Wild Lands (Savage Lands #2) - Stacey Marie Brown Page 0,74

the liquor off the table and slammed it back, the pungent taste burning my throat. I banged the glass back down on the table and glared at Andris. He filled all three cups without hesitation, watching me down the second.

“You have grown up so much, Brexley. The pictures of you don’t do you justice.”

“Pictures of me?” I tapped my glass for another. I hated the taste of Unicum, but the burn grounded me. “You’ve been watching me this whole time?”

“Of course.”

“You owe me answers. What is this place? Why are you hiding here, and why did you fake your own death? Also, how do you know each other?” I motioned between the two men.

“My ‘death’ was necessary. I knew too much… had seen too much. I could no longer carry out Markos’s orders. It was only me who was supposed to die the night of that battle, slip away into the night. Your father would have never left you. Ever. But things went wrong. I don’t even know what exactly; everything was going to plan. But we got separated. It was too late by the time I found him.” Grief flashed over Andris’s face. “I failed him…”

My head bowed, clearing my throat. “Why was your death necessary?”

“We’ll get to that.” Andris stood up, finishing his second drink. “As for this place, it is one of the hideouts for the Resistance…”

“Resistance?” My mouth parted in shock, another puzzle piece clicking in. I knew of only one Resistance party in this area. “Y-you’re part of Sarkis’s Army?”

“Dragam.” He smirked, his arms behind his back. “I am Sarkis.”

I blinked at him. “Oh, my gods…”

It was like I was hit with a bat, and memories and pieces all fell into place. The stuffed puppy he had given me was named Sarkis. It didn’t click until now. The signs were right under my nose.

Sarkis was an Armenian word meaning protector, shepherd. He had named his army the same as the toy that kept me feeling safe and protected as a child when they left on missions, like a clue. I may have stopped cuddling with the toy so long ago I had almost forgotten him, but my shepherd never stopped protecting, guiding, and watching over me.

Chapter 17

I gripped my head and plunked down in the chair, my head spinning.

Andris Takacs, the man I thought was dead, was not only alive, but leading the Resistance army.

“Breathe,” Warwick’s husky voice slithered up my spine, the feel of him at my side, even though I knew he still leaned against the other wall, sipping Unicum.

I inhaled, letting out a slow breath, not fighting his instruction and the soothing effect his voice had on me.

“I know it’s a lot to take in.” Andris stood stiffly behind his desk, watching me. I didn’t sense any emotion in his voice, but deep in his eyes, I saw his love.

“A lot to take in?” I huffed. “I can barely handle the fact you are still alive and that you could leave Rita like you did.”

“It was her idea.”

“What?” I jolted.

“She knew my time was running out.” He licked his lips nervously. “Brexley, Rita and I loved each other, but not the way you thought. We weren’t in love with each other. She was a wonderful woman. She meant everything to me. But she knew I was in love with another.”

“What?” I bolted up. “You were cheating on Rita?”

“She knew and was fine with it. Our marriage was never one of romantic love. It grew into deep respect and friendship. When I heard of her passing, part of me died with her. She knew her life was better where it was, and that mine was here.”

“How did you fake your own death? Why did you?” I exclaimed. “What made you leave… her? Me?”

He flinched at the last part, sorrow wrinkling his brow. “I had to leave.”

“Why?”

“I fell in love with a fae.”

I choked, sensing a hand I knew wasn’t actually there rubbing my back. “Fae?”

“We met on one of your father’s quests, many, many years ago, in China.” A smile I had never seen before hinted on his face. “She halted me in my steps. She overwhelmed me. I tried to fight it, deny it. I hated myself, accused her of glamouring me. But no, it was just her.” He chuckled lightly. “Benet used those trips as cover, telling Istvan we were gathering information on our enemy while trying to find any information he could about you. Those months traveling, we saw the