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“The washi plant is difficult to find, and the Locaza Forest is… wild,” Endora continued, listing her grievances with our upcoming venture.
“All I’m hearing is problems and no solutions from you,” Zen said to her. “Unless you have alternatives, we’re heading over there—tonight.”
“At least wait until morning,” Endora begged. “You won’t be able to see shit in the moonlight.”
“I have a good sense for where to find the plants if they’re there,” I volunteered, knowing I wasn’t buying myself any points with the enchantress.
But I wanted to get Zen back in control of his shifting as soon as possible—if possible. I couldn’t have him angry with me for another night, not if I could do something about it. And if I couldn’t, I wanted that out in the open, too. He was right—there was no sense in dragging this out. It needed to be addressed.
“You two just spent all night in the woods after dealing with the Order,” Endora insisted. “Then a battle, and now you’re heading out again. You’re going to drop in exhaustion.”
“We’ll sleep in the car,” we chorused in unison.
Inadvertently, Zen and I shared a smile, but his faded first.
“Enough discussion on this. We’re leaving. Now,” Zen said. “Come on. We’ve wasted enough time.”
He moved toward the door of the north suite, and I followed behind him, my running shoes squeaking on the polished floor.
“I should come, too,” Endora suggested, but even I could hear the reluctance in her tone.
“No,” Zen answered without turning, and I felt a rush of relief.
I didn’t want her coming with us, her black eyes staring me down the entire drive.
Zen barked orders at the enchantress. “You’ll stay here in case the Order returns. And I want you to talk to the prisoners in lockup to see what they have to say. Make sure the magic blocker holds down there. I don’t want anyone else hurt because of them.”
“I’ve already ensured that,” Endora promised. “But I’ll go see what I can find out from them.”
“You won’t find out anything,” I sighed, following Zen out of the north wing. “They’re too loyal to Agnan.”
He stopped and looked at me. “Weren’t you loyal to Agnan once, too?”
I flushed defiantly. “Yes, but—”
“Then there’s a chance that they can be turned, too. You said yourself that they were brought in as children. They were brainwashed and manipulated. It might take some work, but the damage that he’s done can be undone with some patience and kindness.”
I stared at him for a long moment, my heart quickening.
Even after everything they’ve done to him, he was willing to give the orphaned faeries the benefit of the doubt.
He was so good. I didn’t deserve him.
“Are you coming, Mirielle?”
Clearing the emotion out of my throat, I rushed to catch up with him.
Landon sat in the driver’s seat of the SUV. Calliver was instructed to stay at the castle like Endora.
“Just in case Agnan feels ballsy enough to return tonight,” Zen told them. “I have my phone if you need me.”
“We can handle matters here, Alpha,” Calliver told him confidently.
“I have no doubt about that,” Zen replied as the door closed, securing us both in the backseat.
I cast Zen a covert glance through my peripheral vision, but he had turned his attention to one of the built-in headrest tablets, dropping his earbuds in for the ride. I settled back against the leather interior and stared out into the night as Landon began to drive the three hours to our destination.
It looked like I was catching up on my sleep, after all.
