Page 165

When they exited their room, Rui was waiting.

They left Jaxon and Ed on watch at the motel and headed for the Potomac.

Dion and Tiago swam as their dolphins, with Rui joining them as his bull shark.

When they returned, Dion sent Jaxon and Ed for a swim while Tiago opted to make another attempt at slipping through New Moon’s wards by water.

Meanwhile, Rui held a convo with Marjani and Fane to determine if there was anything they were missing.

Dion took up a position in the forest near the court. The temperatures remained just above freezing, with a chilly wind rattling the bare branches. He paced a path through the trees, straining for a glimpse of Rosana, but the unnatural fog prevented him from seeing more than a few yards.

A black rage filled his head. That his sister was trapped underground in one of those cryptlike lairs. Upset, afraid, unable to shift.

With those perverted bastards enjoying her fear.

His claws pricked out. He dropped his head back, fangs bared. His animal wanted to slash and burn, to tear out Langdon’s heart and feed on it.

The air nearby shimmered and then twisted as Cleia ’ported onto the grass between the woods and the court. She walked to him, a pretty peach-colored dress whipping around her long legs, her bright hair in a businesslike braid. Her only concession to the January cold was a soft cashmere shawl.

“My love.” She touched his unshaven cheek. “You have to eat. Starving yourself isn’t helping Rosana. And when was the last time you slept?”

Dion raked a hand through his hair. He hadn’t tied it back for days, and his only clothing was a T-shirt and the leather pants he’d been wearing when Rosana had gone missing. His animal was too close to the surface to accept such human restrictions as shoes or a coat.

“I slept last night.” For an hour or two. “And I’m not hungry. How’s my Brisa?”

“She’s good. She misses her papai , of course, and Rosana.”

He ran a hand down Cleia’s silky braid, needing to touch her. “Tell Brisa I miss her, too. With all my heart. And that I’ll be home as soon as I can—with Rosana.” He glared at the night fae compound.

“I already did.” Cleia ’ported in a thick ham-and-cheese sandwich and a cup of coffee, and thrust them both into his hands. “But you still need to eat, and sleep more than a few hours a night.”

When he just stared at the food, she sighed. “Dion. I’m as worried as you are. But you can’t give up hope. We will get her back. And meanwhile, she’s with Adric. From what the prince said, that was a condition of her remaining at the court. Adric won’t let them hurt her.”

Anger fisted in his chest. He hadn’t forgotten that Rosana had been sneaking off to see the Baltimore alpha right beneath his nose.

Even Tiago had known, or at least suspected.

The sensible part of him knew his anger was misplaced, that it was just that he was so damn afraid for his sister, but he didn’t care.

“If it wasn’t for him,” he growled, “she’d never have been there in the first place.”

“You don’t really believe that.”

“No?”

Her lush mouth set. She started to argue further, but he shook his head.

“ Querida . Not now. Por favor ?”

She expelled a breath. “You’re right. When they’re safely back home, then we’ll argue about whether they’re mates or not.”

“ Mates? ” That fist of anger tightened around his heart. “Who said anything about them being mates? It would never work. She can’t live in Baltimore—I told Adric myself.”

“Did you now?”

“And he agreed.”

“Ah.” Cleia opened her mouth, closed it.

“Go ahead. Say it.”

“We made it work when no one—even you—thought we could. A sun fae and a river fada.”

He just shook his head. He was still holding the food. He took a bite of the sandwich and followed it with a gulp of coffee.

“You are hungry,” she said, and to please her, he kept eating until it was gone.

As he was finishing up, Lady Olivia ’ported in. They turned to her hopefully. She strode toward them, her long, fire-colored dress draped like liquid flame over her slender body, her penny-bright hair twined in a coronet around her head.

“Peace to you and yours,” she said, and then gave a rueful shake of her head. “I’m afraid I haven’t made any progress on the wards.”

“By the Goddess,” Cleia bit out. “How is he keeping us out? You’re the best spell-breaker we have.”

Dion briefly closed his eyes.

Olivia touched his arm for the first time ever, as far as he could recall. “I’m sorry, Dion. I’ve tried everything I can think of.”

“I know. And I thank you for it.”

“We will break through,” she said. “And when we do, I’ve prepared a few helpful…aids, shall we say?”

“Oh?” murmured Cleia.

“One moment.” Olivia conjured up a blazing fae light. A nearby shadow made a small sound of pain and hurriedly withdrew. With a little half-smile, she held the glowing orb higher so they stood within a shaft of light.

Dion narrowed his eyes. He didn’t have the sun fae’s love of bright lights, but he accepted the need for it.

“You have the protection charm?” Olivia asked him.

He wordlessly held up his wrist. The delicate silver bracelet encircled it.

“Good,” she said. “Get that back to Rosana as soon as possible. It won’t block a fae as powerful as the prince forever, but it will buy her time.” She handed Cleia a small silk bag. “I made a charm for the Savonett female as well.”

Cleia frowned. “That’s good of you, but you’ve expended so much energy trying to break the wards. Are you sure this wasn’t too much for you?”

The other woman raised a fine sable eyebrow. “I know my limits.”

Which didn’t really answer the question.

Dion eyed the fae lady. Her narrow, pointed face looked gaunt. Magic at the level she’d been wielding it sucked life-energy right out of you.

Cleia sighed and pursed her lips. She might be queen, but Olivia was her top adviser, their relationship one of near-equals. “Just remember we’ll need you when we do break through.”

Olivia inclined her head.

“What if he’s convinced Rosana to accept his geas ?” Cleia voiced Dion’s deepest fear.

A chill prickled his skin. He was fairly certain his sister wouldn’t accept Langdon’s geas for herself, no matter what the prince offered her. But she might accept it to save Adric.

“Then we’ll have to encourage him to break it,” Olivia replied.

“How?” Dion demanded. “A geas is almost impossible to break.”

“By the person who accepted it, yes,” Olivia said. “But not by the fae who set the terms.”

Dion’s mouth twisted. “Why would he break it? He’d love to have a Seer in his power for the next ten turns of the sun.”

Olivia moved a slim shoulder. “Then we’ll offer him something he wants more.” She pulled a gleaming iron dagger from a hidden pocket in her dress. “Meanwhile, I had one of our smiths make you this. It’s bespelled.”

Dion set down the coffee cup and took it by the ebony handle. Energy shivered up his hand. “A powerful spell.”

Olivia inclined her head. “It will slice through any spell the prince casts at you.”

He slipped it into his back pocket. “Thank you, my lady.”

Dion pulled Cleia closer, and the three of them gazed at the fog-covered court.

His fingers tightened on Cleia’s waist. A sun fae’s metabolism burned hot, and Deus knew, he needed heat right now. He was chilled to the bone.

“Tell me she’s getting enough to eat,” he rasped. “Tell me he’s allowing her to shift to her dolphin.” According to Rui and Fane, New Moon was crisscrossed by creeks and streams. There was even a pond big enough for Rosana to swim.

“Of course, he is,” Cleia said. “He knows a water fada will die if she’s kept from the water.”

Olivia made a small sound of dissent.

“What?” asked Dion.

“He may not consider that to a fada, time in a fae court can pass differently.”

Cleia’s gold-touched skin paled. “It depends on the fada.”

Olivia inclined her pointed chin in that cool manner she had, but Dion had seen her with his sister. In her own way, the fae lady loved Rosana. “Some adjust to our time, but others find it difficult.”

“She’s fine,” Cleia stated firmly. “He wouldn’t dare harm her.”

Dion’s growl came from the darkest, primal heart of him. “I hope you’re right,” he said in a carrying voice. “Because if Langdon hurts her, he’s dead.”