Page 275

The others dispersed, returning to their cups of coffee, Ivy opening the fridge door to grab the rest of the ingredients for pancakes.

And then Darien was sweeping Loren off her feet, making her shriek in surprise, and carrying her bride-style into the kitchen.

“When are you guys meeting Roark?” Ivy asked as Darien navigated everyone in the kitchen. Loren tucked her legs in so she wouldn’t kick Lace, who was stirring cream and sugar into her coffee.

“Ten,” Darien replied, checking the time on the clock as he kicked out a chair at the table. He lowered Loren to her feet, andshe practically fell into the seat, her head still spinning. Darien held onto her, not letting go until he was certain she wouldn’t faint.

“What kind of tea would you like?” he asked her.

“Green, please.”

Jack said, “Make sure to videotape Erasmus’s reaction.” He set a bottle of syrup on the table. “He’s going to shit his pants the minute he sees youandRoark on his doorstep.”

The thought of facing both of her fathers at the same time made her feel entirely different butterflies—the bad kind, not the kind still swarming in her stomach from Darien. She was nervous, but?—

She wanted answers. And it was high time she got them.

“All right then,what can I do for you, kid?” The Butcher’s voice was so low and grumbly, it vibrated the phone speakers.

Darien sat on the edge of the fountain out front of Heaven’s Gate. Loren was inside, putting on her shoes and jacket.

He checked his watch. It was almost time to meet Roark at Erasmus’s townhouse in Oceana. Time to finally get some answers to all these questions brewing up a storm in everyone’s heads.

Just him and Loren were going. The others were staying here. Kylar, Lace, Ivy, and Jack would be taking turns tracking while Tanner kept up with his efforts to restore communication channels in Ker. Darien knew it was unlikely that the others would be able to pick up on auras from this far away—they didn’t have enough experience tracking beyond the boundaries of Angelthene for that—but he’d made a promise to Loren. And he didn’t break promises—not when he made them to her.

He only hoped Atlas would win the fight—and quickly. If they didn’t find out where Travis and Max were—and kickstart their plan to break them the hell out of Yveswich, if they really were trapped in there—he just might lose his grip on sanity.

“I need you to hook me up with as many Avertera talismans as you can get your hands on,” Darien replied.

The Butcher grunted. “That might be tough.”

“How tough?”

“They’re getting hard to find, and the price has spiked like you wouldn’t believe.”

“Oh, I believe,” Darien said. He blamed himself for the lack of inventory and the spike in cost. He’d bought so many of them since meeting Loren, it was only realistic to expect this would happen eventually.

“It’ll take me some time, but I can probably bring a few in for you from Tyrmouth.”

“How long do you think it’ll take?”

His thoughtful exhale rattled the phone. “Few days. How urgent is it?”

“Urgent,” he stressed.

“I’ll do my best.”

The front door opened, and Loren walked out, her rain jacket draped over her arm.

“That your girl?” the Butcher asked.

“Yeah, I gotta go.”

“I’ll call you as soon as I get my hands on some.”

“Thanks.” He hung up and met Loren halfway down the driveway. She wore her hair down today, the soft waves and loose ringlets bouncing with every step. As they drew closer to each other, a little smile tugged up the corners of her full lips. And that splash of freckles on her nose…

Fuck, was she beautiful, or what? He was the luckiest man in the world. All he needed now was to get Travis, Max, and Mortifer back home, and everything would be right in his world.