Page 44 of After Midnight (Skye Druids #7)

Chapter Thirty-Nine

The silence that met his demand wasn’t surprising, but Kurt was still disappointed. He had thought his mother might listen. Maybe that was the little boy in him. The one still clinging to the past instead of facing who she was.

The library was silent, save for the crackling fire, as the entire room held their collective breaths and waited to hear what Diana would say. The mobile sat heavy and cold in Kurt’s hand as he stared at the screen, waiting. He lifted his gaze to Sabryn .

She sat silent, clearly anxious. He hated that the answers lie with Diana .

And he loathed that he hadn’t realized it sooner.

If there was time, if he had his laptop, he would have done his own research and wouldn’t have to be at Diana’s mercy.

Since that option wasn’t available, he was prepared to do whatever it took to get answers.

Because he had sat on the sidelines for too long.

Because he had kept silent for too long.

Because the woman he loved needed the information.

Kurt took a breath, ready to deliver another threat, when Diana’s voice came through the speaker.

“ All right,” she finally answered.

He scowled at the screen as he tried to visualize his mother’s face.

She had caved so easily. Too easily. This call should have been the first of several as he debated with, pressured, and coerced her.

She had already decided, but she had always required his arguments before.

His misgivings doubled as he tried to figure out her motives for capitulating so quickly.

If it were anyone else, he’d have said she was being a mother.

But that wasn’t Diana . She was, first and foremost, a Druid seeking power.

And somewhere down the list she was a mum. But that was nowhere near the top.

Kurt shifted his weight from one foot to the other in agitation. Diana wouldn’t have given in so quickly unless she wanted something. “ Thank you.”

“ Don’t thank me yet. This isn’t a conversation to have over the phone.”

He shot a furious glare at the ceiling. “ I’m not returning home.”

“ That’s a good thing since I’m not there.”

Diana always knew just how to push his buttons and send him into a rage. He fought against falling into that pattern. He was no longer a son who sought his mother’s approval. He had forged his own path.

“ Then let me be clear. I’m not leaving Skye ,” Kurt declared.

“ I didn’t expect you would.”

There wasn’t time for these games. He ran a hand through his hair in frustration. “ You expect me to believe you’ll come here? The very place that would mean your death by London ?”

“ It seems so.”

The world tilted as disbelief rang warning bells in his head.

He couldn’t have heard her correctly. Sabryn dropped her feet to the floor and sat up straight, her brow furrowed.

She had heard Diana , too, then. Which meant he hadn’t imagined it.

That didn’t make believing his mother any less alarming.

“ Why ?” he asked.

Diana issued a resigned sigh. “ It’s my only move.”

“ That isn’t strictly true.”

“ Do you want the information or not, son?” she retorted in a clipped voice.

Kurt would do anything to help Sabryn —even return home if that’s what Diana required. “ I do.”

“ Then expect me within three hours.”

“ Three ?” he repeated in shock.

Diana made an indistinct sound. “ Travel from Edinburgh shouldn’t be too difficult. I’ll charter a helicopter.”

The line went dead before his brain fully grasped what she’d said. Kurt tucked his mobile into his back pocket and raised his brows, unsure what to think about the conversation.

“ Edinburgh , huh?” Finn asked.

Carlyle scowled. “ We should be worried if she’s in Scotland .”

“ But is she here on her own or because London sent her?” Song asked.

Rhona pushed to her feet. “ Diana sent Parker to Scotland , so it makes sense she followed. We have less than three hours to prepare.”

“ There’s no preparing for Diana ,” Kurt told the room. “ Nothing she does doesn’t forward her agenda.”

Ferne shrugged a shoulder. “ Do we even know what that agenda is?”

“ Seems pretty cut and dried to me,” Filip said.

Elias shook his blond head. “ I’m no’ so sure.”

“ What do you mean?” Theo asked.

“ Both of her sons are on the isle. That can no’ be good for a London Druid , no matter how high-ranking they are,” Elias said.

