Looking around the quiet corridor, Emory wondered where Dante went. It was as if he had just vanished; there was no trace of a scent or sound in the tower of anyone other than her. Given her and Rodyn’s history, he must’ve misread her intention to talk to Rodyn. All she wanted was to know what Rodyn knew and if anything Dante said was true.Dante had no reason to lie to her, but she wanted to know the full story.Even though it was difficult to accept, Dante was correct in that Trey sent her to Broiia-- but she stayed of her own volition. She chose to stay because she was treated like royalty.Trey was one thing she couldn’t believe in all of this! The fact that she apologized to him and he simply stood there and took her apology made her want to scream.Emory?The sound of Rodyn’s voice echoed in her head and stunned her. It was unheard of for two wolves not mated to one another and from different packs to communic

“How about we talk for a minute?” Dante asked, gesturing to the room with the small fortune and portal.Emory frowned at the silent plea in his enchanting eyes; she wasn’t falling for it. When he held out his hand she almost instinctively went to him but stopped herself.Folding her arms over her chest, she glared at him. “Enough with your talks, Rahl.”“Let me explain,” he continued urgency in his voice.Why did he return so soon? What happened with Lady Moore and the council?“I’ve given you lots of chances to talk to me, yet here we are,” she replied wryly. “You don’t have to tell me anymore. Just let Rodyn go.”In silent rage, he looked over at Rodyn and then back at her. Standing there, arms crossed over his chest, black shirt stretching like it’d rip, she could see what was on his mind.“No,” Dante said.“Why not?”

Angry and confused, Rodyn sat alone in the prison he knew too well.This hurt him a lot and he wanted retribution, however small. He was an unwitting pawn on a cosmic chessboard, a piece manipulated and moved by forces beyond his control.He got up from the stone table and paced the small room, his claws digging deeper into his palms with each step. The dragon inside him roared in anger, its flames licking at the edges of his consciousness. With a growl, he punched his fist against the wall and a spark of flame ignited briefly before sinking back into the depth of his soul. He wanted to roar, to let the fire out. But he closed his eyes and took a moment to calm himself down, pushing the dragon’s rage back into its cage.It was time to leave Kain’s lair. If the council was going after the Kedar pack, then his pack was next. As if dealing with the gods and their agendas wasn’t enough, he had to deal with Lycans too.They had to get out of

Emory walked back to the edge of the cliff and sat with legs crossed, staring into the sky. They all had their fights and hers was here; confronting Aworyn or whatever god reared their ugly head. She needed answers and her memories returned. Emory knew it was perhaps a foolish thing to confront a god especially when her powers were still limited. But she couldn’t shake the feeling that she had to do something now. Dante… Rahl didn’t need her and neither did Rodyn nor Kain. As she sat there, her mind raced with all the possible outcomes of her actions. Would Aworyn even tell her the truth? Or would she let her ego, like every damn god, get in the way? She took a deep breath and closed her eyes, focusing all her energy and willpower on summoning Aworyn. At first, nothing happened. Emory sat there for what felt like hours, waiting for some Aworyn. But just as she was about to give up, she felt a powerful presence begin to stir around her. Slowly, Emory opened her eyes, and there in

Emory’s heart raced when his lips touched hers; they were fierce and demanding. It was impossible not to respond, her desire growing stronger with every passing minute. But she knew they had to focus on the many things at hand, even as she lost herself in the moment. She pulled away, her breathing ragged. “Wait,” she said. “We have a lot to do.” His expression was serious as he looked at her. “I know,” he said. “But if we’re being honest, this is top of the list.” Taking a cautious step away from him, she licked her lips and eyed him. “Rahl.” “Lady Chavére,” he said with a smile and stepped forward after her. “I’m not making you uncomfortable, am I?” “We both know you know the answer to that.” Emory eyed him, then turned towards the stairwell as she sensed Sabine closing in. Rahl followed her gaze, watching until Sabine came into view at the top of the stairs. Gasping, she bolted down to them. Sabine held her shoulders and looked at her. “Are you okay?” she asked. “I’m ok.”