Page 32 of Redemption (Deliverance Duet #2)

Chapter Thirty-One

Iris

“ I ris.” The name whispers through my mind, its gentle, lyrical sound tugging me from sleep.

Did I really just hear someone call for me, or am I imagining things? I’m in Ciaran’s home, currently sandwiched between him and Alaric in his bed. Their warm bodies press against me, and from their heavy breathing, I can tell they are still asleep. I could get up and check to make sure no one is at the door calling for us, but I’m far too comfortable. I let my head sink back down onto the pillow, and my eyes fully shut.

“Come and find me in the forest.”

Now I definitely heard that. Jerking upright in the bed, I scan the room, and it doesn’t take long for me to find the source of the voice. A glowing female figure stands by the window. She’s not fully corporeal, and I can see the wall behind her. I’m not afraid, and it doesn’t even occur to me to be afraid, just curious as I watch her take a step towards the foot of the bed.

“Who are you?” My voice is scratchy from sleep, and it takes a moment for me to fully digest her order. “Why do you want me to go to the forest? I don’t know you, so how do I know I can trust you?”

Again, I’m not afraid, but I know that leaving the safety of the house could be dangerous, and I need to know more.

She smiles warmly at me, the sort of caring smile a mother would give to her child, and everything in me settles. “Follow your instincts, my love. Do I feel trustworthy?”

The answer flashes in my mind immediately—yes. I don’t know how I know this, but I just do. It’s a certainty I don’t have an answer for.

“How do I find you?” I ask, already trying to plan how I’m going to get past the guys. They won’t be happy about me wandering in the forest to meet a stranger, yet I know I need to do this.

“The answer is the same, Iris.” She smiles again, looking as though she wants to reach out to me. Instead, she stops and clasps her hands in front of her. “Always listen to your instincts. They will save you when the time comes.”

“What do you—”

“Iris!”

Jerking at the alarm in Alaric’s voice, I gasp in surprise and look around in confusion for the threat. Nothing has changed in the room other than the fact that the female is gone and my mates are awake.

Why do both of them look so alarmed, and why is my heart hammering in my chest?

More importantly, though, what happened to the female? She was telling me something important, and I need to know what it was. There’s a niggling feeling in my mind that whatever she has to say could change the outcome of everything.

Scrabbling up onto my knees, I fight against the sheets wrapped around me and search for the female once more. She’s not here. It’s a small room, and there’s nowhere for her to hide, so I don’t know why I’m still desperately looking for her like I’m going to find her lurking behind the curtains.

“Where did she go?” I barely recognise my voice as I turn and look at the confused expressions on my mates’ faces.

“Who?” Ciaran asks gently, brushing my hair back from my face.

“The fae who was just here…” I gesture towards the now empty space in front of the window. My brain is starting to come back into gear, so I can admit I probably seem mad, but I know I wasn’t imagining this.

“You were dreaming, love. There’s no one else here,” Ciaran promises, rubbing his hand down my back in soothing motions.

Alaric is out of the bed and checking the windows for good measure, shaking the lock to show there’s no way it could have been opened. Frowning, I watch as he even checks the wardrobe. He turns and slowly walks back to the bed, his expression soft. “We had to wake you.” His voice is apologetic as his eyes run over my ragged appearance. “You were trying to climb out of the bed in your sleep.”

I understand no one is here, and I seemed asleep to Alaric and Ciaran, but I need them to believe me despite not being able to see the female themselves.

Perhaps she did come to me in a dream, but that doesn’t make it any less real. I know what I felt and heard. The other option is that she is still here but can hide herself from others, but I don’t believe that’s what’s happening. Whoever she is, she’s real, and she’s waiting for me. The certainty of it settles in my gut.

Throwing my legs from the side of the bed, I jump up and hurry over to the dresser, pulling on the first clothes I find. Alaric is in front of me immediately, his eyes wide in alarm. “Whoa, where are you going?” He’s attempting to hide his true feelings and keep his voice even, but he can’t hide anything from me. His fear is practically being screamed down the bond, so it’s impossible to miss. I see the tremor in his hands and realise just how hard he’s trying to hold himself back.

My shoulders slump as the air leaves my body, guilt taking its place. I am a terrible mate. I was so caught up in the urgency of the message that I didn’t stop to consider how it might affect my mates if they woke to find me gone, especially Alaric.

I grab his arm and squeeze gently, letting him see the strength of my determination in my eyes. “I need to find her. She’s waiting.”

