Page 23

I don’t need to open my eyes to remember where I am. Ridge’s chest steadily rises and falls under my cheek, my leg slung over his hips; using this solid framed warrior like he’s my personal pillow.

I angle my head up to bury my face into his neck, warding off the sunlight streaming in. His scent is addictive, smelling of cedar and orange. I breathe it in, basking in the masculinity of it.

He stirs, using the arm under me to draw me closer to him. “Good morning,” he murmurs against my hair, kissing the crown of my head.

“Hi,” I say against his skin, lips still fused to his neck. He groans at my touch, kindling my desire for him.

“I let you sleep in. You were snoring loud enough to rouse the dead.” His words make me sit upright, glaring down at him. “We need to go have breakfast and get back to the Ravels.”

He gives me a smirk, moving his arm behind his head, eyes heavy. His bicep bulges with the movement, making my mouth water. Seeing him like this does something to my heart I do my best to ignore.

“Should we discuss how we’re going to behave once we get back?”

“Since when do you behave?” he asks, a smirk dancing on his lips.

I fight off a laugh. “You know what I mean.” Dragging the blankets up, I run my hands through my hair. Ridge laughs, slipping from the bed. I can’t help but let my gaze wander as he stretches and heads toward the bathing room.

Pausing before crossing the threshold, he glances at me, considering. “There is no going back, Aledrya. ”

“Hmm?” I hum absentmindedly, still admiring the warrior before me.

He prowls back toward my side of the bed, watching me intently. He leans over me, hands on either side of my hips. “You have to stop looking at me like that…” His words are a whisper against my lips as he kisses me. “Or we won’t make it back to the Ravels.”

I groan as he pulls back, his face turning serious. “What I told you last night is the truth.” He holds my gaze for a moment, hesitating. “I hope you realize what you’ve gotten yourself into.” His eyes darken with the words.

The words should give me pause, but they don’t. “I don’t care what it costs me; I want this.” I reach out, lightly touching his chest. “I want you .”

Ridge backs away, lines of worry forming on his forehead, but he isn’t looking at me. I grip the sheets, pulling them up to my chest. Glancing back toward the open window, I see nothing but a seagull perched on the railing outside.

“What is it?”

“We need to go. Now.” The part of Ridge that is firmly a protector is back. He strides to the armoire and immediately starts pulling out clothing, snatching up his daggers.

I scramble from bed, Ridge summoning me a change of clothes. I grab them from the desk, pulling them on quickly. He sets extra daggers beside me as I slip the sheath onto my thigh. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Anguish clouds his usually vibrant gold eyes as he turns to look at me. “There’s been a breach at the Ravels. Do you want to come or stay here?”

“I go where you go.”

He stops sliding daggers into place at his sides, dropping them onto the desk with a clang . He’s in front of me before I can blink, taking my face in his hands and kissing me like time is on his side.

“I’ve been waiting a long time for you, Aledrya.” He breaks our kiss, eyes fixed on me, as if drinking in the details in my face.

He kisses me once more, before returning to the desk to continue putting his weaponry on. My heart pounds erratically, I don’t think that I’ll ever gain my footing against this male .

“Artemis and Orion are outside. Let’s go.”

I follow him, fighting against a sickening feeling settling in my gut.

I say nothing as we approach the birds, waiting for us in front of the estate, Artemis cocking her head at my silence. I mount numbly, ignoring Artemis’s questioning gaze.

Looking over, I can see Ridge’s face has gone pensive, watching me shift uneasily on Artemis. Ridge pushes Orion to take to the skies without another word.

I let Artemis take flight, flying alongside Orion. Normally I’d be in awe of his beauty, but there is rolling turmoil in my mind I can’t think around.

I don’t know what we’re flying into. Only that our Blocks were breached, and there has been an attack. I feel Ridge’s gaze on me, but I keep my eyes forward.

How do you know that? I ask, watching the blur of trees and grass rush by beneath us.

I can see him stiffen from the corner of my eye. Can we talk about this after we land?

My heart sinks, and I finally look over at him. You can trust me.

He turns his head to face me, but Orion catches a breeze, doing his best to maintain flight in one spot.

Artemis does the same, circling back around Orion and not flying closer to the mountains. What are you doing? I question her, spinning in my seat to look at Orion and Ridge.

Something is very wrong, she answers, squawking toward Orion, who clacks his beak in reply.

Ridge is shouting at me over the wind. “This was more than a breach. We’ll fly around to the Overhang to land instead. You will stay behind me, but defend yourself as necessary. Understood?”

I nod tersely, ensuring the daggers are still sheathed at my side.

The birds dive, aiming for the Overhang on the other side of the mountain. They barrel around so closely that I could reach out and drag my fingers along the mountain side if I wished. I let myself marvel for just one moment that I have no issues hanging on through the abrupt movements.

