Page 35

Lorcan

I toyed with the handle of my teacup as I sat at the drawing room table.

I looked at the grandfather clock that dominated the wall beside the credenza.

Although it was nearly noon, I hadn’t seen Briar since yesterday.

She had skipped dinner and hadn’t yet come out for breakfast. I gave myself a sly smile—hopefully, I knew why.

I thought back to her scream and the tears of pleasure flowing down her cheeks as she pulsated around me.

Was she still recovering from our time together?

But I couldn’t think that way. The next time I saw her, I needed to tell her we were leaving.

The memory of her head resting on my chest and how she whispered my name as she fell asleep sent a shiver through me.

But it didn’t explain the unease creeping up my spine.

I clenched my jaw. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t keep her with me. She needed to be safe.

I took a sip of tea as my brother and Rory came into the room, hand in hand.

They moved in sync with each other, bound by something unshakable.

Their love was steady, inevitable—something Briar and I could never have.

Our bloodlines were not compatible. A pang of jealousy hit me, which I stuffed down, reminding myself I didn’t want what he had.

At least not that I would admit to anyone, including myself.

“How are you this morning?” my brother said as he made his way to the samovar to fill a teapot.

“Well, thank you.” I hesitated, not wanting to ask my question. “Have either of you seen Briar yet?”

Rory shook her head as she sat at the table across from me. “I didn’t, but I’m not sure I would have been the best one to see her. I’ve just been so tired.”

Cormac kissed her forehead. “The baby will do that to you.”

She smiled at him. “Or you. I’m not sure who is worse.”

One corner of Cormac’s lips curled. “We’ll test that theory later,” he said.

I looked away, my fingers tightening around my cup. He had everything he wanted—Aurora, a child on the way, and stability. What did I have? I didn’t allow myself to finish the thought, just wanting to return to solitude.

“Would the two of you mind finding a room?” I mumbled under my breath, sure that Cormac would hear.

He chuckled. “Do we need to with you so intent on leaving?”

I nodded. “I’m happy to leave my blood for you and allow you to deal with it as you will.

Briar and I needn’t stay around.” The words tasted hollow.

I glanced around the room again and clenched my jaw.

Where was she? She was going on almost twenty-four hours without eating.

I could no longer mask my discomfort with the situation.

Cormac tilted his head as he sat at the table with his tea, his voice softening. “Would you like me to see if Dani knows anything?”

Rory touched Cormac’s arm. “Maybe she’s still asleep. Why don’t I go up and check on her?”

Cormac gave a slight nod, and I caught her gaze. “I would appreciate that. Thank you, Rory.”

She disappeared through the door. The seconds stretched, and I told myself I wasn’t worried, that Briar was fine, just exhausted.

“Cormac…” Rory’s voice was soft as she walked into the room.

Cormac shot to her side and placed an arm around her waist. “Starlight, is there a problem?”

She swallowed and looked at him, her eyes telling a story before she pressed her lips together and turned to me. Then she looked back at him.

“Briar is gone.”

The words made little sense. Gone? A dull roar filled my ears, drowning out everything else. My chair scraped against the floor as I shot to my feet. “What?”

I ran to her room, bursting through the door without knocking, Rory and Cormac behind me.

“No, she can’t be gone,” I said. “She absolutely can’t.”

But I knew it was true—knew this was the cause of the hollow feeling that had gripped me since yesterday evening.

On the dresser lay her key card and cell phone.

I opened the armoire. Her suitcase and all her clothes were gone.

The bed was still unmade—the sheets tangled from where we had lain.

The scent of her skin lingered in the air, but the warmth was gone.

She had left nothing behind but silence.

My eyes widened. “Where could she be? Where could she have gone? Rory, can you use these things to dowse for her? To try to find her?” I turned to her with the card and the cell phone.

Rory bit her lip and held them in her hands. I could tell she was trying to feel, to see if any connection or energy tied them to Briar.

She shook her head. “I can try, but… I’ll be honest, not much of her is a part of them. They’re not natural objects and weren’t with her for very long.”

I cursed under my breath, raking a hand through my hair. How had I let this happen? How had I not seen it coming? “Well, then maybe… maybe there’s something on here.”

I took back the phone and unlocked it, finding the last number she called. It was an Australian number. I checked her text messages. There were a few to that number, but nothing of consequence.

I dialed the number. It went to Amy’s voicemail.

“Amy, this is Lorcan. Briar’s gone. I don’t know where she is. Has she called you?” My fingers tightened around the phone as I swallowed the rising panic. If she had reached out to Amy, there was still time. If not—“Please call me back as soon as you get this. I’m worried about her.”

Cormac rested his hand on my arm. “Come on, let’s return to the drawing room and figure out what to do next.”

I looked around the room. I could still smell her—I could still smell us. I palmed the back of my neck. “This is all my fault. I’ve chased her away.” I whispered the words. “What have I done?” The ache in my chest sharpened, twisting deep. I had let her slip through my fingers. She was gone.

“What have you done?” The voice echoed. Low. Sinister. Drawing the three of us out of Briar’s bedroom and into the receiving room of the suite. I knew the voice, but I didn’t want to admit it.

I couldn’t deny it as I gazed across the room.

Aiden.