36. Chapter Thirty-Six

Chapter Thirty-Six

Kade

A quaint, ivy-covered cottage sat on the Drystan River’s edge. The churning of its waterwheel broke the forest’s silence, resounding louder than fast-rolling rapids. It appeared abandoned with the smokeless chimney and blur of mildew in the windows, entirely unassuming, when in fact, an underground tunnel ran from here to Lou’s bakery.

A safe house.

Because whatever Tovi and her few allies—who Kade had gathered resided mostly in the village—had faced, there’d been enough resistance to have called for one. He wanted to ask what and why, but the princess and Linx were still inside the cottage, the mage’s magik an opal glow in the kitchenette window as she manipulated her healing abilities to shift the vampyr’s features yet again for part one of their plan to gain entry into Drystan Castle.

This far southwest from the village, not even the mountain it sat on could be seen through the army of spruce and pine trees. Slow, tranquil and delicate, snow lollygagged its way from the gray sky. The land held a bit of peace, a softness even Kade’s wolf couldn’t ignore in the precipice of so much risk to come .

By his side, Eldrick assessed the forest, too. After he and Tovi had learned more about the fighting rings—as well as killed a high-ranking lord, and it was still not blatantly stated who had killed him, but Kade’s guess was his brother—the princess had rushed to meet her contact in the castle, alone.

Evelyn’s been placed in the dungeons. Tovi’s earlier news whispered in the back Kade’s mind, and his anger became as sharp as his wolf’s claws and teeth, his determination steely like the sword he wouldn’t bring with him. Nothing was more absolute than his focus to set Evelyn free.

Eldrick turned, his green eyes, so bright like their father’s, drank him in. “She’ll be alright, Kade. Evelyn’s strong.”

Kade nodded. “I know.”

When he’d asked his brother about the deceased lord, Eldrick had muttered something along the lines of “he deserved it.” Kade didn’t doubt it, especially when he learned the bastard had bought and used werewolves as fighters, but his usually closed-off, reserved brother buzzed with more emotion than he’d ever had in his thirty years.

Days ago, Kade had kept a tight lip about his brother’s complicated relationship with the vampyr princess. He’d envisioned waiting, sharing a pint with his brother at the Shield-maiden after they’d rescued Evelyn and returned home, but in the stark contrast of the forest’s peace compared to the unknowns shadowing the hours to come, it felt as though the moment was now.

“You know,” Eldrick said, “Mother would’ve loved a mission like this.”

Kade, despite it all, found it in him to smile. “ Moons , you’re right.”

It was true. His mother relished in risk, danger—the chance to infiltrate their enemy right under their nose. Her battle cry seemed to carry on the wind.

“Have you written to Claus?” he asked. He’d never understood his brother’s closeness to their uncle, but when Kade had found his purpose, his ability to move past their mother’s death, Claus had supported Eldrick.

His brother raised a brow. “Not about the plan, but regarding our progress north and the missing werewolves. ”

Kade braced himself, evening out his tone. “What have you told him of Tovi?”

His brother swallowed. “Nothing of late.”

“Nothing?”

“What is there to share?” Eldrick asked. “She has proven, so far, to be an ally. She wants to free Evelyn as much as the rest of us.”

Kade scoffed, shaking his head. “Is it so hard to admit that to our uncle? To Father, even?”

The pace of the falling snow quickened around them. His brother’s jaw ticked, but his eyes softened as they connected with Kade’s.

“I have a hard time admitting it to myself, let alone inking the words to paper.”

The truth, the emotion , was so unlike his brother, Kade paused. He searched for the right words.

“I wrote a letter to you in Callum, detailing how I had found Evelyn.”

Eldrick’s brows furrowed. “I never got a letter.”

Kade laughed. “Because I never sent it.”

“Why?”

Kade shrugged. “Whenever I came back to the letter, time and time again, it wasn’t, well, accurate. Maybe in the beginning. I had found her. But after weeks of spending time with her, I don’t think the letter was the truth anymore.”

His brother stilled, silent. So much so, the slight crinkle of flurries landing around them could be heard.

