reach him, but the rock beast’s unending gravity buried me deeper and deeper into the earth, and the lizard beast disappeared before I could even dream of getting close.
Twenty-six
Leena
Manifesting through the portal, we landed at the foot of the glistening falls on the banks of my former home. Hireath was everything I remembered it to be—and more. Gargantuan trees lined the clearing, and their branches reached across the pool of water to form a network of interconnected walkways and bridges for Charmers to cross. Alabaster platforms and buildings suspended against trunks were full of people. Of laughter. Flush with the mountain, a castle of white marble reached toward the clouds. The Beast City. A sanctuary birthed from the earth itself to provide haven for Charmers.
All I could see were Noc’s wide, pleading eyes. Damn him. I’d trusted him.
Wynn nudged me in the back, and I walked along the edge of the lapping waters toward the glittering steps. A fine mist from the falls lingered in the air, and the taste of minerals coated the back of my tongue. Home. I swallowed hard, ignoring the hot sting behind my eyes. It was all too much.
Walking in silence, I followed the Charmers under Wynn’s command past the watchtowers into the open gardens of the Beast City. Trickling water sang from the fountain in the middle of the clearing, a maiden upending a vase into an endless pond. Plants with vibrant pink, pastel purple, and hypnotic blue flowers clustered along the marble path. Beasts and Charmers alike rambled down walkways, quiet murmurs just audible over the water’s call.
Maintaining a tight circle, Wynn’s guards hid me from any wandering eyes. I wasn’t sure if anyone would even remember me, but that was a chance he apparently didn’t want to take. As one, we hit the smooth stone slabs of the keep and navigated corridor after corridor. Swinging lanterns with soft blue flames marked our progression as we climbed higher until we reached a lone floor dedicated solely to Wynn.
He dismissed the attendants standing post outside the double doors of his room and led me in. “What do you think, Leena? It’s quite the step up from our home before.”
Our home. Floor-length windows thrown open to the sky, the constant rushing of the nearby waterfall ricocheted off the slick marble stone. A four-poster bed large enough to sleep six dominated the wall to my right, tulle curtains flapping lazily in the breeze. Clean lines. White furniture. Open space. It was the picture of innocence, and the very thing Wynn could never be.
“Making a show before you kill me?”
Wynn turned to face me, a controlled smile revealing perfect teeth. “While that’s the most plausible outcome, I might have an alternative. She won’t like it, though.” Only an arm’s length away, the familiar aroma of bergamot was heavy on his tunic. He hadn’t changed. Same clean-cut brown beard and hair, oozing arrogance and authority.
He paled in comparison to Noc.
Noc. My heart squirmed, and I dropped my gaze from Wynn. “Who are you talking about?”
“That’s none of your concern.” Wynn folded his arms across his chest. “How did you break my bond with the Scorpex?”
“I don’t know.” I edged closer to the door.
His eyes narrowed a fraction, and a slight tremor worked its way through his right brow. I knew that look. That intense curiosity that led to questionable experiments. He took a few quick steps to position himself between me and the door. “Interesting.”
“What are you going to do with me?”
“That depends.” Thick fingers brushed the length of my jaw. “But if you don’t cooperate with me, I’ll have to turn you over to her. And she will kill you.”
Growling, I snapped at him, “Cooperate with you? I will never forgive you for what you did—to that human or to me. You stole my home!”
“Perhaps.” He went back to studying me. Back to assessing every inch of my frame, sending thousands of insects crawling across my skin. “But that was then, and this is now. She has plans that need to be realized.”
“Who are you talking about? Someone on the Council?” I bit back fear. Not many citizens knew of my banishment. I needed out.
Wynn hummed to himself. “Like I said, it doesn’t matter. It’s me or her.”
“You just want to see if you can charm me. Like you did with that human.”
Wynn grimaced. “You make it sound so horrid.” He reached out again to touch my face, and I jerked forward, head-butting him as hard as