Kurt glanced at the floor. “ Nothing matters to Diana but getting the power she wants.”

“ Does that match up with her coming here?” Bronwyn asked.

Sabryn got to her feet and folded the throw. “ It doesn’t matter. She’s coming. That’s what we need to plan for.”

“ I agree,” Rhona said. “ Do we bring her here?”

Kurt was horrified at the thought. “ Absolutely not. I doubt the manor would allow her entry anyway.”

“ Where , then?” Finn asked.

Carlyle said, “ It’s not going to matter if we’re somewhere private or public, as we’ve already learned. Tell us what you need, Kurt , and we’ll be there.”

“ She’ll land at the Ashaig .” Rhona looked at Kurt . “ It’s a single airstrip. Public , but not very busy.”

He twisted his lips. “ Sounds like the perfect place. She can hand over the information and leave directly.”

“ We should strategize in case she doesn’t,” Elodie cautioned.

It was bad enough that Parker was on the isle. Kurt wouldn’t let Diana stay. “ She won’t. I’ll make sure of it.”

Sabryn set the blanket on the sofa. “ Perhaps I should meet her alone. It is data on my family she’s giving us.”

“ You’re not talking to her without me,” Kurt stated.

Elias looked between them. “ I’m no’ comfortable with the two of you alone.”

“ We can be scattered around the airfield as backup,” Finn said.

Sabryn shook her head. “ Not everyone. We’ve seen what happens with that.”

“ Just the Knights , then,” Rhona suggested. “ The rest of us will remain here at the ready in case you need us.”

Sabryn thought about that for a moment and then nodded.

“ One of us should alert Kirsi ,” Elodie suggested.

Callum pushed away from the wall. “ Her mum is ill. Balladyn took my place watching over them while I was here.”

“ We’ll leave her with her parents for the time being,” Rhona said.

Sabryn walked out of the library, and Kurt followed. She was still too pale for his liking. He caught up with her a few steps into the foyer. She didn’t look at him as she continued toward the stairs. He put his hand on her lower back, needing to touch her, wanting that connection.

He glanced over his shoulder and spotted Elias , Bronwyn , Carlyle , Song , and Finn behind them.

Sabryn led them to her room, and they reached for the door handle at the same time.

He was alarmed by how icy her hand was. Clearly she had yet to fully recover from the Fairy Glen .

He wanted her to remain at the manor, but he knew she wouldn’t, so he didn’t even broach the subject.

She entered the room and headed straight for the bathroom. The sound of water met his ears as everyone else filed inside. Finn shut the door, and they waited for Sabryn . When she finally exited the bathroom, she was rubbing her hands together as if to warm them.

“ I’m new, so maybe I’m missing something, but shouldn’t we have remained with the others to plan?” Song asked.

Carlyle put his arm around her and drew her against him. “ You’re not missing anything.”

“ I needed a break,” Sabryn said.

Bronwyn sat against the headboard. “ Since it’s just the Knights , it might be easier to plan things between us.”

“ Us ?” Elias repeated. “ I’d prefer if you remained here, love.”

“ I know,” she said with a smile. “ But I’m going.”

Sabryn sank onto the edge of the bed. “ What if it’s another trap?”

“ I don’t think it is,” Kurt said.

Finn leaned a shoulder against the wall. “ Why not?”

“ Diana was too…” Kurt searched for the right word. “ Too astonished by my call. If this were a setup, she would’ve anticipated me.”

Song leaned into Carlyle . “ She could be acting.”

“ And it’s been six years since you’ve spoken to her,” Finn pointed out.

Before Kurt could answer, Sabryn said, “ We need to be ready for anything. Kurt and I will greet Diana .”

He nodded his agreement when she looked his way.

“ The airfield isna large, and neither is the single terminal building,” Elias explained.

Carlyle said, “ That will make it easy to surround.”

“ We should get there early,” Bronwyn said, rising from the bed and heading toward the door. “ I need to change.”

Elias frowned. “ Change ? What’s wrong with what you’re wearing?”

