Chapter Thirty-two

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO

" W e need to move quickly. If the gorgon doesn't report back soon, they will send someone to investigate." Caedmon slid through the room like a ghost, not making a sound as he headed in the direction the gorgon had appeared.

Morgan hesitated a beat, then followed. "Do you know where we need to go?"

"The throne room. It's the seat of power for the queen and located at the center of the castle." Caedmon knelt and studied the ground, and her heart sank.

Going on a hunch, she stepped in his path. "You don't know how to get to the throne room, do you?"

He peered up at her with determined yellow eyes. "Not yet."

Morgan barely resisted throwing up her hands in frustration. When she turned away from him, it was in time to see Loki lifting his hind leg to pee on the statue of the gorgon. "Loki!"

The beast froze at being caught, his stream wilting to just a dribble. His eyebrows lifted comically, his eyes wide as he glanced around the room without blinking, looking for escape. Draven gave a bark of laughter, while the other men tried to keep a straight face .

Being a big doofus, Loki grinned and shot one last squirt of pee on the statue before he lowered his leg and trotted toward her with a pleased expression.

Hands on her hips, she gazed down at the dog in exasperation, trying to remain stern but failing miserably when the pup gazed up at her with soulful eyes. Then she cocked her head, recalling how Loki always seemed to be able to track her and the guys by scenting their magic. She crouched and scratched the beast behind his ear, and his tongue lolled out in ecstasy. "Hey, buddy, do you think you can use your nose and sniff out the source of magic in the castle?"

Loki gave an excited bark, practically prancing in spot, his tail lashing, his ears straight…until one slowly flopped forward to cover his eye adorably.

Morgan glanced at her mates, suddenly uncertain about sending the puppy into danger.

"We'll be right behind him," Kincade assured her. "We won't let him out of our sight."

The rest of the guys nodded solemnly, each of them just as attached to the big lug.

She rose to her feet, then forced herself to step to the side.

Loki went off like a shot, nose to the ground. It didn't take long for them to exit the dungeons, the gardog winding them through the tunnels and halls, scratching on doors he needed open. The deeper they went into the castle, the more elaborate the decorations. Everything was so ornate, it was like walking in a mausoleum of the past.

And so fucking quiet that her breathing sounded loud to her ears.

She followed Loki distractedly, trying to push away her unease. When they rounded the next corner, Morgan came to an abrupt stop. She wasn't sure who was more surprised when she came face-to-face with a guard.

Before she even had time to react, Caedmon leapt the distance between them, sword lifted high.

"Don't kill him if you can help it!" At her demand, Caedmon twisted his arm, the hilt of the sword coming down on the guard's temple. The poor fellow barely even had time to pull his own weapon from his scabbard before he crumpled to the ground.

"I know you don't want to harm anyone, but we might not have a choice." Ascher casually grabbed the dark fae by the ankles and dragged him to the nearest door, shoving the man none too gently inside before slamming it shut behind him. "The closer we get to the throne room, the more guards we will run across."

"I know, but I would like to avoid it for as long as possible." Morgan cast a worried glance at Atlas and Caedmon. "Are you sure you're okay with fighting the fae? If you hesitate?—"

"In a heartbeat." Caedmon didn't even pause.

"Not a problem," Atlas answered at the same time. "You are our family now. Anyone who threatens you dies."

It was as simple as that.

Their vow to kill anything who threatened her shouldn't have been sexy, but it was one of the most romantic things anyone had ever said to her. She grinned at the both of them. "You guys are just so sweet."

"You bloodthirsty thing." Draven sighed dramatically, clutching his heart and batting his lashes. "A woman after my own heart. It's no wonder that I fell in love with you the first time I laid eyes on you."

She snorted and rolled her eyes at his antics, doing her best to ignore the heat that filled her cheeks at his confession.

Which only made Draven shoot her a smug grin.

"Enough." She pushed him away and shook her head to clear it. "Save the flirting for when we're done."

Like flipping a switch, her mates turned into warriors determined to keep her safe. Loki headed down another hall at a fast clip, his tail swishing behind him. Kincade and Caedmon kept close. Ascher and Atlas guarded the rear, while Ryder and Draven remained at her side .

The farther they ventured into the castle, the more guards they encountered.

And the more vicious the fighting became, the guys ruthless in taking down anything that came near. Even Loki had taken up the fight like it was a game, the two-ton beast easily knocking out his prey by slamming them into the walls and floors.

It was brutal, and the pup was loving it.

The sounds of battle reached them through the castle walls. It felt like the place was being bombarded, the ground and walls trembling under the blows. They didn't have much time before the wards were breached and the fae went to war.

They had to hurry.

As if they sensed her urgency, everyone picked up their pace.

Morgan knew they were getting close when the walls practically radiated magic. She was just about to caution them when Loki picked up his speed. She leapt after him, barely tackling him to the ground in time.

