Page 24 of Rose and Shadows
At least she had two other appointments here, so she could just move them up when she realized I wouldn’t be showing up. No harm, no foul.
“All right?” Kelsana asked, lightly brushing my arm.
I blinked and grasped her hand. “Let’s go. The window is opening in seconds.”
“Really? You’re on board with me being there, heading deeper into this?”
“Like you said, it’s not just my fight anymore.”
That was a heavy fucking statement considering the circumstances.
I didn’t allow myself to think more about it as I focused, my power flaring, both Dark Fae and my shadows, the latter sweeping around the two of us as I also called forth my illusionary magic, and even my Dark Fae teleportation.
The moment Brandise passed through the ward, I made my move, using that movement as a distraction to sneak by undetected, the flare of power that would register being put down to somebody passing through—not us passing out beyond the ward’s protection.
It worked.
No alarm bells were raised.
Nobody noticed.
And I kept it that way, sweeping us away completely in my shadows.
Undetected.
The only way it could be right now.
It seemed like another life.
I’d made myself believe it was for a long time.
Ever since Chimera Circle had altered me forever.
Ever since I’d been set apart from Dark Fae—still partially one of them, but also partially something else altogether.
The kidnapping, the experiments, being changed, my return to my family being met with hatred and revulsion, being cast out, then even hunted… all of that threatened to get its claws back into me, pushing me to relive it, as I stood now staring at a stark reminder of my life before any of that had happened.
Thryne.
The combo ofthroneandthornslapped together.
My invented word.
For the resistance I’d created a few years back.
A force that undercut and undermined the Dark Fae Royal Court, that checked their power through strategic and clandestine means.
Three dozen of them stood, boots sinking into the snow on one of the peaks ofMordrek Mountains.
It was the location where Cassius had been helping me get a lot of shit out of my system through unleashing my power, and also practicing how to combine the Dark Fae and Wraith more fluidly.
Because this place was also used as a training ground for the Guardian Movement, Ryker had imbued some of his defensivemagic into the area that protected against massive, destructive surges of power. So there was some safety—at least from magic-wielders—in meeting here.
Kelsana met my striding, determined pace, her cape sweeping behind her as she walked to my right. She kept clutching it to her against the wind and sleet whipping all around the immediate area. The same indications of feeling the cold a bit too much were evident withThryne. Some members were wearing robes, others in heavy furry coats, all shivering a little. For my part, I was only in my black corset and leather pants and I was fine. It was a Wraith thing.
When I’d createdThryne, we’d gone the full face mask route and shimmering silver body armor. But now here they were just dressed in what I’d class as civilian dress. Whatever they wanted. Some in robes, like I’d noted already, others in suits, some even in jeans. It was a real free-for-all.
“The resistance needs to be visible now,” a once familiar voice spoke, just as they stepped from the crowd and met our approach.
