There was no sign of the four that had stayed behind. Not in the kitchen, or the main common area. I growled in frustration. My ear caught the softest whimper. Behind one of the recliners, a Fae child crouched, trembling. Damnit. I couldn’t get her out as a lion. Damnit. She was only a child.
My mind latched onto that word. Child. Children. Fae children had grown scarce in more recent years. My heart slammed to a halt when I realized Mordecai had targeted them, knowing exactly what they meant to the Fae. What they meant to me.
Wait. I scanned the room.
Where’s Benji?
Damnit.
My anger renewed. I held myself together and gently nudged the child toward another fleeing Fae. I watched them from a window, made sure they were outside and safely past Alec, before I continued my search. I shoved my way into the gardens, scanning the area.
Nothing, more nothing, and then—
A familiar form lay crumpled on the ground.
Elias.
Covered in blood, gripping his chest in pain. His glasses lay shattered on the ground beside him. The air vanished from my lungs, and my eyes burned.
My fault, my fault.
I started to shift, to help him, when something plowed into my side. A snarl slid from between my teeth as another lion shifter—smaller and brown—prowled toward me. Sought another blow. I pushed him away from Elias, back into the main house, then slammed him to the ground, slashing at his face. He turned, slid free. His long claws dug into my side. Crimson sprayed across my white fur, blood pouring from the wound.
Before I could swallow the sound, a small yowl escaped. A second later, Caspar slammed the butt of his gun into the lion’s snout. The animal slumped to the ground, unmoving, before he slid back into human form.
“You’re welcome, tiny shifter!” the large Fae called, before disappearing into the kitchen.
I huffed a thanks. Then remembered Elias. I turned for the gardens, but Nevaeh shifted in front of me.
“Reagan . . . upstairs. You have to go upstairs,” she panted. “Mordecai . . . You need to stop him. He might listen to you.”
Before she could finish, I was charging up the stairs. Right into a harried-looking Sebastian who flinched instinctively as I approached. I shifted, dropping into step beside him.
“What happened?”
“I-I don’t know,” he stammered. “All was quiet and then . . . and then Alec. Now Mordecai’s . . .”
“Where’s Benji? Flynn?”
“I don’t know . . .”
I put a hand on his arm and squeezed gently. “Get to safety. Help Elias—he’s in the gardens. I’ll take care of Mordecai.”
Sebastian nodded as I bolted past him. Mordecai wasn’t hard to find—he was terrorizing one of the larger family rooms, a small child locked in his grip. The second I strode through the door, his eyes widened and he grinned.
“I thought this might motivate you out of hiding, sweet daughter,” he crooned.
I stared. Didn’t dare move. “Release them or I’ll leave again.”
Mordecai paused, considered. “You’d leave them to die?”
“If I have to.” I wouldn’t. He knew I wouldn’t. Apparently he didn’t want to take the chance, though, roughly shoving the child to the floor. The boy scrambled to his family. I made sure they reached the stairs before I prowled a bit closer to Mordecai. Our eyes locked.
“Reagan. Enough of this game. Come home.”
“Anywhere you are isn’t home. You think I’d want to come with you? That this display of wanton violence would what, pacify me?”
He laughed, but his attention slid to the door. I spared the half-second glance. Tarik. Damnit. I growled at Mordecai.
“So the Fae managed to brainwash my beautiful daughter, hm?” His cold gaze lingered on Tarik and I stepped more firmly between them. “You really did a number on her, if she thinks whatever this is could possibly be superior to the comfort she’s used to.”
Tarik scoffed. “The Fae might not have fancy apartments, but we don’t lie. Unlike you, who’s been lying to the entire city, all while sitting on the truth. Yes, I know what the Genesis Crystal does. What you’ve been hoarding, dragon.”
Oh no. No, no, no. I shouldn’t have let Tarik talk, should have known better. The glint in Mordecai’s eyes made my stomach curl, reinforced my fear. He lifted his foot to step forward and I rapid-shifted, throwing my wings out between them.
“Reagan. We do not help the Fae. How many times do I have to drill this into your thick skull?” Mordecai seethed, then inched closer. I bared my teeth, another angry snarl slipping free. I balked at the honeyed tone in his voice when he added, “Sweetheart. I’ll stand right here. Let’s talk.”
I hesitated. I didn’t trust him, but I had the energy for another rapid-shift, if needed. Possibly the last I could manage for the day. I could hear him out, right? When I shifted, Tarik swore softly.
Mordecai’s face lit with glee.
“There, see? Now we can discuss this like civilized people. But first . . .” He crossed his arms and stared at me, pointedly.
“Not a chance in hell,” I spat, teeth grinding together. “I’m never going to kneel to you again. Why are you hoarding the Genesis Crystal? What do you want with caverns of green rock?”
“I don’t want the Fae to have it,” Mordecai said simply.
The admission caught me off guard but I didn’t miss a beat. “Why? And if that were true, you wouldn’t have been using Genesis Crystal to experiment on them.”
Mordecai took a step closer, his expression flipping like a switch. Manipulation mode. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, Reagan sweetie. You’re confused, but you’ve had a long week. We were trying to help them, my daughter.”
Confusion blurred my thoughts, my