Caedmon edged forward, thrusting the edge of his sword around the corner for only a second, using it like a mirror, before pulling it back. As he made his way toward them, his face was grim. "A contingent of forty trained soldiers. We'll never get through them without taking casualties."

Unacceptable.

Morgan bit her lip and winced when only one solution came to her. "We turn ourselves over to them and surrender. It's the only way we get past them and survive."

"Absolutely not." Atlas shot her down, even before she finished, the rest of the guys agreeing. "Elves will see it as a sign of weakness and use it against you. We will lose the upper hand. Everything you sacrificed to get here will be for nothing."

Morgan slammed her hands on her hips and scowled at the lot of them. "Better alive than dead."

Caedmon shook his head. "Not when dealing with the fae."

Then the arguing became irrelevant.

While distracted, Loki had slunk low to the ground and crept along the wall. She ran after him, her magic giving her a boost of speed, but she was too late. Just as she reached him, the beast launched himself around the corner and tackled the nearest guards, taking three of them to the floor.

He pounced on their chests like he was trying to crush a mouse, and she heard ribs cracking, even from a distance. Morgan skidded after him, hearing her mates cursing as they scrambled to catch up.

"Bad dog!" Morgan wagged her finger at Loki and glared at the beast. She gave an exasperated sigh and shot the guards a rueful smile. "Sorry, he just got away from me."

The elven guards who were already in motion slowed slightly, looking confused for a moment.

It bought her precious seconds for her mates to catch up.

Even as they came around the corner at a run, the elves shook themselves out of their stupor and advanced. Her men didn't even hesitate, throwing themselves into battle, the two sides clashing. It was a vicious, brutal fight, neither side giving any quarter as swords clashed and punches were thrown.

Though she itched to join the battle, she remained back, knowing she would just be a distraction. She protected the rear and took down any guards that managed to slip through.

Loki remained at her side, tackling anything that got near, throwing bodies around the room until they crashed into stone walls. He used his tail to trip unsuspecting warriors or stab people when they pissed him off.

When one guard raised his sword to Ascher's unprotected back, the gardog launched himself in the air, his wings flaring wide to give him greater distance, and he barreled into the bastard. He took the soldier to the ground, his teeth locked around the guard's throat seconds before he ripped it out.

Loki lifted his blood splattered head, and Morgan blew him a kiss. "Good doggie!"

Then she had no more time to do anything but fight as they were overwhelmed.

Despite all their training, they couldn't win when so vastly outnumbered .

The guys were bloodied, taking brutal blows that would kill weaker men.

Caedmon and Atlas were hypnotizing to watch, moving through the fighters like dancers, barely even touching the ground as they tore through the guards. Ascher was practically smoking, melting swords and burning anyone who got too close. Ryder was a beast, his form bulking up until he towered over everyone, while Draven moved like a shadow, slipping in and out of the soldiers, his blades slashing.

Unfortunately, the elves were excellent fighters, almost evenly matched with her men.

They wouldn't relent, they wouldn't retreat.

They would fight to the death to protect the queens.

When Ryder took a nasty blow to the temple that sent him staggering, something inside her snapped. Magic heated her blood and crackled over her skin. The air thickened with menace and the overwhelming need to crush them was almost like a compulsion.

The elves sensed the change, but instead of running, it made her a target and the guards surged toward her all at once. Just as she lifted her hands to cut them down, the howl of wolves came from behind her.

Claws clicked against the stone floors as her wolves flooded the room, not showing an ounce of fear. The metal wolves were unstoppable, nothing penetrating their silver hide. They were ruthless as they savagely took the guards to the ground.

It was a slaughter.

The fight was over in minutes, blood staining the white marble as it spilled across the walls and floor. Bodies littered the room, some of them in such small pieces, they were unrecognizable. It was a gruesome sight, and the pointless loss of life weighed heavily on her soul.

It should've never come to this point.

Her men were battered and bruised, littered with cuts that bled freely. Dozens of wolves were injured and limping…except three .

She couldn't tear her eyes away from the too still forms of the wolves who had perished during the fight, the sight leaving a gaping hole in her soul.

She glanced at Ryder and saw the same sorrow reflected back.

And a terrible guilt.

"You ordered the wolves to follow us." Morgan ached to go to him, wanting to comfort him. No one should have to make that decision. "It's not your fault. If they hadn't come, chances are we all would've died."

He gave a stiff nod, but she knew it would be a while before he got over the guilt.

"Sorry it took us so long." Louis glanced up from where he was checking over the injured wolves. "It took us a bit to take down the outer door and follow your trail."

"I can never thank you enough." Morgan glanced at the wolves who'd died, and her face hardened. "We take them with us when we leave. They deserve to be laid to rest like warriors."

Louis gave a grateful nod.

"Morgan—"

"No." She ignored Draven and headed toward the throne room. "We end this now."