What had started as an interruption was now a threshold for them.
And thank God, herhellreninclined his head, as if he recognized exactly the corner they’d come to. “We were in an accident on the Northway en route to the Audience House. A municipal snowplow had stopped, the blizzard was a whiteout, and V and Tohr were in front when we rear-ended the thing.”
Once again, he held her eyes as if he could see her, and in the pause that followed, it was clear he was giving her a chance to probe everything that was behind his steady regard. Of course, going by the tension in him, he obviously didn’t like talking to her about this kind of stuff, but he was putting what she wanted—what she needed—first.
No more lies. Not even of the not-really-a-fib-but-hedging-to-spare-her variety.
“Are they okay?” And without giving him a chance to answer, she tacked on, “I’m coming, too.”
She braced herself for a fight. Instead, he nodded. “I’m just going to get pants on.”
As he strode off, George got up and trotted after him, the golden’sclip, clip, clipof nails on the pine floor loud in the silence. She glanced at Rhage, and bless him, before she could even try any small talk, he jumped right in.
“He couldn’t dematerialize.” The Brother kept his voice low and his eyes where they were. “When Tohr came to pick him up here. Look, I’m not getting involved in your mated whatever, but I just…we were going to the Audience House and nowhere else, and again, we took the SUV because he couldn’t—”
The words cut off as Wrath came back down the hall with George. As he went to the door, he opened things and held them wide for her, and she tucked the lapels of her robe close to her neck and hustled out. Along with Rhage, they all went to the left, and as they arrived at Tohr and Autumn’s residence, she breathed in through her nose and smelled the antiseptics that had been used on whatever wound(s) were going on.
Knock, knock.
“Coming,” Autumn said from inside.
While there was some rustling, Beth glanced at Wrath. His jaw was circling like he was grinding his molars.
When she took his hand, he turned to her, and it was as he was pressing a kiss to the inside of her wrist that the door opened.
Autumn, mated of Tohrment, bloodedmahmenof Xhexania, was a diminutive, blond-haired female, and as always, she was wearing a formal robing, in the tradition of the Chosen. With a long braid lying over her shoulder, and her stunningly beautiful face cast in a mask, she looked like a chess piece come to life.
Talk about composure. She was clearly about to lose it, but determined to do what she could to remain intact.
Bowing low first to Wrath, then to Beth, she backed up in that position. “My Lord. My Queen. Tohrment would love to see you both.”
As the female straightened, the fear in her gray eyes was a tangible beam, piercing through Beth’s chest. She knew exactly how Autumn felt, the chronic worry that had bloomed tonight into a nightmare actually lived, the promise of harm that reared its ugly head every time the Brotherhood left to go out into the war coming true.
And biting hard.
To avoid becoming overly emotional herself, Beth glanced around. The layout of the residence was exactly the same,but here, there was evidence of life well lived: Photographs, paintings, some of the pottery that Autumn liked to do, as well as the world’s ugliest avocado green armchair, which had been imported from the office at the training center.
Beth went over and hugged the female. “I’m really sorry. I wish I’d known. I would have come right away.”
“I know you would.” They pulled back. “He was just transported here. Let me take you down.”
As the female limped off down the hall, Wrath urged George forward and Beth followed them to the sleeping quarters.
Oh…no, she thought as she caught a look into the bedroom.
She was not prepared for the condition the Brother was in. A lot of his face was bandaged, his neck, too, and there was an oxygen feed plugged into his nostrils. If she hadn’t known it was Tohr, only the white streak in the front of his dark hair would have identified the patient as herhellren’smost trusted second-in-command.
“Is that my King,” came the croak.
“It is,” Wrath said as he went over with his dog. “Beth’s here, too. Rhage’s out in the hall. How you feeling?”
“Like I’ve been on a three-night bender and the Advil hasn’t kicked in yet.” Swollen lids opened a crack. “But I’m glad to be home—how’s V?”
“He’s doing better,” Autumn said gently as she shuffled around to the other side. “Remember? I just told you.”
“Oh…that’s right.” The Brother went to lift a hand, and then gave up and just pointed in the direction of his head. “Things are still coming back online.”
When Wrath eased down on the edge of the bed, George settled at his feet. “You’ll be better by tomorrow night.”
