Page 6 of Ruin

Alex lifted his chin and huffed. “Out of my way, before I turn you into a human popsicle.”

Blue quirked her brows. “Really? B’nar would never use a word likepopsicle.I doubt he even knows what one is, it’s beneath him.”

Alex shrugged and stepped out into the dark corridor mimicking B’nar’s elegant, prowling gait to a tee. The Ice Sentinels, nine foot tall warriors made only of ice, that lined either side of the moonlit corridor, creepily all turned their heads and watched his progress towards them.

One stepped directly in his path.

Alex crossed his arms, but we couldn’t see his face. “I will speak with my father. Move from my path, sentinel.”

I held my breath as the Ice Sentinel studied Alex, releasing it only when the giant walking ice sculpture stood back at his post.

“He did it,” whispered Blue, her eyes wide and catching the moonlight.

We watched Alex walk straight in through a set of gleaming double doors without bothering to knock. “Father!” He yelled before closing the door.

Not normally given to superstition or prayers, I crossed my fingers, hoping the digitalis Blue had slipped into Walker’s faerie wine had done the trick and the High King was sleeping like a baby—I gulped—alone, or we’d all be up shit’s creek without a paddle.

The corridor was silent as the minutes ticked by. I tried not to bite the skin off the edge of my nails, which was a bad habit I’d started again whenever my thoughts were consumed by Connor and the impossible task of finding him.

Prime growled, his grief filtering into my own damaged heart. I curled my fists at the surge of power he released into me. Fire hissed and it was all I could do to hold her back, let alone soothe the Prime alpha wolf inside me. Sensing my struggles with both of the strong spirits, Mea enveloped Prime’s spirit with her own, calming him. I uncurled my fists and panted gently. It was getting harder and harder to contain three powerful shifter spirits in my mortal body. Through no fault of their own, I felt like they were slowly consuming me. I hadn’t dared shift into my wolf while in Faerie as I wasn’t sure if Prime would push Mea aside. There was no hope of me controlling an alpha Prime. Even Fire and my own wolf together wouldn’t be able to help me if he refused to let me change back.

Blue’s fingers were cold as she grabbed my hand and squeezed. I pulled my attention to the heavy gilt doors that opened once again. Alex strolled out purposefully and pulled the doors closed behind him. He didn’t address the sentinels, it wasn’t necessary. B’nar wouldn’t bother.

Alex turned the corner where we were still crouched down behind the statue but he didn’t stop, merely continued on without looking at us. I frowned but let him go, we were to meet down in the training cave, anyway. Maybe he just didn’t want to bring attention down on us.

I grabbed Blue’s wrist and we moved through the shadows, following Alex.

Alex led us to the training facility entrance in the king’s library. There was one other entrance from B’nar’s wing of the castle where we had all been given rooms, but this entrance was nearer to Walker’s rooms. Alex opened it up with a touch of his hand and some whispered words that we had all learned. I darted across the library, Blue close on my heels, and we ran down the cold spiral stairs trying to catch him up.

“Hey, Alex...slow down!” I breathed heavily as I caught him up and clutched at his arm.

He peered down at where I touched his forearm and cocked a brow just like B’nar would. I giggled. “Bloody hell, you look so like B’nar it’s creepy.”

“Of course I look like him.”

“Yeah, well, I didn’t know you could do it so well. Anyway, you can change back now. Did you get it?”

Alex held up Walker’s ring in a pincer grip between his thumb and forefinger. The milky blue stone glowed gently in the darkness of the cave. “I did. So how do you plan on getting it to work? Don’t you need raw magic?”

I grinned. “Yeah.” The snap of my fingers was sharp, and immediately I summoned enough flame to crackle along my forearm and hand, surrounding my limb in a soft cloak.

“Ember!” A deep voice yelled from the corridor.

My heart lurched and my head swung towards the door.

B’nar came barrelling in, breathless and dishevelled with blood trickling from his nose and mouth. “Don’t tell him anything! That isn’t me! It’s the prince.” Alex morphed back into himself. Well, almost. To keep his clothes fitting him, he had to remain B’nar’s height.

“Fuck!” My curse only seemed to amuse what was clearly the real prince.

B’nar shrugged. “You didn’t really think you could drug my father without me noticing, did you?”

Blue cursed and slapped her hand on the weapons cabinet. B’nar flicked his attention Blue’s way and spoke with authority. “Stop.” She did.

“Don’t you fucking do it!” She screamed at him, her body frozen with her hand raised.

The snarl on his lips was vicious and my stomach clenched. He might not know her name to control her mind, but he could still use magic to control her body. Just like he had before.

“Then don’t try running from me, human. You are mine, and I will never let you go.” He growled, his nostrils flaring. “Now, kneel.”

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