to place his arms around my shoulders and tug my back against his front. Allowing me to continue paging through the storybook while still lending me both comfort and support. Two items I sorely needed right then. I allowed myself to sink back against him, drawing strength from his solid presence, and kept searching the book’s pages.
Only after flipping back and forth three times did I finally admit defeat.
By now our guardian escorts had fanned out around the apartment, placing themselves mostly near windows or the front door to ensure nobody could sneak in while the three of us were preoccupied. The Spellbinders had stepped out into the hallway to help cover the elevator and emergency stairwell.
I let out a frustrated sigh and glanced across the room at Connor, since Shea was still cradling me against his rock-hard body. “It’s not here.”
Connor’s lips twisted in amusement. “Did you use magic to confirm that?”
My cheeks warmed with embarrassment because no, I actually hadn’t.
He understood immediately. “It’s been a long, difficult night, and you’re exhausted.”
“We all are,” I responded, since I could sense that through my tethers to them.
“That may be,” Shea’s voice rumbled from behind. “But prolonged use of magic is especially exhausting. We all know that.”
