Page 22 of A Wolf's Treasure
Cedric gave a small shake of his head, confirming what Duncan already knew. The little hairs rose all over his body. A growl rose up in his chest, right behind Cedric’s.
Fookin’ Faeries and their fookin’ magic. He could feel it permeating the room, thickening the air, and he stepped back, crossing himself and asking protection from the old gods. Or any god who was listening, really.
“I did no’ say a name,” he repeated to the prince. His blood burned hot, heating the back of his neck. He didnotjust break his promise to her.
Prince Nada stared at him hard.
Duncan felt worms crawling inside his brain, and he slammed his hands to either side of his head, trying to make it stop. The shift rolled beneath his skin. His wolf was angry. With a flash of his canines, he returned the prince’s stare, daring him to dig out his thoughts if he could.
A flash of color lit the prince’s eyes.
Wha’ the fook was that?
“What are ye doin’?” Cedric stepped toward them. “I order ye tae stop it. Now! Do ye hear me?” His voice was little more than a growl, and Duncan knew his own wolf was fighting to break free.
With a loud snarl, Cedric stepped between the two males, breaking the connection.
Duncan released a harsh breath, bending at the waist, his head swimming as he tried to catch his breath. “I thought th’ Fae were no’ able tae read minds,” he gritted out.
“They can’t. Not normally,” the prince said. His voice was almost robotic, like he was speaking on auto-pilot, not really realizing what he was saying. “Only ones who are very, very old can catch things sometimes, and only if there is a lot of emotion beneath the thought.”
Cedric grabbed Duncan by the shoulders and pulled him upright. “What th’ fook is going on, Duncan?”
“I was tryin’ tae tell ye…”
“Tell me more about my daughter.” The prince sank onto the closest couch cushion.
A shock of surprise knocked the air right back out of Duncan as Cedric stilled beside him. “Yer what?”
Still looking shell-shocked, the prince’s eyes gradually wandered over to him. “My daughter. Ryanne. That is who saw last night, yes? That’s who has been following you? She has dark, curly hair, dark eyes, and the refined features of a Faerie princess.” A wistful smile teased the corners of his mouth. “Because that’s exactly what she is. Next in line to take the throne.”
“Ye actually have a throne?” Duncan asked.
“Aye,” Cedric told him. He crossed his arms over his wide chest. “I saw it once when I was summoned tae his house. He and Duana. Though hers was much smaller.”
In that same strange voice, the prince said, “She’s not going to give it up easily.” He looked at Cedric. “Her throne.” Then he stood up, clasped his hands behind his back, and began to pace back and forth, staring at the floor beneath his fancy boots. “This changes everything. And yet, it needs to change nothing.”
Duncan watched him walk back and forth in front of the fireplace, and the more time that passed, the more uneasy he felt.
Prince Nada suddenly stopped, turned, and marched up to Duncan. Cedric growled low in his throat, stepping up to intercept, but Duncan held out his arm, stopping him. He wanted to hear what the prince had to say.
“You’re sure it was my daughter? It was Ryanne? And don’t bother trying to lie, wolf. I’ve been inside your mind.”
“Then why are ye askin’? If ye already ken th’ truth.”
Tilting his head to the side, the prince studied him. “I don’t really know. I guess I’m just finding it hard to believe. My daughter, you see, is dead. She died during the first war. Taken out by one of your kind.”
For a moment, he couldn’t speak. If Ryanne was dead, who the fook had he gotten out of the club last night? For the female he’d held in his arms was no ghost, but warm flesh and strong bone and soft, pretty things. And bodies that were decaying did not smell like primrose. “Tha’ would no’ have happened,” Duncan told him. “The wolves were on yer side. Why would anyone have harmed your wee daughter?”
In answer, the prince smiled. It was a creepy smile. And Duncan barely resisted the urge to cross himself again, though he couldn’t repress the slight shiver that shook him from the top of his head down to the soles of his feet, despite the warm cotton shirt he was wearing.
“Why, indeed?” Prince Nada asked. He turned and paced away, and Duncan exchanged another look with Cedric.
“Is this who you’ve been messing around with? Th’ fookin’ prince’s daughter?”
Though Cedric spoke in no more than a whisper, Duncan had no problem hearing the censure in his tone. “I dinna ‘mess around’ with th’ lass. I just got her out o’ th’ club and took her somewhere safe.”
“You’re no’ going tae tell me where tha’ is, are ye?”
