Page 118 of Commanding Flame and Shield
Marcus seemed to understand her though, and offered, “You lot have always been close with the Thornquist clan. They’d answer a call for aid, wouldn’t they?”
“Most likely. If we can find them. Kingsley isn’t exactly known for holding still.”
“No, he’s not. But his territory isn’t that large, is it? How hard is it to find a coven within three states?” Marcus challenged.
Alec’s eyebrow rose. Something in the way his jaw clenched left me feeling like perhaps allies would be harder to establish than Aren believed. And that Alec didn’t care for those being proposed. He caught my glance and shook his head.
“When they don’t want to be found. Very. Last I checked, Kingsley covers their scents. He’s thorough when it comes to disappearing.” Fae wrinkled her nose. A thought occurred to me.
“We can’t travel between Middle Realms? Wouldn’t the hierarchies be connected?”
Aren and Ally exchanged glances, some unspoken tension rising between them. It was Ally who answered.
“In theory, yes. But. Middle Realm is a frequency—each hierarchy its own within it. In order to be welcomed into another one, we have to merge with the frequency. It’s...easier said than done. And that’s if we can travel across the gaps between them.”
“What’s in the gap?”
“Wards. Like...a great desert...full of snakes. That sort of thing.”
I gaped at her, eyebrows raising. “Why?”
Amusement played across her lips. “So that if one of us is compromised, we’re not all taken down with them.”
“So, no one travels between Middle Realm hierarchies?”
“Few have ever tried. We just jump between our earthbound homes. It’s faster...and...less treacherous.”
“Shit. So, if we’re to findKingsley, we…”
“Head to the north.”
“Oh.”
Alec snorted and narrowed his eyes at the Commanders. “Marcus?”
“Yeah?”
“How’s your relationship with—”
“Don’t say what you’re about to say.” Alvara glared at him, face drawn. My curiosity peaked as Alec snorted. She continued, “It’s a useless question. Besides. We’ve already discussed too much where the walls have ears. Meet me back where this night started.” She rose to her feet, that casual grace back in her muscles as she reached for Jones’ still sleeping body. Without another word, she jumped with him.
When Alvara arrived back at Marcus’, her exhaustion sagged her shoulders. Even her hair seemed to have lost a bit of its shine. She had jumped directly into our room—Marcus had altered his wards to let us all in and out freely—and began peeling the gown off her skin.Fuuck. Blood rushed to my groin, and I cleared my throat, setting my tea down on the table beside my armchair in the corner. She paused, flashing a quick smile that didn’t quite reach her shadowed eyes.
“Thank you, August. For the respect…” She took a heavy breath. “After three hundred years of war...it’s just a body.” She shrugged. “Unzip me?”
I swallowed the lump that had settled in my throat. The book I’d been reading on the seat behind me, I cleared the space as she pulled her hair over a shoulder, leaving her slender, bare shoulder blades exposed between the fabric. My cock stirred, heat welling up my spine as my eyes dared to soak in the shape of her, her subtle curves and hollows. Dangerous games. My body ignited as the scent of her enveloped me.Just a body. Christ. It became a fight to keep my breathing even as I swallowed down what her bare skin did to me. Was sure she could scent it as I carefully dropped the zipper to the low of her back, hesitating as my fingers grazed the curve of her tight, muscled ass. Lungs empty of air, body begging for one taste, I fought the urge to run a finger up her spine.
Dress loose around her lean frame, I jumped downstairs.
Holy shit. How much longer? How much longer could I be near her, watch her, see her…wanther like this, without doingsomething? Anything. The ache settled into my bones, a ruthless psychomachy threatening to split me in two. She knew—couldn't have missed my thoughts over these long months.
Movement caught my attention, and I turned towards the grand windows overlooking the city. Snow. Snow had settled into Chicago. Presumably the same storm that had been silently creeping into New York when we left. How many fucking hours had I been sitting in that chair?
The city lights glowed against its shimmering surface, as great swirling clumps fell to the earth. Everyone had long since fallen asleep, so it was a relief when the door opened silently beneath my fingers. The bitter chill bit into my skin with an invigorating hello. I welcomed it. Breathed in the harshness of winter.
The rain has begun, but the snow has not yet melted.The thought pealed through me. How many weeks did I have to save her? To save us? As flakes melted against my bare skin and settled on my eyelashes, I focused on breathing. My mind went as stark and silent as the winter night.
FORTY-EIGHT