The door to the cottage swung open, and Linx poked her head out. “She’s ready.”

Before the others joined, Kade leaned closer to his brother. “Don’t worry what others think of your assessment, Eldrick. Listen to what your gut is trying to tell you. As your brother, I support you. No matter what.”

Green and amber locked. Two werewolves. Two brothers. In the land of their enemy .

“Thank you,” Eldrick said.

So much weight in a two word sentence.

Kade gave a curt nod and joined the others. The Gray Fenris, Lou, and lastly, Tovi emerged from the cottage. The princess’s cheeks had sunken inward, a scattering of freckles over her now thinner nose.

“Will it work?” Kade asked.

Lou nodded. “It will. Tovi looks like Visha. Frightening actually. No offense, your sister is the worst.”

Linx handed Tovi a truffle of some kind, weaved with herbs, nuts, and magic. “Eat this when the time comes, and you’ll be yourself again.”

Tovi nodded. “Is everyone ready?”

The team murmured their agreement and faced Kade.

“Let’s pray to the stars above this works,” he said.

The Gray Fenris said their goodbyes to Kade, Bétar, and Tovi. His mated team members lay their foreheads together, eyes open and soaking the other in. An ache spread across Kade’s chest, and he turned away from the intimate moment. Tovi and Eldrick barely acknowledged the other, and the team split, the plan finally in motion.

Silence, fog, and what lay next stretched between Kade and his companions as they headed north. They trudged through the thicket of the forest. Brambles and ferns dotted the pathways closer to the rocky mountain where the castle sat. Past the tree line, stretching hundreds of feet above, its shined like icy onyx. The snowfall thickened, too. The ooze of dark magic, of something ancient clotted the air.

Yards away from the base of the mountain, Tovi held up her hand, and all three of them crouched behind a fallen tree.

“It’s time,” she whispered.

She rummaged in a sack and set chains and two sets of bracelets on the forest floor. With Linx’s help, they’d removed the dark magic from the bracelets, but the vampyrs wouldn’t be any the wiser. Kade’s wolf’s hackles rose, knowing the chains and bracelets had been used against his own and were still being used in the depths of the castle.

The three of them shared one last, stern look. The tension in the air shifted. It was like the morning of battle, the singing of swords as they unsheathed, the taunting of muscles as one readied to defend. Bétar and Kade shared a silent conversation, and with a single, determined nod, they each shifted into their werewolf forms. The bracelets followed, and Tovi whispered apologies as she attached the chains. As one, the three moved closer to the castle.

Snow collected in Kade’s fur. He didn’t feel the cold. Instead, with each step, he grew closer to Evelyn, he could feel it. Not the bond, but the mirror of his heart.

In the distance, two vampyr guards dressed in Verana purple stuck out against the green, gray, and dark landscape. Specks at this distance. Kade’s heart quickened, fisting his claws at his sides. Moons , they were so close—

“Aye! Who goes there?” someone called.

Bétar stumbled into Kade’s back as both he and Tovi stilled. Their gazes connected, and the princess gave a slight shake of her head. His nervous breath clouded in the cold air, the furs on his back rising.

A vampyr guard, hand on the hilt of his sword, plodded through ferns. Blood dribbled over his chin. Past him, a limp body lay on the forest floor. Red flashed through Kade’s vision, and he stepped forward only for Tovi to yank him back with the chains tied at his wrists. He shot her a glare, baring his teeth.

She sneered back, fangs out, but her eyes screamed, Don’t .

“Oh my!” The vampyr guard kneeled and bowed his head. “Princess, I did not see it was you.”

Kade and Bétar each relaxed a fraction.

“What are you doing away from your post?” Tovi asked in a pitch that grated against Kade’s spine.

The guard flinched as he rose. “I needed to feed. Have you brought more werewolves for the rings? ”

Tovi pulled the chains connecting Kade and Bétar. The two stumbled forward, a growl rumbling through Kade’s chest. He didn’t miss how she not only dragged them closer to the guard, but also down so they were obscured by the forest hills, out of sight of the other guards in the distance. It didn’t matter. Every muscle in his warrior being warred against the chains attached to him, riling his wolf. He tried with every ounce of control to remind himself it was for Evelyn. A slight brush of Bétar’s arms by his side was a reminder, too.

