Page 162 of The Soulbond and Her Beloved

Daemonikai straightened. “There will be no werewolves. No external forces. We will face eclipse moon night ourselves andform a unified plan—together—to protect what remains of us. But we will not reveal our weaknesses to outsiders, no matter how strong the alliance, no matter how much we trust them. Trust is not armor. That is all for today.”

Rising, he marched out of court.

***

Sinai had been searching for Zaiper for over an hour before she finally found him in the woods, crouched beside the carcass of a freshly killed stag.

“I bet you feel refreshed after that hunt, huh?” she said, falling into step beside him as they started back toward their hideout. “It’s good to see you back on your feet.”

He didn’t look at her. “Why are you being a pest, Sinai?” he growled, forging ahead. “What do you want?”

Still in a foul mood, clearly.

She matched his pace, choosing to ignore the snarl in his voice. “It’s about your secret hideout—the one we’ve been trying to reach, but somehow haven’t. At this rate, we’ll be caught before we even get there.”

“Sinai.”

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Do you know how long I’ve been preparing for a day like this? Even while hoping it would never come?”

How would she?

“Seven hundred years,” he said before she could speak. “That’s how long. In that time, I spent fortunes and caution building a sanctuary—completely fortified, concealed, and nearly invincible. It lies deep underground. One of those places even the boldest wouldn’t dare venture into.”

That… gave her a sliver of comfort.

“But how long until we reach it?” she pressed. “We’ve been running for weeks.”

“And that’s where you’re mistaken.” His mood lifted a bit, a smug gleam sparking in his eye. “We’ve been creating diversions. Running, hiding, drawing them further and further from the truth—making it seem like our destination is some far-flung place. In reality, the shelter lies in the heart of the city. Close enough to monitor Ravenshadow and all my targets—while remaining utterly hidden from them.”

She blinked, impressed despite herself. This was actually… surprisingly smart.

“So, while they scatter their forces across Urai and beyond, sweeping even the smallest villages, we stay right under their noses…” she mused aloud.

He nodded. “Razarr’s idea. I thought it was brilliant.”

But the moment Razarr’s name passed his lips, his good mood evaporated. Whatever light had returned to him flickered out again.

Sinai stifled the urge to roll her eyes. She’d be dead if he caught even a hint of it. It was almost laughable—seeing someone as ruthless as Zaiper, a male who flinched at neither torture nor slaughter, undone by the death of a lover.

“I do not feel such petty things.”

Yeah, right.

“So what’s the plan going forward?” she asked, steering the conversation away from the sore spot. “I have a suggestion. Once we’re off the road, we lay low for a few months. Let things settle. Our numbers have dwindled—we need to recruit. Find soldiers, nobles willing to join your cause—”

“I need to get my hands on Emeriel.”

Sinai was caught off guard. “O-kay... but that’s later. Much,muchlater. Right now, we need safety. Believe me, I’d love to get my hands on her too, but—”

“No buts,” he snapped as they stepped into a clearing. “I know your little feuds with her, all your back-and-forths. But this—it’s personal now. Daemonikai took something from me. I intend to return the favor.”

“And how do you plan to do that?”

“I still have a spy in the kingdom.”

Sinai started. “I thought Vladya had all of them executed. One still lives!?”

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