The Fae King's Dream (Between Dawn and Dusk #2) - Jamie Schlosser Page 0,19

time.”

“So you’d be with me, then? Not that I couldn’t do it alone, but it’d be easier with your help.”

He chuckles. “I’m going to pretend like you’re not arrogant enough to think you could defeat them by yourself.”

“Hey.” I dramatically press a hand to my chest. “That hurts.”

My cousin doesn’t know me as well as he thinks he does. For over two thousand years, I’ve allowed him and everyone else to see my non-threatening side. The humorous man who doesn’t mind losing a fight.

I don’t get the respect I deserve because of it. People don’t fear me, but I prefer it that way. I don’t want them to realize what I’m capable of. No one, except for my father, knows how vicious I can be. Others who’ve witnessed my ruthless side didn’t live long enough to tell anyone about it.

“King Zander might want in on the mission,” Kirian adds. “Females in the Day Realm are dying every day because of their cursed sickness. Perhaps if the coven were eliminated, the plague would stop.”

“All of us working together,” I muse. “It’s a nice thought, but do you trust Zander that much?”

“I do. He’s proven himself to be a good ally, and he owes us both for the assistance we’ve given him.”

I’m skeptical, but there’s no harm in considering the idea. “The problem is finding the coven. Getting them all into one place would be ideal, but how? And don’t even think about suggesting Whitley as bait.”

There’s a long pause, the only sound our footsteps on stone. Because Kirian doesn’t have the answer. The coven’s elusiveness has always been the biggest obstacle.

“Uhh, Damon.” Kirian slows as we approach Astrid’s room. “I think something’s going on with your witch. There’s light flashing under her door. Is that a regular occurrence?”

“I never know what to expect with her,” I deadpan, but as I get closer, it becomes obvious that she’s up to something huge.

Waves of magic come at me, and the floor shakes under my feet. When I press my ear to the door, I hear rumbling like thunder.

I also smell sulfur and something else.

Kirian sniffs. “Is that burning hair?”

“Shit. Astrid!” I try the handle, but it’s locked.

Maybe she took on a spell too big. Kirian can put out a fire with his weather abilities, but I need to get her out of there before she inhales too much smoke.

Ramming my shoulder against the door, I try to break it down. A second later, Kirian joins me. As the hinges loosen, the vow I made earlier makes itself known, squeezing my heart until it misses a couple beats. I promised I wouldn’t come in. If I break the oath, my soul will have a mark larger than if I’d told a lie.

But I can’t let harm come to Astrid. Not after all she’s done for me.

Fortunately, her shrill voice raises over the rumbling. “Would you stop that? Things took an unexpected turn, your majesty. I’m trying to save your mate’s life, but I’m not going to succeed if you keep distracting me with that awful banging.”

Hands up, I back away from the door, and I’m smiling bigger than I ever have before.

Because Astrid just confirmed it—Whitley’s alive.

Damon

“Was I this fucking annoying to you when you were having mate withdrawals?” I push the plate toward Kirian.

He nudges it back. “Yup. Sometimes you were so cheerful I wanted to chop off your limbs. Starving yourself isn’t going to get Whitley here faster. Eat.”

Just to appease him, I take a small bite of sausage, but I don’t want him scrutinizing me the whole time I have my breakfast.

So I summon my sleep power.

He slumps over in his chair and lets out a quiet snore.

Ah, peace. Finally.

Stabbing at my eggs, I brood over the fact that I haven’t been able to get back into Whitley’s head since the other night. Kirian keeps reminding me that human drugs could be putting her mind in an impenetrable state.

It doesn’t make me feel better.

According to Astrid, Whitley’s heart stopped the other night. Technically, she did die, but Astrid intervened somehow. I’ve been assured Whitley’s body is still functioning, but what about her mind?

I’m trying not to consider the possibility that she’s a… what did she call it? A carrot? I still don’t see what vegetables have to do with anything. All I know is I won’t be happy until she’s here with me.

To keep myself sane, I’ve spent most of my time forming plans for her arrival. I’ve acquired an entire