One foot in front of the other.

“I have.” Tovi held her nose in the air. She smirked, a single fang glinting over her bottom lip. “Aren’t they perfect? They belong to Lord Oziel.”

The guard’s eyes flashed in recognition. “Excellent. Have you sampled a taste?”

This time, a growl rumbled from both Kade and Bétar. He charged, but Tovi’s grip on the chains tightened. She laughed, drowning out their protests.

“It would be rude of me to touch what is not mine,” she said.

The guard smiled. “Of course—wait, when were you granted a bloodstone, princess? Are congratulations in order?”

This time, Tovi stilled, the clink of a chain resounding in the forest as she lost her grip for a moment. Kade fought the urge to turn and assess her expression. Did her sister not have a bloodstone? Had that been a detail they overlooked? Kade’s muscles quivered. One guard and a measly necklace stood between him and Bétar entering the rings. His insides raged. For weeks they’d traveled, journeyed to this moment, and all Kade could do was stand and do nothing .

“I… borrowed one from my brother again.” She giggled. “How about you and I keep it our little secret?”

The guard scoffed. He stepped closer to Kade, hungry eyes raking over his frame. They landed at his neck, and the bastard sniffed and licked his lips.

“Let me have a taste of the new fighters, and I won’t say a word.”

Bétar moved, and Kade growled for him to stay back. He bared his teeth at the vampyr. His wolf dared the vampyr to try, itching for a fight .

“How dare you?” Tovi hissed. “I am the princess . You rude, pathetic—”

“Precisely. You are the princess. You disobeyed the prince and soon-to-be king. I have every right to turn you in.”

Kade snapped. Fear eclipsed his patience, and he drove his claws into the soft, malleable belly of the vampyr. He choked and grunted, blood gurgling from his wide, shocked mouth.

“Stop!” Tovi hissed, grabbing Kade’s arm.

Kade grunted and drove his other set of claws into the vampyrs throat. Crimson splattered onto the snow, and he threw the vampyr to the ground.

“Goddess, Kade!” Tovi shook her head. She knelt by the dead guard. “You damn Drengrs, killing now and asking questions later. I swear to bloody hel—”

“What happened here?” someone shouted.

The three of them whirled. Two more guards ascended the hill, blades unsheathed.

“Fuck. If you wanted any chance of getting Evelyn, not another move,” Tovi breathed.

She pulled something gold off the dead guard, and as she walked by, dropped it into Bétar’s trouser pocket. Before she reached the two new visitors, she threw her hood up and pushed her hair over her shoulder, covering her chest and bloodstone.

The guards sauntered over as blood dripped from Kade’s claws. He bared his teeth but stilled his rage. Moons , he was a fool. The energy inside him surged, threatening to unleash. Kade closed his eyes. He thought of Evelyn’s steely blue stare. Her resolve. Her bravery. Her ability to do what needed to be done, no matter the emotions battling inside her. Kade grasped what he admired about his mate and embodied it, prayed and tried to play along with whatever Tovi said next.

“Princess,” they both said and bowed.

“He shifted into a caillte ,” she said, gesturing towards the guard. “Attacked me and Lord Oziel’s new fighters. ”

“It appears this one killed him,” one said.

Tovi threw up her hands. “I’d rather it be him than me!”

The other glared at Kade, leveling his sword. Black spidery veins slithered around his eyes.

“He needs to be dealt with,” the other said.

Tovi’s chest heaved. Kade waited, holding his breath and chanting his mate’s name over and over. He’d waited so long to get Evelyn back, shoving his desire to barge in after her behind the need to wait for the opportune time. This was supposed to be that time, and this moment… he’d ruined. His fate rested in Tovi’s hands now. Evelyn’s fate.

“He will be,” Tovi said. “In the rings like Lord Oziel requested. Now, if the both of you don’t mind, I’d like to get them into a cell immediately. This one,” she pointed at Kade, “fights tonight.”