Chapter 22

When they arrived at the warehouse the next morning, Lydia began the process of moving the helo out of the building, but Jon stopped her. "I've got this." They hadn't discussed who would pilot the craft, but if it were up to her, Jon would take the controls. It wasn't that she didn't like flying; she did. But if Jon flew, she could focus on the landscape. Once the helo was outside, Dooley transferred their bags from the SUV and then drove it inside. When he walked out, Lydia closed and locked the door.

"Nice," Jon said, taking the pilot's seat with Lydia next to him. It only took him a few minutes to familiarize himself with the controls. Lydia helped by pointing out the few differences from the one they'd learned in. Having Frey for a father, Jon had learned to fly before he was driving a car.

The trip to where Chloe's aircraft was didn't take long. Jon landed expertly a safe distance away. "Tell me again why we didn't rent snowmobiles?"

"We don't know how far we'll have to travel, and there's nowhere to get fuel out here."

"Yes, but if whoever we're tracking is on one, they must have found a way. They're probably carrying gas cans with them."

Damn. This was why Lydia was an archivist. Planning rescues was not her strong suit. "If you want to fly back and get one, I'm okay with that, but I'm not turning back now. I've wasted too much time already."

Jon gripped her shoulders and squeezed. "You haven't wasted anything. You followed the coordinates Carleigh gave you. If I had been here, or Anthony even, we would have done the same thing. As for the snowmobile, we'll put that on the back burner. Dooley can scout ahead in his fur, and you and I can use the drones. If we feel it's needed, I'll hand my drone off to Kennedy and do a flyover. I doubt there's anyone out here to see me except the ones we're after."

Lydia told Dooley where she'd left Beck's snowshoes, and he shifted and took off. He returned a few minutes later and handed them over to Jon. The foursome grabbed their gear and set out, following the barely there indentions of the snowmobile. Every so often, Dooley would hand his pack off to Jon and run ahead in his Bear. Each time, he came back letting them know they were headed the right direction. Lydia and Jon used the drones sparingly to save battery, but they did a few flyovers to make sure there weren't more snowmobile tracks.

Lydia thought sharing her tent with Jon would be awkward now that they were adults, but instead, it was fun, reminding her of all the sleepovers the cousins had as kids. They faced one another when they turned in for the night and whispered secrets in the darkness. Out in the middle of nowhere, Jon confessed what happened with Summer all those years ago, swearing Lydia to secrecy.

"It wasn't Summer who caused my transition. It was her next-door neighbor, Celia. Celia who was human and married with a little girl."

"Oh shit, Jon. That had to be rough. But how do you know for sure it was her?"

"How did you know Beck was your mate? You felt queasy, right?"

"Yes, but to be honest, I chalked it up to bad fish." Lydia giggled, thinking back to meeting her mate. "But Celia was an adult, so why were you alone with her? You had to be to know she was the cause."

"Remy and Isla were having a pool party. Summer was in her room on the phone with her boyfriend, who her parents didn't know existed. While Isla, Mom, and Amelia were in the kitchen getting food ready, I was hanging outside with Dad, Remy, and Rain. Celia, her husband, Ken, and their daughter, Marisole, showed up and hung out on the patio with us. Marisole begged her mother to get in the water, but Celia didn't want to get her hair wet, so Marisole turned those big green eyes on me instead of her dad. Celia placed her hand on my arm, telling me I didn't have to play with her daughter if I didn't want to, and that's when it hit me."

"What did you do?"

"I thought getting away from her would lessen the nausea, so I jumped in the pool with Marisole. It wasn't a hardship because you know how much I love to swim. But I figured I didn't have long before the transition took over, and once the females were outside, I got Dad's attention and told him I wasn't feeling well. We made our excuses and went back to the vacation house where we were staying. On the way there, I told him what happened, and he said if it was meant to be, it would. Kinda like what he and Mom went through."

"Did you ever think it might not be Celia? That it could have been Marisole?"

"Ew, no. She was a little girl."

"A little girl who would one day grow into an adult. It wouldn't be the first time a Goyle met his mate and had to wait on them to grow up. Look at Matthew and Slade."

"Yeah, but Matt was a teenager, not a child."

"It happened with Ezekiel. Stella was a toddler when they met. Waiting for Marisole to be old enough is better than hoping someone's marriage implodes, don't you think? When's the last time you were around either of them?"

"Not since that day. Ken got a job on the East Coast, and they moved. Holy gods, Lydia. What if you're right? I can't believe I never thought it could be her instead of her mother. Neither did my folks."

"Like you said, she was a little girl. But that's been what? Ten years? How old was she?"

"I don't know. Seven or eight?"

"Then she's now an adult or close to it. You have to find her."

Jon's grin was bright in the dark. "I know exactly where she is. I've kept tabs on Celia in case she and Ken got divorced."

"You owe it to yourself to see if Marisole is your mate and not her mother."

