AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Bristling, he stopped walking abruptly, forcing Rukia to mimic his movements and turn back to face him. “Did you not just ask me to stay? Have you already forgotten your own demands?”
Rukia’s eyes narrowed, but she didn’t fire off an immediate retort. Instead, she blinked and drew in a recuperative breath before responding.
“You’re right.”
“I’m right?” His face pinching in surprise, he looked up at the sky, squinting. “Have pigs flown? I must have missed the memo.”
“Don’t get wise with me, sparky,” she snapped. “I’m not on my A-game.”
Softening, Isaiah exhaled. “Come on, let’s find the others.”
He placed his hand on the small of her back before she turned and walked next to him. Once more in silence, the compound appeared once they turned down another walkway to the east. But Rukia didn’t hesitate, she didn’t falter as it came into view.
Instead, she squared her shoulders and marched forward. Whether that was because of his presence or despite it, Isaiah couldn’t tell. Without so much as a wayward glance toward the site where the earth had taken Gideon, the female strode into the compound without delay.
Beside Tyee, Aidan’s eyes were on her instantly, empathy a heavy veil over his usual lightheartedness. When he caught sight of Isaiah in the doorway behind her, the expression immediately soured to one of suspicion and ire.
The hulking werewolf moved to intercept them, his young mate trailing behind with red-rimmed eyes. “Rukia, shall I rid you of your parasite?”
“No.” The water Elemental shook her head, her voice far away as she stepped into the building and wrapped her arms about herself. “I asked him to stay.”
Cocking an eyebrow incredulously at Isaiah, the werewolf returned his attention to Rukia. She’d stilled when her eyes caught sight of the place where they’re returned from the dam, her body stiffening in a way that told him an errant gust of wind might shatter what little sanity she had left.
But Rukia didn’t wilt. “We need to send someone back to the dam. To make sure what we did will hold.”
“Aaron offered to go this morning after he heard what happened,” Aidan’s expression twisted, his mate resting her head on his chest. “He said he felt a shift in the earth and woke up early. I was out for a run.”
“Has he tried to reach Gideon?”
Aidan nodded. “Lucy shadowed him as he reached out to the earth where Gideon went under, but he couldn’t get through.”
“There’s a block there, hundreds of feet below the surface,” Lucy added. “Impenetrable rock that neither Aaron nor I could get through. We aren’t sure what it is. A sarcophagus, a healing womb, … Gideon’s power? We just—we have no way of knowing, and neither of us wanted to disturb it.”
Tyee sighed. “The heartbeat monitors Jeremiah placed on him last night aren’t registering a heartbeat.”
“If he’s hundreds of feet below the surface, the signal might not register,” Rukia contested.
“True, but hours have passed, Rukia, and he’s not rising.” Tyee shook his head. “Gideon heals the quickest of any earth Elemental I’ve ever known, and he’s been below for more than eight hours. Even when Victor nearly gutted him, that only took two.”
Rukia shivered, remaining silent.
“We need to face the inevitable,” Tyee said. “That Gideon might be … that he might be dead.”
Nina’s signature registered moments before she strode into the great hall, completely ignoring Isaiah’s presence to focus on Rukia. “Rona is resting in her home for the time being, but last night was rough.” A pause as her mouth thinned. “For what it’s worth, Rukia, you have my sympathies about Gideon.”
“Part of me can’t believe this is all real.” Rukia’s eyes flashed to the other woman’s, an intensity behind the gaze. “Leading Paracel in his place—even temporarily—I’m not certain I could ever fill his shoes.”
“You don’t have to, Rukia,” Nina soothed, compassion her second nature. “You can find your own path. Your own footprint.”
Nodding, Rukia’s eyes sharpened. “Would you be able to take Aaron to the site of the dam so he can ensure Gideon’s measures hold?”
“Of course.”
Rukia glanced toward the werewolf next. “How is Jeremiah?”
“He took to the sky last night before I could catch him.” Aidan grumbled with displeasure. “I haven’t seen him since he stormed out of here.”
She cursed. “He’s not taking this well. I should try to find him.”
