Chapter 10

Gods, it felt good to be clean.

Loved.

My head was still spinning when I pulled on my newly rinsed shirt, then a pair of doeskin breeches that fit me like a glove. I didn't know where Raz managed to find them, but they were perfect, and I moved easily in them, slipping the iron bands back in place. With the leather jacket tightly belted, I felt better than I had in days.

I picked up a brush off the dresser, blew off the dust, and began brushing my snarls.

We'd all bathed and slept—some of us more than others—as Tavion let out a raspy snort and rolled over onto his stomach, his silky white hair spread across the pillows as he scratched his arse beneath the covers.

Gods…I couldn't stop staring at him.

My husband. And not just in name.

It was still dark when Zor had crept in to tell us we weren't leaving until daylight, then I'd slept until Raziel returned before dawn, bringing another plate of food, courtesy of Bexley's wonderful magic. I'd sat cross-legged on the bed and eaten half, while Tavion hadn't so much as budged.

I didn't have the heart to roust him.

He was so pale. And even now, in sleep, his hand, outstretched on the pillow, trembled uncontrollably.

Tremors he'd been hiding for days. A symptom of the same genetic mutation that took his mother, and would take Tavion if I didn't find a cure. I'd spent every spare moment searching for possible solutions and I'd keep searching until I found a way to heal his sickness.

But time was slipping away.

Soon enough the blackouts would start, the hallucinations, the paranoia.

And once those began, there would be no going back.

I had to get Tavion to Nightcairn before the worst of the symptoms began. But…first I had to get through this morning, and I wasn't sure I could face what came next.

Splitting up and heading to opposite ends of the world.

Within the hour, I'd be hugging Zor and Raz goodbye.

Part of me regretted not spending last night with them, but Zor had kissed me this morning and told me Tavion had waited long enough. Just that simple act had put me in tears, and we hadn't even gotten to our goodbyes.

I inspected my face in the mottled-silver mirror. I was still too pale, my eyes the same bottle-green, rimmed with black lashes, focused too intently on my reflection. But who was I, really? The Fae King's daughter? A witch? A princess? A slave pretending to be something she wasn't?

That last option felt truer than anything and sometimes I wished for that simple life back, as horrible as it had been. Ember would still be alive, I wouldn't have all this blood on my hands, but…I looked over my shoulder at a still-sleeping Tavion and everything inside of me softened like butter.

I would still be alone.

Outside, hooves crunched on the gravel out front, and I braided my hair then crossed to Tavion. He filled up the whole bed, arms thrown out wide, his lashes dark against too pale cheeks, legs jerking as he dreamed.

Gods. How he'd made me feel last night had been…eye opening.

"Tavion." I tapped his rock-solid arm. "Tavion, it's time to wake up. Tristan has the horses ready." He groaned then curled tighter around one of the pillows, eyes moving rapidly behind closed lids.

I wondered if there was any harm in letting him sleep. We were all so tired, and Tavion…was sick. Except that's when Tristan and Zor decided to hold a conversation right below our window, and from the snippets I caught, we were already running late.

"Tavion." I shook him harder. "Wake up. We have to get moving."

The room blurred, and that quickly, I was pinned beneath him, strong hands trapping my wrists above my head, his hard body unrelenting against mine stretched out beneath him, completely helpless.

"Tavion," I whispered, searching his face. "Tavion. Wake up."

There was nothing in his face except blind hunger. No recognition in his hazed eyes. Fear lanced through me, my body bucking beneath his, but he only held me tighter, his pupils dilatating down to pinpricks. "Mine," he growled, his fangs sliding down like daggers. He dragged them up my throat, his cock grinding against my belly.

Oh gods, was he going to bite me?

"Tavion," I breathed. "It's me. Anaria."

He breathed me in like he was inhaling me, tasting me, his tongue licking a wide swath down my throat, digging into the hollow between my collarbones. "Mine," he growled again, but this time, it came out as more of a soft purr, his hips rolling as he worked his way between my thighs, a flicker of arousal heating my core as if my body was totally on board with this.