Ciaran walks over to the far wall and leans against it, crossing his arms and arching an eyebrow. He’s now directly in my path to the door. “You were either dreaming or someone was trying to control you in your sleep.”

I can completely see where he’s coming from. We are in a court where fae possess the ability to enter people’s dreams and plant thoughts that don’t belong to them. Chasing a mysterious figure who came to me in a dream is madness, but that’s not going to stop me. Pulling my gaze from him, I continue to dress.

“Iris, stop and think about this.” His disbelief is written all over his face, and he stalks over and grabs my shoulder. “There are fae who want you dead. Don’t forget the monsters who live beneath us. Any number of them could enter your mind and lead you straight to them.”

Closing my eyes, I reach for the absolute certainty I feel that I have to do this. It shimmers within me, almost like one of my bonds. The message might have come to me, but my mates are connected to me, which means they should be able to feel this as well. I need someone to believe me. I need that unwavering support. As I push the mix of emotions towards them, I hope they can feel my faith in this. True faith doesn’t need proof, and that’s what I need them to understand.

“You might not trust what I saw, but I do, and I need you to trust me,” I say in earnest, my voice tight.

Before either of them can reply, we are interrupted by a knock at the door. The three of us whip around to face the closed door, as though we could see right through it and know who’s there without having to open it.

“Iris?” Blaise calls through the wood, sounding confused, as though he’s not sure why he’s here. He clears his throat, and I hear him shuffling his weight on the other side of the door. “This is going to sound really weird, but did you call for me?”

Until he spoke, I hadn’t realised that’s what I must have done when I was caressing my bonds, but now that he’s brought it to my attention, I realise that’s exactly what I did. My bond with Blaise is very different from my mate bonds, but I suppose it acts similarly. I needed someone who would believe me, and here he is.

Snorting with disbelief, I raise my brows. “I suppose I must have.”

Ciaran is still staring at the door, his eyes narrowed so tightly I’m surprised he can actually see anything. “What is going on?” he demands, not making a move to open the door despite being closest to it.

“I assume it has something to do with all the butterflies out here,” Blaise drawls, and although he’s muffled by the wood, I can still hear his sarcasm.

Butterflies. Whenever I use magic, the butterflies always appear, which means whatever I just did with the bonds was magical. I didn’t even know I was using my powers, and I desperately need more answers.

I hurry to the door and fling it open to find Blaise waiting there with a frown and a sea of orange butterflies behind him. They are everywhere, including one on his shoulder, pulsing its wings gently. My jaw drops as I take it all in. I’ve never seen anything like this, and the sheer number of the creatures is mind-blowing. Alaric and Ciaran stand at my back, watching the sight over my shoulder, just as surprised as I am.

Turning, I look up at them. “You know this only ever occurs when something big happens. This is important, and I need to find the fae who spoke to me.” Biting my lip, I prepare for what I have to say next, knowing it will cause distress. There’s no easy way to do this, so I blow out a breath and force myself to do it. “I hate to do this, but I will go without you if I have to.”

“Um…” Blaise clears his throat behind me, bringing my attention back to him. “I don’t know where we’re going, but I owe this female my life, so I’m going where she goes.”

It seems I have at least one ally.

My mates’ expressions shift to reluctant acceptance. “You’re not going anywhere without me,” Alaric grumbles, stalking away to grab some clothes. Ciaran is still watching me closely, scanning my face. He nods his agreement and joins Alaric at the dresser.

Nervous excitement flips in my stomach. It’s time to hunt down the mysterious fae.

I continue forward, following the invisible thread guiding me onward. If I stop to think and try to justify any of this to myself, then I lose track of where I’m going, as though the map in my mind simply disappears. It took many frustrated attempts until I realised the fae was right. I have to put aside my logical thoughts and follow my instincts. As soon as I put my blind faith in my instincts, I knew where I was going. It’s not something easy to do when fears and questions try to flood my mind, both mine and those of my companions.

Ciaran and Alaric have taken their places on either side of me, their hands hovering over weapons strapped to their bodies. Blaise brings up the rear once more. I’m grateful to have them with me, as it’s so much easier to put aside my fears when I know they will protect me. All sense of time is gone, distorted by the strange magic of the Unseelie forest. We could have been travelling minutes or days, our only guide the rising sun.

The forest is dense here, the trees’ bark so dark that it only adds to the sensation of being surrounded. It feels like we’re being watched, a heavy sense of malice weighing down on me as though we are intruding on the solitude of the dark creatures who live here. Ciaran’s presence alone should be enough to make anyone think twice before attacking us, and so far we’ve not come across anyone.

