Page 90 of Ascendant King

“Next time, a bed,” I said. “I love how creative we’re getting, but this is ridiculous.”

Cade snorted. “Fine. Next time, I demand rose petals. Silk sheets. Maybe a mirror above the bed.”

I drew back, chuckling. “Kinky. Where did you get all that?Playboyin the eighties?”

Cade pulled up his pants, wiping his hand on the bedspread. “If you wanted a bed so bad, we could have used that one.”

I made a face. “I’m almost positive that Sonja and Tyson have had sex there, and I really don’t want to have the shadow of that next to us while we’re…”

I trailed off.Screwing each otherwas too casual.Making lovewasn’t quite casual enough. I swallowed.

Cade leaned forward, tucking me back into my pants, straightening both of us until we were mostly decent. “We should go. Find out what’s going on with the mages.”

I nodded. It was safe, safer than staying here with Cade. With him giving in to me, with both of us finally on the same page, I wanted more than anything to plug my ears and ignore everything else we were responsible for and just stay here forever.

Instead, I walked over to the door and opened it. As we strode down the hall, I frowned. “The magic of House Bartlett… Is it sentient, the same way that Basil is?”

Nothing is sentient like I am, Basil hissed unhappily.That was a perversion.

“It’s a good question, though.” Cade frowned. “The common wisdom is that houses have… dispositions. House Doyle was warlike. Bartlett wassupposedto be thoughtful, traditional.”

“What if Morrison is as power-hungry as Bartlett became?” I asked. “What if that’s part of the reason its people are so thirsty for more power?”

Cade stopped on the stairs, turning to me. “You believe that Morrison became sentient like House Bartlett did? And that’s what’s driving them to their perversions?”

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “But I’d sure love to know why they chopped off their king’s head. Why the whole house is willing to perform terrible, painful magic. For power?” Shaking my head, I walked down the stairs. “It still doesn’t make sense.”

At the bottom, Heather was having a hushed conversation with Nia and Gabe. Both of them stepped back from her when I approached. I didn’t look at either of them, instead focusing on Heather.

“Boss…” She swallowed. “Alpha, I’m so sorry.”

“Are you okay?” I asked. “Who was with you?”

A wolf I didn’t recognize—one of the Pineridge Springs wolves—stepped forward. “Me.”

“Are you two okay?” I asked.

“I’m fine. We’re going to go out again,” Heather said. “We’ll find them.”

“No,” I said firmly. “No. I’m not risking my pack over the remnants of Ghost Pack. You need to get looked at. Cade and Lily both have experience healing wolves, at least until we can get you to a real doctor.”

She shrank further into herself. “I deserve to be punished.”

Leaning forward, I reached for her neck. Both Nia and Gabe tensed, although neither moved. “No. You did your best. You didn’t have the right resources, which is on me. Get cleaned up. See if Lily or one of the other mages can check you out. It’s late,and we’re going to get moving soon.” I rubbed my wrist on her throat, scenting her. “Okay?”

She hesitated but then leaned against me, rubbing her face against my exposed forearm. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m glad you’re okay,” I said. “Now. Gabe said something was wrong with the mages?”

Chapter

Thirty

Heather trailed behind me, and I wasn’t sure how to reassure her beyond continuing to treat her with kindness.

“It really wasn’t your mistake,” I murmured. She shook her head. Glancing at Nia, I made the same motion she had for patrols. “Bring everybody back. I want all of the wolves here at the house, except for the ones patrolling the grounds.”

She nodded, and Cade and I both turned to walk down the hall. He looked at me, his blue gaze sympathetic, a frown settling between his brows. I shook my head. I had said all I wanted to say.