Page 17 of Ruin

Blue watched me as she sharpened one of her knives. I met her gaze and then Alex’s. B’nar watched Blue before he met my eyes. He might agree with Owen from a strategy point of view, but he knew Blue wanted to help me, and whether she knew it or not, that made him willing to help me too. My heart jumped. I understood my friends as clearly as they understood me. I sat back down. “Fine.” I sighed. “What’s your plan?”

Owen leaned back. “Drake and Charlie went for help. We kept in touch via these.” He pulled a phone from his pocket. I gaped at the thing. I’d seen hide nor hair of technology like that in Faerie. “When we got into the IT room, Drake hacked the system and found a town about three hundred miles south. He also found a phone on one of the guards. He made a few calls and he rings this at seven o’clock every night to keep me updated on his progress. He’s coming back tomorrow night, the day after at the latest. We should wait for his back up before we send anymore people into that prison to die.”

I clamped my mouth shut until my jaw ached, trying to wrangle Prime’s need to reassert his dominance over these other wolves. Connor wouldn’t leavethemto die—or would he? I rubbed my eyes which were stinging with tiredness. Connor was a strategic player, a top agent; maybe he would do exactly what Owen was suggesting. And did I really want to put more lives at risk?

“I understand. Right, so do you have somewhere we can grab some shut eye? It’s been a really long day.”

Owen smiled sympathetically. “Of course. One of the smaller back caves near the women, will be free. It’s cold back there but I guess that isn’t a problem for you.”

I smiled and stood, along with my little entourage.

Shannon hopped up too. “I’ll take you.” Stone openly watched her but remained quiet.

We followed her through the main cave where people bedded down, some with a blanket, but most without. The main cave was far warmer than the small tunnel she led us down. I couldn’t believe how big this network of caves was, or how lucky Owen had been to stumble across it. They’d all be dead from exposure by now if he hadn’t found it.

“Here.” Shannon shoved a large black torch at me. “It’s from the stash of equipment we took off the dead guards.”

I clicked it on, but passed it to Blue, who grinned.

“Thanks, bitch.”

B’nar just shook his head. It was almost funny seeing his disapproval at the way we spoke to each other. He clearly had no idea about our quirky interactions and it really amused Blue to wind him up.

“Welcome. I don’t need it.” I grinned and lit up a ball of fire in my left hand, holding it out to light our way. Not to be outdone, B’nar didn’t even leave it a second before he did exactly the same with his magic, lighting the cave easily. Blue rolled her eyes. “Always the showoff.”

“What’s the matter, human? Jealous? Now, put your puny torch away.”

“I like my new torch. So, no.”

B’nar shrugged and lit the cave further.

“So, runt? What’s your plan?” asked Shannon as she led us to a small dark cave which was cold enough our breath made clouds of mist.

“Yeah, what’s your plan?” Alex stepped right up to my flank.

“Yeah, sweet thing, what’s your plan? ‘Cause if you’re stupid enough to put yourself in danger, which you definitely are, then the big man would want me to help watch your back.” Lionel stepped in front of me and winked. I hadn’t heard him prowl along behind us, which was very disconcerting. “You didn’t think you’d be able to get away without me, did you? Besides, Owen knows you’ll try and leave, so he sent me here to make sure you don’t.”

I quirked a brow. “So you're going to defy your alpha?”

Lionel crossed his massive arms across his equally massive chest. “Haven't you worked it out yet? I have no alpha. I respected Connor’s power, and I respect Owen, but I will not answer to them or ask their permission for anything. I am my own master.”

Smirking, I let Fire settle back down seeing as B’nar seemed content to use his magic to light the cave. “That makes perfect sense.” I cocked my head and studied B’nar. The prince wasn’t tired like the rest of us, or at least, he didn’t look it. In fact, he appeared more powerful. I guessed the cold environment suited him.

I studied the rock floor, most of it was smooth, and there was no ice or dirt on the floor so I sat myself down. I knew exactly what I needed to do. Blue sat near me and I could feel her curious gaze. Peering at my friend, even in the slightly blue tinged light that B’nar emitted, she looked cold and couldn’t hide her shivers. “You okay?” I asked as she shivered some more.

“Yeah, it’s just cold enough to freeze the rivers of Hell in here.”

B’nar immediately strode over to her, eyeing her with what looked like concern. Alex’s lips twitched into a smile. Lionel watched them curiously, weighing them up as he did everyone. It was obvious to me that B’nar was conflicted over Blue, even if he wouldn’t admit it. He looked at me and then at Blue, his jaw muscles clenching. I took pity on him. Making him ask was petty, and I wasn’t going to let my friend freeze to death. Fire happily gave me access to her magic, so I shuffled away from Blue and became a gentle full body torch in the middle of the cave.

“B’nar? Can you get us back into the prison with the ring?”

The prince didn’t look surprised by my request. “Yes.”

“Then that’s my plan, folks. I’m going back to look for Connor. He’s my mate, and I will not rest until I know if he is alive—” I swallowed rapidly, panic trying to set in. “I need to know, one way or another.” Glancing at the faces of my friends, even Shannon, I sighed. “Listen, I need B’nar to get me there, but none of you have to…”

“Yes, we do,” Lionel interrupted.

“He’s right we do,” agreed Alex.

---