Hidden Fate

18

Vlad and Theron jumped to their feet as Thorn and I headed for the door. When I reached the edge of the couch, Thorn spun around to face me and said, “Stay here. This could be a trap. I can’t risk you going.”

I laughed. The idea of staying behind was absurd. I glared at him and prepared for war.

Hurt swirled through me, stealing my breath. I knew he didn’t want me to go out of fear and not because he thought I couldn’t handle myself, but that didn’t lessen the sting. “I’m going.”

He huffed and touched my arms as he rasped, “Please. Stay. If something were to happen to you—”

“Oh, hell, no.” I stabbed my finger into his chest, hitting rock-hard muscle. “If I were leaving, there would be no way you’d stay behind. That goes the same way for both of us.”

“If it were the other way around, there’s no way I’d allow you to leave.” Thorn’s jaw clenched.

Elliott snorted, and Saphira muttered, “And here I was beginning to believe he wasn’t stupid.”

“Stay out of it,” Thorn barked as his nostrils flared, but his gaze didn’t leave mine.

“Thorn…” Cassidy’s voice held warning. “You’re in the wrong, and we don’t have time for this. Hydra and I are staying for our own reasons, but you’re the true heir, and Everly is your mate.”

“That’s my point.” Thorn lifted his chin, his irises darkening. “That’s why Everly needs to stay here with you and Hydra.”

He listed the two other mated women, making his point clear—they weren’t demanding to go, so why was I?

I swallowed my anger. If I didn’t calm down, we’d fight each other even longer. All my years of swallowing my anger around Peter were coming in handy. I get that you want to protect me, but you didn’t want to go in the first place. You’re going because of me, and I need to be there. I trust Edna. They seem like good people. So if this is a trap, it’s because they’re in trouble, and I couldn’t live with myself or you if something happened and you made me stay here alone. Remember how you felt when I left you to turn myself over to Drake?

He lowered his head, touching his forehead to mine. I could feel the change in our connection. Thinking something could happen to you makes me damn crazy.

I feel the same about you, but other than my stupid moment when we first connected, I haven’t asked something like that of you. I leaned back and softly kissed his lips. Please don’t keep doing the same to me.

You fight dirty. He frowned, but defeat darkened his gorgeous sky blue eyes.

I chuckled and laid my palm against his chest. I don’t mean to, but it’s only fair that we respect each other. I want us to be a team, and this is something we should do together.

You’re right. He huffed. I’m sorry. He took my hand and tugged me toward the door.

“It’s a damn good thing he came to his senses, or I’d be helping Everly with the smackdown.” Saphira stood and marched to the door. “I’m going with you four.”

Errol’s mouth opened, and he turned around in his seat. “Saphy, no.”

“I have to. This is getting worse because people like me ignored Drake’s horribleness and let it get out of control.” Saphira crossed her arms. “You can stay here and plan our next steps while I go with my bestie.”

I grinned. She’d called me her best friend. No one had called me that before, and I realized I felt the same way about her. Even when I’d met her when she’d come to take me to Drake, something about her had been comforting.

“We’ll watch her.” Vlad nodded. “But we’ve got to get going.”

“Be safe.” Errol frowned as he watched us walk out the door.

The five of us were in the yard. My dragon stirred inside, ready to fly. It hadn’t been terribly long, but I’d learned that anytime I got anxious, she inched forward, wanting to help. “Saph, let me run in and get a duffel bag so we can carry our clothes there in dragon form.”

“No.” Theron removed the keys to his truck. “We can’t risk it. If the warriors are on their way, they could be nearby. The last thing we need is our scents in the air.”

Thorn stopped in his tracks, pulling me to stand beside him. Vlad and Saphira paused, following his lead. Thorn said, “You’re right, but before we pull into their neighborhood, we need to get out of the vehicle and make sure we don’t sense anything strange. Since we won’t be in our dragon forms, it’ll be harder to detect threats.”

“That’s fine.” Theron didn’t break stride to his vehicle.

The rest of us hurried toward the car again. Theron was already inside with the engine started when the four of us reached it. Vlad took the front passenger seat as Thorn climbed in behind Theron. Of course, I got stuck in the middle, with Saphira scooting in next to me a second after I was settled.

As soon as the last door closed, Theron reversed and quickly turned the car around, then barreled away from the safe house. He tossed his phone to Vlad. “Can you plug in the address? I think she put in the exact house. I have a general idea of how to get to where Edna cut us off.”

“Yeah.” Vlad swiped the phone and tapped.

Thorn’s unease swirled between us, and I took his hand. I understood what was going on. He didn’t want to do this, but for a different reason this time. It wasn’t about wanting to run. Rather, he was petrified that this was a trap and Drake was taking advantage of our good nature. I couldn’t blame him, but Edna didn’t strike me as a dishonest person.

“I hate to agree with Thorn’s attitude toward Everly, but he has a point.” Saphira sighed. “Theron, are you sure she wouldn’t lead us into a trap to save her daughter? Think about you and Sol. We need to be on the same page, and I feel like you’re the one who’s rushing in blindly…and you’re driving the truck.”

I loved how she’d put all that out there. She clearly had grown up watching her father, the advisor to the king.

“That’s fair.” Theron’s hands tightened on the steering wheel.