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D ion spent another almost sleepless night. Tossing and turning. Staring at the ceiling. Listening to his brother do the same.

By morning, he’d decided to trade himself for Rosana, to hell with the consequences.

The instant the sun peeped above the horizon, he was out of bed. He pulled on his clothes, sliding Olivia’s bespelled dagger into his pocket.

Tiago raised his head to peer dully at him.

“Go back to sleep,” he said and his brother dropped his head back on the pillow.

Overnight, the wind had dropped and heavy clouds had moved in. A storm was coming, rain this time. A daylong downpour from the air’s scent and feel.

His mouth curved dangerously. Water was his element, the more the better.

This time, he didn’t hide in the forest. Instead, he stalked back and forth on the grass in full view of the fog-covered court.

Daring Prince Langdon to make a move.

A movement behind him made him spin on his heel.

Rui strode out of the forest, scowling. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” he demanded in Portuguese.

“Go away,” Dion snarled in the same language. “That’s an order from your alpha.”

“Not when he’s acting like a crazy man.” Rui folded his arms over his chest, a rock-faced, stubborn-as-hell statue.

Dion ground his teeth. He knew Rui. If the shark fada had decided Dion needed him, an army wouldn’t move him.

“Then don’t interfere,” he bit out.

Rui shook his head. “This all started when I brought Merry back to Rock Run.”

Dion growled. “When are you going to stop beating yourself up about Merry’s father?

You took that job with my blessing. The clan needed Lord Tyrus’s diamonds.

You think I don’t ask myself why I didn’t dig a little deeper before letting him hire you?

But unless you can turn back time, we both have to live with it.

Merry is clan now. The night fae go after her, they go after all of us. ”

Rui drew a breath. “With all respect, I’d take Merry, Valeria and the girls and run before I’d let her anywhere near those dark bastards. That doesn’t change the fact that this all comes back to me. I’ll go to the prince. Offer myself for Rosana.”

“No.” Dion clamped a hand on his shoulder. “You, Tiago, Jaxon, Ed—I know every single one of you would trade yourself for Rosana. But that’s not the way.”

Rui regarded him through hooded green eyes. “Then why are you out here all alone?”

Dion simply looked back at him. But Rui knew him too well.

“Exactly. If you go to the prince, I go at your side. I demand this not only as your second, but as your friend.”

Dion exhaled.

“I’ll go.” Tiago stepped out of the trees, jaw set, hands balled at his side. “As alpha, you’re not expendable, and neither are you, Rui. I am.”

Before Dion could draw a breath to argue with him, Marjani, Fane and Jace were there as well. They took up a stance next to Tiago. Jace was in his black panther form. He fixed emerald eyes on Dion, while Marjani folded her arms over her chest, a shorter, wiry imitation of Rui.

“This concerns us too,” Fane said.

Dion shook his head. “It appears we have a mutiny,” he muttered.

“I’m going with you,” Marjani said in a tone that brooked no argument. “The new moon is two nights away. If Adric is executed, the clan goes down, too. He’s the only one who can hold us together. And we won’t survive another Darktime. You don’t have the right to ask that, even to save your sister.”

“You’re right. I don’t.” His heart clenched for Rosana, but he made himself continue. “I apologize, I should’ve come to you first. I’m not…thinking too clearly these days. What do you want to do?”

She blinked, taken aback, but quickly recovered. “Not here,” she said with a glance around. “Back at the motel.”

As Dion nodded, the air shimmered and Cleia ’ported in.

“By the Sun Goddess.” Her amber gaze raked over the six of them.

“I hope you’re not planning what I think you are.

Because the prince would like nothing better for you all to go charging in there.

If he captures even a few of you, he wins.

He won’t even have to negotiate with us. ”

Marjani growled lowly.

Cleia took her hands. “I know, my dear. It’s your brother’s life on the line.

But don’t forget, he has Dion and Tiago’s sister—this is personal for everyone here.

” She released Marjani to speak to all of them.

“I’ve talked things over with Olivia and a couple of my top warriors.

They agree with me that the prince is playing a deep game, manipulating us so he gets what he wants. And we all know what he really wants.”

“Merry Jones,” whispered Marjani.

Jace’s tail whipped back and forth.

“Yes. And I agree, it’s an impossible choice. But I promise you”—Cleia’s beautiful face was fierce—“I won’t let him execute Adric. Now, let’s all go back to the motel. I have news for you. Good news. We’ve got some planning to do.”

Marjani, Jace and Fane exchanged looks, and then the cougar fada lowered her chin in assent. “We’ll listen. But I’m not making any promises.”