We land with a thud, Artemis not bothering with a proper landing like we’d been practicing for months now. I will wait here with Orion, she tells me, standing watch over the Pass below.

I dismount, hackles raised, trailing behind Ridge toward the entrance. He holds his hand up, and we both freeze.

The Blocks are completely gone, he assesses, gesturing toward the opening. When I woke before you this morning, I felt something. It was fleeting, so I disregarded it.

The reason he disregarded it hangs in the air between us.

I shudder at the thought of what now lays completely unguarded. Ridge’s expression has shuttered, hard lines forming around his mouth. There’s an overwhelming urge to comfort him. You didn’t know, you can’t fault yourself for this.

Reaching over, he runs his hand over my jaw, brushing my bottom lip with a calloused thumb. The moment is over as quickly as it began, though; as Ridge drops his hand and motions for me to follow.

My heart thumps wildly in my ears, remembering Deah, Emmy, Ingrid, and Lotog were all here last night—that Lotog is still healing and not able to fully defend himself.

Slowly stepping into the training hall, I’m glad we didn’t get a chance to eat breakfast.

The training hall is destroyed. Mats clawed through, chairs and debris strewn about. Our Ravels flag adorning the back wall is sliced in half. Remnants of the black and rose gold fabric hang limply against the stone. I grip the hilt of my daggers tighter to soothe the shaking of my hands.

Walking toward the hallway in the back of the hall, a strangled sob breaks out from my throat as I notice Gredian slumped against the wall, face bloodied, body broken. Ridge drops next to him quietly, pressing two fingers to his neck to check for a pulse that we both know isn’t there. Time feels agonizingly slow as I wait for his confirmation, my heart creeping up my throat.

Ridge closes his eyes, shaking his head. My heart shatters, knowing this won’t be the last body we come across. Ridge murmurs a few words before standing and tearing his eyes from Gredian. His golden eyes are dark and assessing, and he motions for me to follow him down the long hallway.

The Caves have never felt so still and vacant. What has felt like home for months now, now feels more akin to a tomb.

I fight to keep the nausea at bay as I follow Ridge, who is clearing one hallway at a time. I have to find them, I rasp, taking a deep breath through my nose.

Ridge pauses, pivoting to look at me. He winces when he beholds the tears forming in my eyes.

We will, he promises, using his hand not currently holding his sword to wipe the tear sliding down my cheek.

He shifts gears, leading me toward the barracks instead of toward the dining hall like we were. My chest pains at knowing he’s going against his instincts in order to appease my own fears. I stay at his back, glancing over my shoulder and attempting to steady my breathing. We pass Lotog’s room first. Ridge pauses outside the closed door.

Do you want me to check first? His eyes are filled with warmth and compassion. I know without a doubt he isn’t judging me for this fear, and isn't holding this against me as a weakness.

I jerk my head up and down, unable to respond for fear of losing what little composure I have left. Without a word, he cracks open the room, stepping inside. I try to count my breaths, try to make sense of what could have happened here.

Ridge emerges from the room seconds later, face grim. His roommate is deceased, but Lotog is nowhere to be seen. It brings me little comfort. Tears still flow freely down my cheeks.

We continue, turning a corner to the side my and Deah’s room is on. Once we work our way closer, I notice several guards hunched over, their weapons discarded next to them, faces bloodied. The metallic scent of blood still permeates the air. I can’t help but gag as I inhale, grasping the stone wall as sickness overtakes me.

Ridge is instantly there, pushing back the strands of hair that have come loose from my braid, stroking my back.

He offers me a handkerchief from his pocket, and I gratefully accept it as I count my breaths. Straightening, I gather myself, trailing behind Ridge the short distance to my room.

He looks at me, waiting for confirmation of what I need. Pursing my lips, I shake my head. I need to be the one who crosses that threshold first.

Stepping into our room, it’s clear a fight occurred here. Deah’s desk is smashed to bits, the mirror in our room shattered. Her weapons are gone, and there is no sign of her, mercifully. I circle the room, staring at the destruction. It’s as if someone wanted to leave as much of a mess as possible—scratch marks trail down the stone walls, and both of our bedding ripped to shreds.

I pause at my bed, inspecting the claw marks. My mouth has turned ashen at the thought of what could have left these. I peek over my shoulder at Ridge standing in the doorway, watching the hallway for any signs of movement. I scrub at my face, turning to what’s left of my desk. Books are ripped apart, papers littered on the floor.

It feels incredibly claustrophobic in here.

I dig into my pocket, feeling the stone at my fingertips, but it does nothing to dull the anxiety. Moving toward the door, I spot something on my bed. A piece of paper, but it’s not in ribbons like everything else in here. It’s laid out perfectly, as if someone left it on their way out.

Slowly walking over to it, I pluck it off the bed and peer at the scripted handwriting on it.

I stumble backwards as if I’d been struck.

All of this destruction is my fault.