"Tavion Montgomery. Get ahold of yourself and stop dry humping me. We have to get moving. We're leaving for Nightcairn Castle in a few minutes." His body stilled, the grip around my wrists relaxing enough I pulled my hands free and cupped his face.

"You're going home, Tavion. Remember? Home to Nightcairn. Come on, snap out of it."

His eyes cleared in a single blink, some of that wildness bleeding out of them. "Anaria?"

The door blew open and Zor's thundery scent wrapped around us, shadowy power turning the room instantly to night. Zor looked like an avenging angel, his magic rising behind him like a pair of enormous black wings, talons at the tops, the rest covered with black glossy feathers.

Tavion was off me in a flash, his face a dazed mask, his hands…gods, his hands were shaking so badly, he couldn't even clench them into fists. How long had he been hiding his symptoms?

"I have everything under control, Zor." I flew off the bed and moved between them, my hands braced against their heaving chests. "Tavion was just…" My words trailed off when I met Tavion's eyes. Saw the utter misery there. "He was having a nightmare and took a minute to wake up."

Zor's dark, suspicious gaze swung between us. "That's not what it looked like."

I took Zorander's arm and walked him to the door. "I'm telling you, he had a nightmare, nothing more. Now give us a minute and I'll be down."

Zor grumbled the entire way through the door, probably all the way downstairs from the sounds of it before I closed the door and put my back to it.

"Are you alright?" I ran my eyes over Tavion, pulling on a thin pair of breeches. "I didn't lie. You were dreaming, and you took a long time to wake up." Almost like he was having a seizure. The moment the realization hit me, I schooled my face into a bland mask.

"I'm fine." But he surveyed the room dazedly, like he was seeing it for the first time. "What time is it?"

"Time to leave," I told him tightly, deciding action was more useful than words right now.

"Everyone is waiting, if you want to say goodbye. Otherwise, we ride out in a half hour." He dragged his hands down his face, looking so uncertain I crossed to him, putting my arms around his neck. He hugged me to him, hard and desperate, like a male who was utterly lost.

"Get dressed. I'll be downstairs. There's food on the plate; make sure you eat." I swallowed then threaded my fingers through his hair until he relaxed. "We'll be in the tunnels for two days, right?"

"Two days," Tavion repeated as if he was still trying to work out where he was.

"There are fresh clothes across the hall in the Wynters' suite. They've been picked over by now, but maybe something's left."

This was madness, heading into those tunnels with Tavion so sick. But keeping the Oracle's eyes on us and off Torin was the only way this would work. I forced my fears into a dark place, blotting out the memory of those enormous, forgotten skulls waiting for us.

How sick my husband was and how I couldn't help him.

I kissed him, hard and fast, then stepped away.

"I'll be waiting for you outside, Tavion. Get yourself together then come downstairs."

Raziel was checkingmy horse over when I stepped outside, Zorander tracking my every step like an overprotective parent.

"Stop your mother henning, Commander. I'm fine," I grumbled.

"Didn't look that way ten minutes ago," he muttered, then added, "when I felt your fear like it was my own. But as long as you're sure." I went straight to him and slid my hands beneath his coat, his muscles flexing beneath my palms.

"I'm sure I can take care of myself." I stared up at him, committing every line of his face to memory. "Be careful and watch after Raz. Please. I'll worry the whole time we're apart. Don't take any chances and come back to me as soon as you can."

This was the first time we'd ever been separated, and gods, I was a mess.

"Not as much as I'll worry about you," Zor murmured and I practically heard Tristan's eyes roll behind us. The archer was already mounted, hazel eyes searching the sky, his red hair gathered in a tight knot, half hidden by the hood of his cloak.

"Before we part…I've been carrying around something of yours, Anaria." Zorander looked sheepish while he dug deep into his pocket then pressed something smooth into my hand.

My heart stopped beating.

The keystone gleamed in my palm, still warm from being in Zor's pocket.