Jon flopped onto his back and scrubbed his hands down his face. "Shit. My life might not be a lost cause after all." Angling his face toward hers, he sighed. "This is why you're the brains, and I'm the brawn."

Lydia brushed his bangs off his forehead. "I hope it works out for you."

"Me too."

When Lydia woke, she was alone. Jon and Dooley spoke in low tones outside the tent, so she got up to join them.

"Good morning. I got up early and ran ahead on a scouting mission. I was telling Jon that we're still going the right way, but the tracks loop around the fjord, then head west. If we cross the water, we'll cut off half a day's walk."

"Have a boat in your pocket, do ya?" Lydia sassed.

Dooley grinned. "No, but we do have a Gargoyle who can fly, assuming he can carry you across. Ken and I will shift, and she can ride on my back."

Jon flexed his left arm and slapped his bicep with his right hand. "No problem, my man. I'll take the bags first, then come back for Lydia. Let's get the tents packed up."

Lydia emptied their tent, and Jon took it down, adding it to his bag. Once everyone's things were ready, Jon removed his shirt and released his wings. "Fuck, it's cold."

"You're a Goyle. You don't get cold."

"I do when I'm in the fuckin' tundra."

Lydia had only ever flown with her dad, but she trusted her cousin not to drop her. Jon might not be as large as Frey, but he was still tall with a Gargoyle's strength. Dooley asked Jon to turn his back while Kennedy stripped. Soon the little fox was darting back and forth, waiting as her mate stored her clothes in her pack. While Jon was on his first trip over with their packs, Dooley took to his Bear, Kennedy climbed on, and they took off into the frigid water. Crossing the fjord took Lydia and Jon less than five minutes, where it took Dooley about fifteen, faster than Lydia had thought it would. Kennedy hopped off Dooley's back. He shifted first and retrieved his mate's clothes. She got dressed while Jon turned his back without having to be asked again. Dooley refilled their canteens in the fjord before setting out again.

They had been walking several hours the next day when Dooley's Bear returned from scouting, and the male had something to say other than they were still headed the right direction. "We're close, only a couple hundred yards out past those hills. The tracks are jumbled where the driver circled the area and drove off in a different direction."

"Are you sure he didn't stop to pee?" Kennedy asked.

"Yep. There are two sets of footprints as well. I bet we're looking for another cave."

Jon looked off into the distance. "I don't hear an engine, so we need to hurry before they come back."

Lydia huffed, the cold air fogging in front of her. "I want them to show up. Fuckers took my mate."

Jon gently clapped her shoulder. "You can get your revenge after we rescue Beck. If this is where he is."

Can you feel them?

Yes. We're close. Beck's alive.

"He's here. My Goyle feels him." Lydia wanted to run, or fly, anything to get to Beck faster.

"We'll be quicker if we leave our packs here." Dooley's was already on the ground, and he removed Kennedy's and dropped it next to his. Lydia added hers to the pile, but she removed the small cooler containing the antidotes.

Two hundred yards felt like two hundred miles, but the closer they got, the more Lydia worried. Her beast assured her he was alive, but what if the poison wasn't wolfsbane? What if they'd used something else and she didn't have the right antidote?

Jon must have felt her inner turmoil. He told her softly, "No matter what, we'll get him the help he needs."

It wasn't hard to find the ice cave. The footprints led them to the entrance. They all kicked off their snowshoes as they wouldn't be needed inside. Lydia placed the cooler with the shoes, wanting her hands free for her weapons. Several yards in, a crude door had been bolted into the ice walls. Jon held his fist up in the universal sign to hold. After a few seconds, he said, "I don't hear anyone, but they could be deeper inside. I'll go first."

Lydia called forth her daggers while Jon snapped the padlock and dropped it to the frozen ground. He pushed the door open, pausing before stepping past. Lydia wanted to run ahead of him, but he kept his arm out so she couldn't. Jon eased his way farther into the cave. He made a choking sound and stopped walking.

"Lydia." Jon's voice cracked, and she couldn't wait any longer. Stepping around her cousin, she froze. There, chained to the wall, Beck was lying on his side, his back to her. Lydia rushed to her mate, dropping the daggers at her feet. Kneeling, she placed her hand on his arm.

"Beck? It's me, Lydia. Can you hear me?"

Beck mumbled something she couldn't understand. Lydia gently tugged on his shoulder, pulling him over to lie on his back. She bit back a sob. Even in the dim light, she could see how pale he was. He had lost weight, and the skin on his wrists was raw. Instead of raging like she wanted, Lydia continued talking to him in low, soothing tones.

"There's quite a few fish carcasses along with empty cans of water, so at least they weren't completely starving him." Jon stepped closer. "Let me take care of the cuffs."

"Wait." Lydia grabbed his hand before he could touch the metal. She leaned in and sniffed them, but there was no foul odor. "The ones in the other cave were coated in wolfsbane, thus the antidote."

