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“You got her out of your head,” Fenris said, shaking it off. “That is an excellent step. We will be able to go home now, and you will be able to prepare for the eclipse in peace. I will continue gathering my allies.”
“Your allies?” My eyebrows shot up.
“Yes.” He studied me. “It is clear the Solar Sovereign is planning something, and they didn’t survive in the shadows this long by being a fool. If they’re going to attack me, they’ll do it when I’m weak during the eclipse. I will need my allies’ strength to hold them off.”
I frowned.But…even if they did attack him and the worst happened, wouldn’t he just wake up in his temple afterward?
Fenris didn’t seem like he was in a sharing mood right now, and if I was being honest with myself, I was ready to crawl back into bed and sleep for another day. I paused, watching the moonbeams sail across his face.
“Hey, the full moon is only a few days away,” I said. “Where will we go? I don’t think it’ll be safe for the others if we stay here.”
Fenris seemed surprised that I asked where “we” would be going, but I couldn’t imagine sending him away into isolation on his own, knowing this Solar Sovereign was trying to kill him. “I will be going to Antarctica, per usual,” he said a moment later. “You are welcome to come if you’d like, but you don’t have to.”
I rolled my eyes. “The only reason I ran off last time was because you kept me in the dark and Piers convinced me I was going to be some kind of weird bridal sacrifice. Now that we’re on the same page, I have no interest in getting lost in an Antarctic storm, thank you very much. I’m not going to sit around on a beach, waiting to find out if you’re okay, yeah?”
Fenris smiled despite himself. “Very well,” he said, leaning in to kiss me. “I wouldn’t mind the company.”
“I know,” I said brightly.
Fenris smiled a little more. “I’ll contact Walter so we can leave first thing in the morning.” He paused, stifling a yawn. “But I think, if you don’t mind, we might finally take that nap until then.”
Chapter8
Fenris
Snowmass Pack Territory
Snowmass, Colorado
The sky had only just started to brighten when I rose out of bed. Celeste was still sound asleep and clutching the blankets around her. She’d looked exhausted after dealing with Sabine yesterday, and I wanted her to get as much rest as possible before we moved again.
I carefully slipped out of bed and slunk out of the room, pulling my shirt back on as I crept down the stairs. Keziah was already awake, puttering around her kitchen. I was glad I hadn’t missed her. I had the feeling the pack alpha was trying to give me privacy, and while I appreciated that, it made her difficult to talk to.
“Good morning,” she greeted me, careful to keep her voice low. Her bright eyes twinkled. “Sleeping Beauty getting a bit more rest?”
I nodded.
“Good,” she said, turning back to her coffee pot as it gurgled and sputtered. “She looked exhausted. Coffee?” She glanced back over her shoulder at me.
“Please,” I said, enjoying the scent of the brew. It smelled much darker than what I usually enjoyed, but I always tried to be an unobtrusive guest, if not a pleasant one.
We were both quiet as she pulled down a pair of plain mugs from her austere shelves. Neither of us spoke until the coffee was made and we were sitting at a cleared-off section of the table.
“Celeste was successful in her quest to clear her psyche,” I informed the other alpha, nodding toward the eccentric bouquet. “I apologize for not cleaning this up last night. She was quite drained after the spells.”
Keziah waved a hand. “It’s just plants. No big deal.” She looked over the piles. “I’ll get in touch with the matriarch and see if she wants them back or if they…I don’t know. You know how witches can be about their things.”
“Indeed,” I hummed. I took a sip of my coffee. Despite the darker roast, I found it enjoyable, perhaps because I’d gone several days without coffee. “I wanted to thank you for your hospitality, Keziah. It would’ve been much more difficult for my mate to do her work without it.”
She waved a hand again. “No need to thank me, Fenris. That’s what the Order of the Stars does.”
I frowned, shaking my head. Perhaps I’d taken the order for granted in the past, but I wouldn’t any longer. “All the same, I appreciate it. I realize it was on extremely short notice.” I paused. “And, unfortunately, I may have need of you again in the near future. You will hear from Walter regarding a meeting after the full moon.”
“A meeting?” Keziah shrugged, clearly more concerned with the temperature of her coffee than the gathering I’d just mentioned. “I’ll be there. As soon as I hear from him, I’ll get everything square with my second-in-command.”
“Good,” I said, nodding. I loved to see a pack run so efficiently. I paused, looking toward the door. “Where is Kal staying?”
“Your bear shifter friend?” Keziah paused long enough for me to nod. She leaned back, pointing to what I imagined was down the street. “Toward the end of the row. Wuta’s home is the only one that’s painted bright green. He’s our pack healer. Your friend is recovering, but he wanted to keep an eye on him until he was stronger.” She grimaced. “Whatever he ran into really did a number on him.”