“What is it?” Ridge slings the door open fully, seeing my jolted movement. He peers at me, then spots the note. He furrows his brow, reading it. “Someone left you this?”

“I—” I’m gasping for air, and I know a panic attack is barreling for me. “I found a note that said, ‘did you forget what all of this was for?’ in Westyn’s bag the day he died. Then, in my nightmares about the Abacae, he says the same thing. The second part is new.” I mentally count my inhales and exhales. I can feel the pinprick of the panic settling in my chest, in my arms.

Ridge’s jaw ticks, staring at the note. “We need to keep moving. I don’t want you near this.”

I follow him from the room. The dread is damn near overwhelming. “They did this because of me,” I whisper, scraping my nail along the hilt of the dagger at my thigh.

Ridge clears the hall leading toward the meeting rooms and turns down a passage I’ve never noticed. They did this because they are wicked.

Really? It feels like it’s often centered around me.

A pause, and Ridge halts, peering into a room. Motioning that it’s clear, we continue. Rathian has been relentless in his search to become more powerful. He wavers before continuing, looking back at me briefly. You do seem to be a piece of the puzzle, though.

He comes to a stop again in front of an open door, nudging it open and readying his sword. I try not to look at the guard sagging against the wall; there are more here than any other hallway we’ve taken so far.

Ridge pales, steps halting. My ears start ringing. “What is it?” My voice is shaky. I no longer have the energy to mask the fear.

“The Major.” Ridge drags his free hand through his hair. “Shit.”

My heart pounds, even as my curiosity gets the best of me. I take a step forward, edging myself around Ridge’s huge frame. He puts a gentle hand on my arm. “Are you sure you want to see this? There are things that are better left unknown,” he warns, his eyes rimmed with sadness.

“This is my home. I need to know.” My hands trembling, I step through the threshold into the Major’s private quarters.

To call it gruesome would be putting it mildly.

It’s clear that the Major was tortured, likely for information, before his death. Cracked sobs rip out of my chest in forceful bursts. The Major’s limp body, or what is left of it, is still tied to a chair in the center of the room.

I feel Ridge closing the distance between us, coming to stand next to me. Panic is threatening to overrun my senses. “We need to go,” he says softly, gently snaking his arm around my waist. “I promise I will give him the burial he deserves, but we need to get out of here for now.”

We leave the room wordlessly, Ridge heaving out a deep breath as we cross into the corridor. I watch him closely, a front row view to seeing his face turn from irate to apprehensive.

“I think we should leave. Having you in danger for the sake of exploration doesn’t sit well with me.”

His face is hard and unreadable; an unmovable, stoic sentry. Watching him flip a switch so swiftly still leaves me feeling disoriented.

I frown at him. “What about the others? I want to find them.”

“We are going to find your friends. I communicated with Laz to get everyone to safety. He wouldn’t have left the others. He knows how important they are to you.”

There is nothing but steely determination in his eyes as he looks over his shoulder briefly. “I won’t gamble you. Someone left you a threatening note, Aledrya. I don’t like this.”

My mind whirls at his words, trying to put pieces together.

“How did you communicate with Laz?” Folding my arms over my chest, I decide there is no chance of me leaving until I get answers. “You say you trust me, well, prove it. ”

He swallows, mouth fixed in a hard line. I’m close to shouting at him, but I hear faint footsteps behind me.

“The King of the Fae can mindspeak to whomever he wishes,” a lovely, feminine voice purrs behind me.

Glancing over my shoulder, I find one of the most stunning females I’ve ever laid eyes on. Her long black hair is braided back; flawless, pale skin stark against bright green eyes. “Ridge, you know how to keep a lady waiting.” Her sensual voice makes me want to claw her eyes out.

She stops a few feet away, watching Ridge and acting as if I don’t exist. I turn slowly, looking back at him, finding his face anguished. His eyes soften as they meet mine.

“I wanted to tell you.” His voice is uncharacteristically reserved.

She finally flicks her eyes my way; her stare is piercing on my skin, power rippling behind them. Gods, she’s so tall. I loathe that I find myself looking up at her.

Forcing myself to meet her stare, I clear my throat. “Who are you?”

Her smile is knowing, and I don’t miss the quick glance she throws at Ridge.

“An old acquaintance.” She flicks her attention back to me. “Ridge and I can speak the same way you can, through back-and-forth communication. With others, it’s a one-way communication.” She throws Ridge a coy smile. “Not with us, though. We’re unique, I suppose. He’s the one who alerted me that there had been a breach here.”

Realization slams into me.

I turn wide-eyed to Ridge. “Because you’re…”

But it’s the strange female who clicks her tongue, shaking her head at him. “Ridge, you didn’t tell her? You and your secrets. Poor girl is so confused.” Her eyes dance with joy at my expense, a wicked smile forming on her full lips. “Ridge is the reigning king of the Fae Realm.”