Stepping around a large tree, I enter a small clearing. There’s something different about the space. I move forward, stopping about halfway. I feel so strange, as though I’ve been here before, which is impossible. Blaise steps up to my side, his gaze straight ahead and a quizzical expression on his face. He feels it too.

“Iris.”

Turning, I follow Ciaran’s voice and find him still standing in the treeline with a deep frown. Alaric lingers with one foot in the clearing and the rest of his body in the shadows of the trees, rooted in place.

“You’re about to cross the Unseelie border,” he explains, and I suddenly understand the edge in his voice. “I can’t follow you. The curse is too strong.”

The daylight weakens the Unseelie, and with the curse seemingly growing stronger, it’s holding him back. I can see how frustrated he is, the tightness in his jaw and jerky movements giving away the fact that he’s still trying to reach me.

Blaise’s eyebrow rises as he looks between my mates and the clearing we stand in. “I don’t understand.” Gesturing to the space he and I are in, he looks back up at the struggling lord. “This isn’t Seelie or human land, so why can’t you cross?”

That’s a very good question. Why would there be a place where he is unable to cross that doesn’t belong to anyone?

Ciaran shakes his head. “It’s a strange void within our land. No one knows why it is here or where it came from. All we know is that anyone who crosses that border has never returned.”

Of course, and this just happens to be where my instincts are telling me to go, forward into the clearing and the trees beyond. The fear his words created fade away, and a hypnotic hum calls to me.

“I think we’re supposed to go in here.”

I’m vaguely aware that my voice sounds breathy, my thoughts hazy. The only time clarity comes to me is when I focus on my main priority—following the call.

“Yes, I can feel the pull,” Blaise agrees, his gaze locked on the clearing once more, the fae behind us forgotten.

“Iris,” Alaric calls, his voice breaking through my foggy thoughts. He sounds distressed, and I turn to see him bounce off an invisible wall. “I can’t pass.”

I hurry back to the treeline. Have we been trapped behind a barrier, separating me from my mates? My heart is in my throat as I reach out with my hand for Alaric. It passes straight through, resting on Alaric’s shoulder without resistance. Blaise does the same, also managing to pass through, straddling both sides of the invisible barrier. Ciaran just watches with a deep frown, his concern a twisted knot in my chest. Alaric stares at my hand, which is touching his shoulder, and where I’m standing in the clearing. Taking my hand, he links our fingers and steps forward, crossing the—

Thud.

My hand is ripped from his as he stares mournfully from the shadows. This isn’t just the curse in play, as it shouldn’t affect the Seelie. Besides, Blaise is able to cross… Someone is sending us a message. For some reason, only Blaise and I may cross.

“Iris, are you sure about this? We can’t protect you here.” Ciaran’s warning is clear. If I do this, Blaise and I are alone.

Do I want to go without them? Of course not. I have no idea what I’m about to face, and they are my mates, and I never want to be parted from them. This isn’t just about us though. I have to get answers if I want to be able to help, and the female who appeared in my dream has them. This might feel wrong to them, but my certainty is unwavering. I have to do this.

Huffing out a long breath, I try to separate their hectic emotions from my own. “I’m supposed to be here. Can’t you feel it?” Bouncing slightly on the balls of my feet, I wait for their response, the need to follow the path through the clearing getting stronger with each passing moment.

The two males stare back at me. They might not feel it themselves, but our bonds are wide open. Ciaran grunts, nodding with grim acceptance.

Alaric’s hands shake as he pushes against the barrier separating us, testing it for weaknesses. We were just brought back together, and we already have to separate. Just the thought of leaving him behind makes my chest tight and palms sweaty, so I can’t even imagine how difficult this must be for him.

Teeth bared as he works on controlling his instincts, he turns to Blaise. “Don’t let her out of your sight.” His words are more of a snarl than actual speech, but Blaise understands nonetheless.

“I will guard her with my life, my prince,” he replies formally, bowing.

The exchange causes my arms to break out in goosebumps, and an uncomfortable feeling passes through me. I look to Ciaran and find him staring at me. His emotions might not be written on his face like Alaric’s are, but I can feel his torment at not being able to come with us.

“Be quick,” he orders firmly, leaving no room for argument.

Luckily, I have no plans on being separated from them for long. I shall do what I have to and return as quickly as possible. Hopefully then we’ll know what we’re doing, and Nyx can return to us.

Jerking my head in agreement, I look at Blaise to see if he’s ready. Why is Blaise the only one who is able to follow me? Hopefully that is something we shall also discover. Wordlessly, we turn and cross the clearing.