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The human witch let out a noticeable sigh of relief and took Kit’s extended hand.
“How was this possible?” Luka asked, finally lowering his arm, though his body remained tense and ready to act.
Rico sucked in a deep breath and stood on shaky legs. “A fae mage, William Caomhánach, approached me with a deal I couldn’t refuse. He took us to the Otherworld and offered us land. His help and influence would give us something we’ll never get here—a place to call our own.” His gaze met his brother’s. “And respect.”
Luka’s jaw clenched, but Tabitha let out a loud snort beside me.
“But when I heard he’d died, I thought the deal was off.” Rico ran a hand over his buzzed head.
“By taking you to the Otherworld, he was able to weave a spell of control over all of you that followed you back here,” Kit explained. “William was strong enough to cast a spell you wouldn’t have noticed.”
“William or Colin?” I asked, hoping Bill was the only fae that powerful.
Kit hesitated, then gave a slight shake of her head. “Honestly? I don’t know. I’m fairly certain that Colin cloaks his magic when he’s in this realm. Either way, Colin had to have done this.”
Trepidation skittered down my back. We all knew Colin had a great deal of magic, especially for one of the Spring Court fae.
If he was hiding the full extent of his abilities, then just how powerful was he?
Controlling so many people meant pretty damn strong. I couldn’t be sure of course, but I didn’t think his relation to the queen, as her cousin, had much to do with it, especially since it seemed like she was on his side.
We needed to find out how involved she was, and soon.
“I’m going to start off by saying I really don’t like your clan for wrecking my car,” I said to Rico, putting my hands on my hips. “But we need to stop Colin and whoever the hell else is involved. Can we count on you and your rogues?”
Rico’s gaze traced my body, lingering on my curves as if seeing me for the first time. His entire demeanor changed, and a playful, downright sexy smile tugged at his lips. “As long as I get to watch your fine ass in action, count me in.”
Just like that, I recognized his voice. He was the man in the skull mask who had kidnapped Kit and me and threatened to kill her if I didn’t play nice. One of several despicable threats.
I pulled my arm back, then slapped him as hard as I could, snapping his head to the side. The sound rang across the yard.
Slowly, he turned his face back to me, narrowing his eyes. A bright red handprint stained his cheek.
I leveled my gaze at him, drawing my ancestral magic forward into my stare. Generations of mothers giving him the look. “Would you like to try that again?”
A sudden possessiveness surged through my soul link, and warmth spread across my back as Thane approached our group. Electricity sparked through my body and ignited my core, aching with a sudden need for him. An undeniable sense of belonging pulsed through our bond.
Mine. I could almost hear his mirrored thought.
There was no doubt that I belonged to Thane—mind, body, and soul.
Sure, Rico was a good-looking guy for an asshole; he shared genetics with Luka, for flame’s sake. But I wasn’t there to mess around and play games with someone like him, someone I really wanted to stab.
No one else spoke, as if sensing the seriousness of our silent showdown. I held Rico’s stare until he shifted his weight uncomfortably and flicked his gaze to Thane.
He licked his lips. “Count us in, señora.”
A low growl came from Tabitha’s throat. “You can’t trust these outcasts. There’s a reason their own families banished them.”
Rico met her fierce glare straight on, and his flirtatious act dropped. “And we want to atone for our sins. I’m in.”
The entire rogue clan voiced their assent, promising their loyalty in the fight against the fae. A battle for freedom. Because if Colin won, he would control everything, including them.
Luka’s narrowed gaze swept over the rogue clan before settling on his brother. “Respect must be earned, but I will honor an alliance between our packs if you prove yourself loyal in this war.”
A hushed murmur swept through the wolves and other shifters watching. Such an alliance was unheard of because, like Tabitha said, they were rogues for a reason.
Rico’s eyebrows skyrocketed toward his buzzed hairline. He grinned and held out a hand. “We won’t let you down, hermano.”
