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Tyr’s eyes darkened, and he slowly lowered his arm. “I’m sorry. I don’t think I heard you correctly.”
“You did.” They really didn’t have time to argue about it, either. For every minute that passed, it was another day his mate was trapped in hell.
“No.” The shifter shook his head. “That can’t be right because it sounded like you just asked me to kill you.”
“I’m not asking. I’m commanding it.”
“What the fuck, Orrin?”
It was the first time Tyr had ever spoken so informally to him, which highlighted his emotional state at the moment. While sympathetic to the position he was placing the shifter in, he really didn’t know who else to ask for help.
“I have to go to the Underworld, and I don’t know how else to get there.”
“Do you realize how fucking crazy you sound?”
“Not to mention that Tyr will be executed if anyone finds out,” Rune added casually as he sauntered out of his room and over to where they stood. “Why don’t you just jump off the balcony?”
He had briefly considered it, but he didn’t know if they were high enough off the ground. Then, he had to think about the snow and how that might affect his landing. Really, probably better to not risk it. He wanted to die, not paralyze himself.
Rune’s eyes narrowed at the corners as if he could see the inner workings of Orrin’s mind. “That was a joke, Your Highness. Please do not jump off the balcony.”
He had never met two more unhelpful people in his life. “Fritz! Bring me Fritz!”
“Are you sure about that?” Sindri asked as he joined them, with Aksel following half a step behind. “Fritz accidentally put a ghost in a cat once.” He paused, tilted his head, and started to chuckle. “Ghost cat.”
Yes, very humorous, but that didn’t— “Wait. What did you say?”
“Ghost cat?”
“Yes!” Unfortunately, he didn’t know how to get in touch with Pepper. The guy just sort of appeared when he wanted to, then vanished when he was finished…or bored. “Pepper! I need your help! It’s about Erus. Pepper!”
Several guests came out of their rooms, likely to find out why Orrin was standing in the middle of the corridor, shouting at the top of his lungs. Most looked annoyed at the disruption, but a few wore expressions of concern. He would like to think they were worried about what him so distressed, but the more likely answer was that they thought he had lost his mind.
He couldn’t have cared less. Fuck decorum and restraint. His mate was missing, and he had no idea when, or even if, he was coming back.
“Pepper! Pepper!”
“Your Highness, maybe—”
“Shut up.” He shoved Tyr’s shoulder to push him out of the way and marched down the hallway as he continued to yell for the familiar. “Pepper! Please help me!”
“What are you doing?” Sindri asked, falling into step beside him.
“Maybe I need better reception.”
“Like a cell phone?”
Orrin sighed. “I don’t know how any of this works. I just need someone to help me!”
“Okay, calm down.” Grabbing him by both arms, Sindri pulled him to a stop and swung him around until they stood toe to toe. “Deep breaths. Why don’t you explain what happened?”
His entire body trembled with fear and adrenaline, along with a whole lot of anger. All his supposed influence and prestige, and he was utterly powerless in the moment.
“Erus was summoned to speak with Hades. He was only gone for a second.” Well, what had felt like a second to Orrin and his friends. “When he came back, he told me that he had to return to the Underworld, and he didn’t know when he would return. Only…”
“Yes?” Sindri prodded when he trailed away.
“It sounded a lot like a goodbye.”
