Page 124 of Rose and Shadows
“The moment he laid hands on you, the complicated nature of it dissolved. Entirely.”
I grasped his shoulder and he leaned in and held me to him.
As we pulled apart, I saw my mom beaming out at us.
“There is more to celebrate also, as I’ve been made aware. Congratulations to you both,” he said, looking between us. “Vyrn Hollow Shifter Habitat has now been officially mandated and the schematics are most impressive, particularly the systematic recalibration of what it will mean for hybrid kind.”
“What? How do you… itjusthappened.”
His lips curved. “Word travels swiftly in what outsiders refer to as mywhisper network.”
My mom gave him a look. “Especially when you have agents specifically cloaked on SSU territory during the very meeting that laid out all of those plans.”
“Seriously?” I asked, looking between them.
My dad actually broke into a laugh.
“She knows all too well how I operate.”
She brushed her knuckles over his cheek. “When it comes to those you love so dearly.”
The sweet intimacy and familiarity between them was really nice to witness, kind of comforting as well.
Unfortunately, it was interrupted all too soon as my dad flinched, then swung his head toward my jacket that was hanging over one of the patio chairs a few feet away. “Your phone is buzzing.”
I’d been so immersed in our conversation that I hadn’t picked up on it at all.
I burst over there and pulled my phone free, swiping it open to see the Group Chat had some new messages.
Velra:My parents are gone. Darethor took them out. Stopped Dark Fae mind-meddling, dozens apprehended byThryne. Cassius absorbed Celestial magic. We’re okay.
Cassius:We are with Ketheron who has absorbed it into himself well. No damage will come to him, given his unique makeup. Velra and our child are well.
Velra:They weren’t using black magic with the Celestial power and mind-meddling, so don’t worry. Cassius wasn’t infected. The baby and me weren’t around it either.
Sylas:So much for just doing recon. Glad you’re both unharmed. We’ll talk more when I get to Solumira. Heading out from Ryker soon. Got some updates, one that Lazriel is gonna be over the moon about. For now, I’ll just say that the deal is done.
I also saw a missed call from Sylas from a few minutes after the texts. I frowned. He hadn’t left a voice message.
“Dammit,” I uttered. They must have all come in while I’d been running in wolf form with my mom.
“Go. Get back to your loves,” my mom told me as I turned back to her and Dad.
Before I could respond, an eruption of crimson magic sliced through the atmosphere and a tiny portal opened up.
My dad’s lightning-fast reflexes had him dodging in front of me protectively to take the brunt of whatever it was.
But then something even tinier shot through straight into his hand.
“Shit,” I rasped as I saw it was the pewter rose baby rattle.
My dad looked down at it, a rumble starting in his throat. Because he knew what it meant. Sylas had sent this through to me. And there was only one reason he’d do that.
If he’d been compromised.
The portal closed and dissipated into nothingness, then my dad turned to me and handed the rattle over.
“No,” I uttered, as I turned it over in my hand.“No.”
