Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 92232 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 461(@200wpm)___ 369(@250wpm)___ 307(@300wpm)
“Okay. He did love us. Not just me. He loved my sisters too. I understand him now. At least I got that closure,” I murmur.
“Um,” Kendrick hums as he squeezes warm water across my collarbone.
“Yeah, they will probably have the same reaction.”
I wish my sisters could have gotten to know our father. He wasn’t all bad. He was only trying to hold on to what he knew all his life. Can anyone blame him for that?
The way he went about it, maybe not, but I can’t entirely say I fault him. He did what he was told. Kendrick kisses the back of my head.
“I love your heart. Wrong is wrong, but you are always ready to forgive,” he says.
“Kendrick?”
“Yes, my love.”
“Venus isn’t doing so well. I’m worried about her. What happened took a lot out of her,” I say quietly.
“You’re getting stronger. This is to be expected.”
“I can’t break my promise. We have to find Knox.”
“It will all be well. I need you both to trust me. I know it will be well.”
Church
I sit at the Immortal Iron Brothers’ table with Rock and Dagger. I summoned my brothers so they would join us as well. As we sit and wait for them to astral project in, my mind turns to my mate.
It took a while, but I was able to get Ray to lie down and go to sleep in our bed. She is stronger than she knows. She’ll pull through this.
“How is she?” Dagger asks with concern in his voice.
Ray has grown on my brothers as much as she has me—those who are my blood and those within the brotherhood. Rock and Dagger fought hard to ensure we got her out of that warehouse safely. I have a new respect for the two of them.
I wasn’t expecting them to follow me into battle. I was ready to handle things on my own. However, it was an honor to have them fight alongside me.
“She will be well with some rest.”
“Where are Bradan and Ardan?” I ask as Reilly appears.
“Ardan had business with Kenji. Bradan has been out hunting,” Reilly says.
“Should we begin without them?”
“I guess. I am on my way back home. My hunt is leading back that way. Girls have started to go missing in our area. This could be Faustus,” Reilly says.
“Excuse me,” I look across the table to Bradan’s seat.
Taylor has astral projected to take his place. My brows shoot up. Immediately, I know something is wrong.
“Taylor, what is wrong?”
“We found Seraphina, but Bradan was injured in battle. They have some type of altered holy iron or something.”
“Blessed iron,” Reilly and I say in unison.
“Yeah, that’s it. Bradan isn’t healing like he should. We’re on our way back, but we need to travel by human transportation. He’s not strong enough to teleport us.”
“Should I send someone to escort you two in?”
“No, I can get him back. He just needs to rest. We wanted to let you all know what’s going on. Is there anything he needs to know?”
“Yes, Ray was attacked by the hunters. She is fine, but Candido Ricci is dead.”
Taylor’s eyes fill with tears and her lips begin to tremble. My heart aches for her as well. I guess Ray isn’t the only one who will be hurt by this.
“My father is gone?” she says softly.
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
“Who did it?”
I don’t miss the fire that comes to her eyes. She, too, is getting stronger. It makes sense. To be Bradan’s mate, she would have to be.
“It was the hunter’s leader.”
She nods silently. I go to ask if she will be okay, but my attention is pulled as Ardan appears. His expression draws my attention.
“It was a trap. The stone is gone. It was stolen during the first attack,” Ardan rushes out.
“What?” Reilly and I snarl at the same time.
“This has not been Kenji. It was a fake. One of Father’s tricksters has been in his place. I’m on my way back. We have to protect the last stone,” Ardan replies.
I sit back in my seat, and the wheels begin to turn. We are missing something. Our focus has been clouded by our mates. Ray’s appearance and Venus being trapped inside her with my son took my attention in the beginning.
Then, the others started to erupt into chaos. After that, Bradan found his mate, but he’s been distracted by his rage and wanting to punish Seraphina. Ardan was focused on Billy until his stone was threatened.
Then Lee Ann appeared, and Reilly’s stone was stolen. He had to turn his attention elsewhere. What if we’ve been overlooking what’s right in our faces?
All of this started with the appearance of Ray. The hunter’s leader wanted to see into Ray’s thoughts. It’s a gift we kings have.
It’s how I fell into Ray’s past life. He knows something and believes Ray knows something as well. I think of the prophecy and grin.