"You found the keystone." My eyes shot up to his. "I thought I lost this after…" I clutched the stone to my chest. "I lost this the day I used its magic to save you."

"Not lost just…misplaced." He brushed his knuckles down my cheek, his smile turning gentle. "I put it in my pocket that day, then forgot about the thing. Then last night Torin told me what this was. Practically lost her damned mind when she found out I had this and not you. Keep the damn thing close. It could come in handy."

A hint of a roguish grin creased his full lips before he dipped his head to kiss me. For too short a time our tongues tangled together, every piece of me instantly on fire at that first brush of his mouth against mine. Sighing, he broke away. Something like pain rippled in his dark eyes. "I missed you last night. And I'll be careful. Let's hope we return with a dragon in tow."

"Promises, promises," I teased, though I was actually excited by the prospect. I wanted to ask about what I'd seen upstairs—those shadowy, phantom wings of his—but lost my breath when Raz tugged me away and spun me around.

No humor in his eyes, only cold, silent authority.

He dragged his fingers down through my hair, cupping the back of my head.

"Stay close to Tristan and Tavion. Do not touch the skulls. Go straight through the portal, and do not go through alone. Never allow yourself to be separated." I nodded after each staccato command, drinking in his strength, how brightly his eyes shone, his lips so close to mine.

"Did you even hear a word I said, princess?"

"I'll be careful, and I won't take any chances." I kissed him first, barely more than my lips grazing over his, but enough to send another wave of delicious heat spiraling through me. "Same goes for you, Raz. Don't be a hero. In and out, then we rendezvous in the High Barrens in five days."

That was if everything went to plan. Seven days if nothing went to plan, and if they didn't show up in ten…I drew a shaky breath.

If they didn't show up, they'd been captured. Or were dead.

"It won't come to that, Anaria," Raz told me gently as if he'd read my mind. "Five days, we'll be together. A week at the longest. But it's you I'm worried about."

I ran my thumb over the raised black spot on his cheek. "I'll be fine. The tunnels are relatively safe, and thanks to Bexley, we have enough food to last until we reach Nightcairn." I blinked and his face turned blurry, my throat burning. "Let's hope Lucius has restocked since we were there last."

"I'd never leave you, Anaria, you know that." Raz smoothed my hair back out of my face. "But we need allies, and while I don't entirely trust Torin, our goals are aligned at the moment." His gaze lifted, his face tightening at what he saw.

"As for Adele, keep your eyes open," he murmured against my ear. "I trust her even less than Torin."

"I know. You don't have to justify anything, Raz," I told him quietly. "Least of all why you're leaving to fulfill a favor I owe." I tried to smile and failed spectacularly. "Don't you dare die. And keep Zor out of trouble. You know how he can be."

"Oh, trust me, princess, I do." His roguish wink was edged with worry when we broke apart, and then Torin was there, Simon by her side not bothering to dress in anything but the loose purple robe, given he'd be shifting at any moment and taking to the skies.

Torin turned her all-seeing gaze on me and I shivered. "We'll meet in the High Barrens, Anaria. Be wary of the High Priestess. She is known to be ruthless. Let Dane handle the introductions, then wait for us before you enter into any negotiations."

"No negotiations. Got it."

Torin's lips thinned out. "That was not a suggestion. Follow Dane's instructions to the letter and keep your head down. Once we arrive, you'll have more allies; until then, you'll be vulnerable." A wry smile creased her lips. "Be smart, be wary, keep your mouth shut."

I swallowed. "I'll be careful." My gaze drifted over to Raz and Zor, their dark heads bowed together while a pang of longing seared through my chest.

Torin followed my gaze. "Thank you," she added quietly. "For helping us. There are no words to tell you how much this means to me, Anaria, but if this works, I will be in your debt."

More than I'd expected from her, and yet…something inside me warmed.

"Bring everyone back alive." I looked deeply into her eyes. "Don't you dare let anything happen to them, Torin, or I swear, I will never forgive you."