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“Scanning my soul? It doesn’t feel like that kind of magic.”
“Your thoughts.”
Raven inhaled sharply. “I didn’t realize Shadows could do that.”
“Most can’t.”
She jerked her face to look at me. “And you didn’t think this was something I should know?”
Oh, the little firedrake.
“It’s not my secret to share.”
I glared at my cousin. “Nor did I realize he’d been doing it, outside of when you arrived. He hasn’t been so obvious about it until today.”
“Don’t panic, Raven,” the Shadow Lord softened his tone. “I don’t get much from you. Your shield was flawless while unconscious. Though, you should know that when your adrenaline spikes, the barrier expands enough for me to take a peek. It’s why I suspected you’d made a blood oath.”
“And just what else have you suspected whiletaking a peek?” she grounded out, teeth clenched.
“Only that you’re extremely pissed. But I don’t need to read your mind to know that.”
“You won’t be doing it again,” I declared firmly.
Draven leaned back in his chair, studying me, then my mate. “I won’t intrude again without cause.”
“Big cause,” Lyric stressed. “Giant. Humongous, like someone is in clear and present danger kind of cause, right Big Guy?”
“Very well,” he accepted. “Although, I would like it noted that I probe every single newcomer. I’d stopped doing it before Lyric arrived and we were betrayed by someone we trusted. We nearly lost both Lyric and Kree as a result. Now I take extra steps to prevent such a thing. Though, I no longer do it as often as I’d like because my mate has helped me see how my Council would view it as intrusive. But I refuse to be caught totally unawares again. I spotcheck or I dig if something feels amiss or if I suspect someone knows something that would put my Shadows at risk. I won’t apologize for it.”
Raven’s posture relaxed just a bit.
“It wasn’t personal,” he told her. “I have a long list of lives for which I am responsible.”
Her throat cleared. “I know. I would never knowingly do anything to put any of your Shadows in danger.”
“I believe you, Raven. So please believe me when I say I include you on the list of those under my protection. If anything, I’m concerned you’ll do something reckless and get yourself killed. I don’t want that for you and I definitely don’t want that for my cousin.”
Raven looked away, her hands fell to her lap. “Yes, well, I’m sure Father had a lot to share with you about my recklessness. You sound exactly like him.”
“Only a little,” he smirked. “And I’m more of a protective big brother type.”
Draven tossed his napkin onto his plate. “What does your gut say about Brokk? Do you feel like he’s in trouble?”
“My gut isn’t being very helpful at the moment. I’m inclined to say no, but Nik showing up in Eastbourne is problematic. Being of mixed parentage, I don’t have the same connection to my father most fae offspring have to theirs.”
“Maybe Brokk wasn’t heading back to Terek,” Lyric speculated. Then she belched daintily and Phalen patted her on the back.
“Good girl, get it all out,” he cooed and she elbowed him in the pectoral.
Raven gave her head a little shake, momentarily distracted by what the rest of us considered typical behavior.
“Did my father mention anything before he left?” she asked. “Such as traveling to Terek or anyplace else, specifically?”
“Now that I think about it, he didn’t give any specifics when he departed. He’d mentioned going home so we all assumed he was going straight to his territory, that Kol was safest there,” Phalen answered as his palm rubbed over the place where Lyric’s elbow had made contact.
“Phalen’s right,” I agreed. “We all assumed he was going to sail up the river to Terek and return to his home. With his powers, the trip wouldn’t have taken long. Really, he could have made it anywhere along the river within hours. Is there anyplace else you could think of? Someplace he would take Kol?”
“No. Terek is the safest place for them,” she insisted. “There are innumerable wards and protections there. Plus all of those beings Father has taken in. They would protect Kol with their lives, no matter who came looking. It is possible Father could have changed his mind about staying in the Faelands and ventured out into the sea, but I still find it hard to believe he wouldn’t have communicated with Nik.”
