then I can clear my mind and I won’t feel quite so restless. I throw on my workout gear and pull my hair up into a ponytail, not caring how tired I look. So what if it’s four in the morning, I can’t sleep anyway.
I head to the kitchen and grab a bottle of water from the refrigerator before I start my stretches. The quiet in the house is almost eerie after the insanity that was yesterday. Everyone headed back to their own territories last night, after we coordinated who was where, and how people would work together. To say it was a clash of wills is an understatement. Thankfully, I have the Archangel of War on my side—he kind of trumps all strategic minds if he really wants. We used that to our advantage when people were being dicks.
And my god were they being dicks.
I’ve never seen so many people agree to work together, and then fight so hard to not actually work together. It was unbelievable.
But it’s done now, and I can get back to my own worries. How the hell I’m getting everyone into the Shadow Realm, how the fuck I’m finding Fallon once I’m there, and then, how, by some miracle, I’m managing to get everyone out. I’m sure for Amantara, at least two of these things were simple, but I’m not her, and even if I was, I don’t know that I still have her powers. For all I know, we could all end up trapped in the Shadow Realm.
And isn’t that just the kicker of it all.
I finally get my own world to start working together, to accept that I love people from factions that aren’t my own, and I might have to give it all up. It’s exactly why I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure my guys don’t come across with me.
I know they don’t want me to go alone, but what if I can’t get them back. Their people need them. I can’t ask them to give up everything to save my friend. For me, it’s a sacrifice worth making, she wouldn’t be trapped there if it wasn’t for me, and even if I can’t get her back, at least she won’t be alone.
There’s also the fact that creeping through the Shadow Realm on my own is going to be a lot easier to hide than it will be if there’s five of us. I shake my head and finish the bottle of water, heading outside for the run I so desperately need.
I start slow, letting my limbs get used to the burn, I finish my first loop of the manor before I push. Push so hard my lungs burn as hard as my legs, I loop it three times, using my Hunter speed, pushing myself to my limits before I start to slow. Once I stop, I bend over and suck in lung fulls of air, before I flop down on the grass and enjoy the feel of the dew from the early morning on my red-hot skin.
“Are you okay sweetheart?” I roll over and groan, seeing Everly standing in the doorway in her dressing gown. “It’s awfully cold out here, how about you come in and I’ll fix us some tea?”
“That sounds lovely, thank you.” I push myself back up onto my feet, ignoring the slight shake of my legs, apparently I really did push too hard this morning. The time with no thoughts but the burn was worth it though. I check my phone and realize I’ve been out here two hours. Nothing compared to the amount of time I used to train, but still.
I follow Everly through to the kitchen, and sit at the counter, slipping off my sneakers, while she potters around putting together a pot of tea. I don’t even remember the last time I had a cup of tea. Coffee is usually my drink of choice, even this early in the day.
She pats my arm as she sits beside me and pours out the tea. “Now then, why don’t you unload a little. Tell me what’s got you up and running at this time of the day.”
The face she pulls makes me chuckle, as if running is a ghastly thing to be doing. I sigh and shake my head before taking a sip of the hot sweet tea.
“I just, I’m worried. About Fallon. About fucking up. About not being enough. What if we all head down there, guns blazing, and