Page 180 of Commanding Flame and Shield
“Something to do with the binding?” I guessed.
“Must be.”
I felt for her then, sending my energy out to find her focused on a flame in her palm, her thoughts hazy as she continued to cast them to Grayshell. Relentless.
“Doesn’t feel like she’s had much success,” I said grimly. Aren’s lips pressed into a tight line and his throat bobbed again.
“I know.”
“She’ll keep trying though.”
He nodded, took a heaving breath, and patted me on the shoulder before turning to leave.
In breaking our connection, Adrastos knew exactly what he was doing.
EIGHTY-THREE
ALLIES
ALVARA
Aren vowed that as soon as all our souls were whole, we would jump to a beach somewhere, and August and I could be formally wed. While neither August nor I cared much for formalities, Aren beamed a mischievous, toothy grin that left no room for negotiations.
"It's not actually about you, Ally. The least we can do, after all this hell, is give everybody something to celebrate.”
We acquiesced, and his answering grin was so bear-like, I about shot coffee out my nose. My mug made a soft ceramic clink as it met the hard table in the cabin’s kitchen.
If I was honest with myself, I wanted to be formally married to August, in front of our coven, and our friends. I wanted to be pronounced Mrs. Porter, and for him to see me as his bride, and kiss me as his newlywed wife, as the mortals did. Our last wedding had been more than three hundred years ago, with no money and no family left to attend. Reading my mind, August beamed, and leaned his forehead to mine.
“A beach wedding sounds lovely,” he whispered, our breath mingling between us as I smiled. “Well, ocean view wedding,” he corrected, thinking of me. Always thinking of me. I nodded softly, our foreheads bobbing together. Slowly, he pressed his warm lips against mine, and that agonizing heat spread through my core. August swiped his tongue over my own, and I invited his deepened kiss. Torturously, we pulled our mouths apart, but kept our faces glued together.
“We still have a safe house in Naples, don’t we?” I managed the question around my wide smile.
Aren didn’t have to be visible for me to feel his enthusiasm, “A few, actually.”
“The oceanside monster, with that giant balcony?”
“I could never part with that one.”
“Naples is just lovely this time of year.”
“It is, and I’m thinking yellow, for your sunny disposition,” Aren teased, and I snorted.
“I’m thinking…cerulean blue, like the ocean,” the words came out so breathy, so foolishly mortal, as I allowed myself to dream for a moment.
August cut in, “White, and blue, like the dress you wore to the All-Saint’s Day feast.”
We locked eyes, and even with Aren’s gaze on us, even with the winter wind creeping in through the open kitchen window, and the weight of Grayshell on my shoulders, it seemed the world vanished in those green irises. As though my life began and ended right there, in August. The moment was amputated by reality.
“The first group is ready to head South, Commander.” Brody stood, body taut, hands formally placed behind his back at attention. Ever the soldier. His two beautiful, lethal brothers flanking him on either side. There had been no visions, no leads on Adrastos in the days since his body vanished. But that sinking sensation that he was lurking in the shadows had left all of us on pins and needles. The search would begin by finding our allies within the hierarchies.
“Reyna should expect you but proceed with caution. Our last battle beside the Bellatons…didn’t end themostamicably. Ally and I have discussed it at length. Take The Wraith. She’ll prove herself useful. But wait for my command. We have a wedding to plan. It’s near her territory anyways.”
The three warriors lowered their heads in one unified movement and left the room. A handful of our fighters followed in their wake, and I noticed August’s body had stiffened. “You’re sending Freya? She hasn’t trained.”
My fingers slid between his own, and I gave him a gentle, reassuring squeeze as visions flashed.
“She has a divine memory,” Aren explained. “In times like these, that will have to be enough. Her particular skill set could be…useful if Reyna takes some convincing to join forces again.”