Bronwyn gave him a pointed look.

“ Aye ,” Elias murmured as he glanced at Sabryn before following Bronwyn out.

Finn lifted a hand in a wave. “ That’s my cue.”

“ We’ll meet you downstairs,” Carlyle said as he and Song trailed the others.

The door shut softly behind them. Kurt slid his gaze to Sabryn to find her watching him. “ It’s all right if you don’t come.”

“ This is about me. I need to be there.”

“ I can handle Diana .”

She sighed, her lips curving slightly. “ I have no doubt about that. Me going has nothing to do with trust and everything to do with wanting the truth.”

“ I intend to get all of it.”

“ And I’ll be right beside you when you do.”

He sat next to her on the bed. “ How are you really?”

“ Scared . Shaken . Nervous . Panicked .” She looked at him. “ I don’t remember anything.”

Kurt laid the back of his hand on her leg and waited until she put her cold palm against his before saying, “ We’ll get through this.”

“ Are you sure I didn’t hurt anyone?”

“ I promise. You aimed the wind at Edie .”

She gave him a flat look. “ You said the wind moved cars.”

“ Well , yes, but?—”

“ No buts ,” Sabryn stated.

He drew in a deep breath and released it as he glanced at their joined hands. “ I assure you that no one got near you.”

“ If they had been closer, would I …?”

“ It didn’t happen, so why think about it?”

She lowered her gaze to the floor and rested her head on his shoulder. “ Why can’t I remember?”

“ Maybe because you don’t want to. It could be your mind protecting itself.”

“ I’m glad you were there to stop me.”

He laid his cheek against her head. “ I swear I didn’t intentionally keep anything from you. I forgot about the file until?—”

“ I believe you,” she said over him. “ Why do you think Diana is in Edinburgh ?”

“ Your guess is as good as mine.”

Sabryn sidled closer. “ I can’t get warm.”

Kurt grabbed the edge of the comforter and pulled it up to wrap her in it before winding his arm around her shoulders and bringing her closer to his body.

“ Diana sounded genuinely surprised when you told her about Parker’s attempt on your life,” Sabryn continued.

“ It could be like Song said, and she’s acting.”

Sabryn lifted her head to look at him. “ Is that really what you think?”

“ No , but I also don’t know if I actually heard the surprise because I need to believe Diana didn’t send one son to kill the other.”

“ I’m sorry.”

He pulled her head down so she leaned on him once more. All this talk of family made him think of Sabryn’s . “ Have you spoken to your mum?”

“ Not in a few weeks. She’s never really forgiven me for leaving.”

“ How is her new romance?”

Sabryn chuckled. “ Oh , my god. I forgot I asked you to do a background check on him.”

“ Daniel Sykes . Sixty -two, divorced with three kids—two boys and a girl. He’s the editor of the newspaper, though I can’t remember the city.”

“ You most certainly can,” she said, jabbing him in the ribs.

He grinned as he heard the smile in her voice. “ Denver .”

“ I still can’t believe she moved back to her hometown,” Sabryn mused.

“ There was nothing left for her in DC after you left.”

She nodded absently. “ Mom seems happy, though. She’s always sending me pics of her and Daniel while asking when I might return home.”

His heart skipped a beat at the thought of Sabryn leaving the UK . “ What do you tell her?”

“ That I’ve built a life here, but I soften it with a promise to visit soon.”

The tension eased out of Kurt’s muscles. “ You should.”

“ I will when this war is over.”

Neither of them commented on what might happen if they didn’t triumph. They both knew the consequences of such an event.

“ I should get ready,” she said as she straightened.

Kurt stopped her before she got to her feet.

He put his finger on her chin and turned her head to his, pressing his lips to hers and lingering as desire flared.

He wanted to toss her onto the bed and spend hours loving her body to erase the worry that had taken up residence in her beautiful blue eyes.

But they both had to prepare for Diana .

He reluctantly ended the kiss and looked longingly at the bed.