"Then what's wrong with him?" Jon stepped over Beck and squatted. "He was stabbed. Fuck." Jon didn't hesitate. He gripped the cuff on Beck's left hand and ripped it apart, tossing it aside. He did the same to the right one, then shooed Lydia aside so he could lift Beck off the ground. "Let's get out of here."

"Okay, but I need our pack first. I don't want to lay him on the snow."

"I'll get it," Dooley said, then took off in his fur.

Beck was larger than Jon, but her cousin had no trouble carrying her mate. Lydia retrieved her weapons and returned them to her wrists. Once they were outside the cave, Jon held Beck until Dooley returned. He dropped the pack at Kennedy's feet before shifting back.

"What do you need?" Kennedy asked.

"The thermal blanket and a canteen."

Kennedy found the blanket and spread it out. Jon placed Beck on it, and Lydia scooped up the cooler before dropping to her knees beside him. She had first aid training, but her hands still trembled as she inspected the wound on Beck's side. His shirt was stuck to his skin with dried blood. Kennedy passed over the canteen, and Lydia poured the water over the shirt. It was then she smelled it. "Sonofabitch. The blade was coated in poison." The odor was faint, but it was definitely wolfsbane. Lydia eased the shirt away from his skin, exposing the wound. She cleaned as much dried blood off the area as she could, swallowing hard when green pus seeped out.

"What the fuck? I'm going to fucking murder whoever stabbed him," Dooley seethed.

"Get in line," Jon responded.

Lydia let them argue as she opened the cooler and removed the different colored bottles. Having already memorized the notes for each, Lydia chose the amber one. After removing the cork, she poured a small portion of the contents over the cut. When the pus sizzled and foamed, Lydia inwardly cheered. She then removed a small hand towel she'd added to the cooler, thankful she hadn't stowed it in her backpack. When Lydia dabbed at the wound, Beck moaned, and Lydia placed her free palm on his cheek. "It's going to be okay, My Bear. I'm here."

"S-sugar?"

"Yeah. It's your Sugar. You're safe now."

"Chl-Chloe?"

"Shh. Don't worry about her right now. Can you drink some water for me?"

"No strength."

"That's okay. I've got you. And Dooley and Kennedy and my cousin, Jon, are here."

Dooley knelt behind Beck and raised his head. Lydia poured some water into his mouth. Most of it dribbled out the corners, but he managed to swallow some. She didn't give him too much in case it upset his stomach. Beck blinked his eyes but squeezed them shut against the harsh glare coming off the snow. Lydia removed her goggles from where she'd pushed them up and secured the band around his head, slipping them over his eyes.

"That should help." Lydia brushed her fingers through his hair that was in dire need of washing. She leaned down and pressed her lips to his forehead and nuzzled his nose with hers. There was so much she wanted to say, but there would be time for that later. Dooley talked softly to Beck while Lydia checked the wound. Finding more pus had formed, she repeated the process of adding a small amount of the potion and waiting for it to bubble up.

"Wh-what is that?" he asked.

"A little something Luna concocted. An antidote to counteract wolfsbane."

"Where's Chloe?" Beck rasped.

Lydia turned her focus from the wound to her mate's face. "Has she been here?"

"In the cave with me. Locked up by… not sure who."

"That doesn't make sense," Lydia muttered at the same time Dooley asked, "Did we get it wrong?"

"Beck, are you certain she was locked up with you? The poison—"

"Yes. She was there, but… Fuck. I thought she might have left and come back."

Lydia kept one hand on the towel as she leaned over so he could see her face. "Bear, we're pretty sure Chloe's responsible for this, along with Orson Murray, Boyd, and Heather."

"Orson? Fuck. I thought his voice sounded familiar." Beck sucked in a breath. "Help me sit up."

Dooley lifted Beck's shoulders, then remained behind him to give him something to lean against. "We found another cave where we think they were holding the Empress, but when we got there, she was gone. There were chains like yours, but it looked like she got loose somehow. There were two sets of footprints, so I followed the smaller tracks that ended in the bay."

"Good. If she was able to swim, she'll be fine." Beck tried to reach for Lydia, but his arm fell after a few inches. "How did you find me?"

"We followed the snowmobile tracks from the Sagan helo. Took us four days, so getting you back is going to be rough going," Dooley answered.

"Jon, I hate to ask, but could you fly to get the helo and then come back for us?" Lydia couldn't stand the thought of Beck trying to make it all the way to where they landed.

"I can, but I think we should put a little distance between us and the cave."

"What does it matter? They'll be able to follow our tracks if we move."

Dooley rubbed his hands together. "Not if Jon carries you and Beck. The missus and I can take to our fur and cause a diversion."

Jon stiffened. "Whatever we do, we need to be quick about it. There's a snowmobile headed this way."