“I have to get back, but we’ll return soon,” Cole said.
Her dad nodded and opened his arms to her. Lexi hesitated for the briefest of seconds before hugging him. She was still upset, yes, but he was alive. She’d been granted a miracle, and she couldn’t turn away from that.
“I’m so glad you’re home,” she whispered.
“Me too,” he said and squeezed her. “Be careful.”
“You too.”
She released him and stepped back to take Cole’s hand. Her dad glanced between the two of them before walking into the library to rejoin Brokk and Orin. They would be leaving soon too.
“Come on, let’s go get Torigon,” Cole said.
She followed him outside and to the barn. George, the man they’d hired to help with caring for the horses, had gone home already. Even though George recently fed them, all the horses stuck their heads out and nickered when the barn door opened.
“I know, I know,” Lexi said as she released Cole. “You’re all starving.”
She walked into the feed room as Cole closed the door. Gathering carrots, she gave one to each horse and took the time to talk to and pet them. She’d been away from her friends far too often lately.
“I have to figure out a way to keep paying George to care for them,” she said as Darby took the carrot she offered him. “We don’t have much money left.”
“I will pay him,” Cole said.
“I can’t let you do that.”
“You’re not letting me do anything. I’m offering to do it. You’re my mate, Lexi, and I’m not going to let you worry about this. You never have to worry about money again.”
She stared at Darby as he nudged her hand for more treats. Finally, she turned to look at Cole. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“Don’t thank me for this. I love you, and I’m always going to be here for you.”
Tears burned Lexi’s eyes as she walked over to hug him. His strong arms swept her off her feet, and he crushed her against him.
“You don’t have to worry about the horses or anything else,” he told her as he kissed her temple. When one of the horses kneed their stall door and nickered impatiently, he set her down again. “Go give them some more treats before they break out.”
Lexi chuckled before returning to give an impatient Cricket a carrot. Cole removed Torigon from his stall and stood patiently by until she finished.
He’d closed the portal in their kitchen, but when she finished, he opened a new one in the barn. She walked through with him and Torigon as they returned to the Gloaming.
Chapter Forty
Brokk couldn’t stop glaring at the back of Orin’s head as he led them through the prison on the outer realm. If he could bash his brother’s head into a few of these walls, he’d probably feel a lot better, but fighting with Orin wasn’t an option right now.
Because if they started fighting, they’d beat each other into bloody pulps… if they didn’t kill each other in the process. And with the way he was feeling, it would be a fight to the death.
Instead, he concentrated on learning who was imprisoned in this place. He and Del stayed out of view as Orin opened each window on the steel doors, looked inside, and called the prisoner’s name.
The ones who wept behind the doors were the worst. They would gladly hand them all over to the Lord if they ever learned they were working with Orin, but he’d have far preferred death to this perpetual state of unknowing and suffering. The scent of despair choked the air.
These were immortals facing a prison sentence with no end in sight. “Why not kill them?” Brokk inquired.
“For some, that is too kind a fate,” Orin replied.
“No, it’s not.”
So far, none of them would be useful as they were all loyal to the Lord and the Lord only, but to see so many here, and how much Orin kept from them, was disturbing. He’d always known Orin was ruthless and determined, but he’d never expected this.
“Stop glaring at me, little brother,” Orin said.
Brokk didn’t respond.
“Just exactly what did I do to you?” Orin asked.
“What have you ever done for me?”
“I brought Del back.”
Beside him, Del grunted. The vampire’s anger was another reason not to start fighting with Orin; it would only fuel Del’s animosity, and while Brokk despised Orin right now, he couldn’t let someone else kill him. However, it was very, very tempting.
“You did that for you,” Brokk said.
“I did it for all of us. Because of Lexi, we finally have a chance against the Lord now.”
“None of us are going to let you sacrifice Lexi for your own desires,” Brokk warned. “It’s not just Cole you’re going to have to watch out for when it comes to her.”
“Oh, joy, more threats,” Orin muttered.
Brokk couldn’t see his face, but he knew Orin’s eyes were rolling. Beside him, Del’s hands fisted. Brokk rested his hand on Del’s arm and shook his head. A muscle twitched in Del’s locked jaw, and his arm vibrated beneath Brokk’s touch.
It would take only one small thing to push Del over the edge when it came to Orin. They probably should have left Del behind, but he didn’t think the vamp would have agreed to it.
When they rounded a corner, a couple of lycan and a dark fae came into view. They stood outside a steel door. When they saw Orin, they stood away from the wall they’d slumped against.
“General,” one of the lycan greeted, and this time, Brokk rolled his eyes.
“At ease, men,” Orin replied.
Brokk was sure his eyes were going to roll out of his head. He could almost feel the power trip oozing from Orin’s pores. When they relaxed again, his men’s eyes went past him and widened on Del.
“What’s he doing out of his cage?” one of the lycan demanded.
“He’s going to help us take down the Lord,” Orin replied.
“He fought for the Lord.”
“Things change.”
“You’re going to trust him?” the dark fae demanded.
Brokk thought he looked familiar, but he couldn’t quite place him.
“Not at all,” Orin said with a chuckle. “But I know something that will keep him a good boy for a while.”
When Del stepped toward Orin, Brokk stepped in front of him to keep him from killing his arrogant prick of a brother.
“What are you doing with your brother?” the other lycan demanded. “He was on the Lord’s side too.”
“Don’t worry, fellas. I have a plan,” Orin assured them as he clapped the lycan on the shoulder. “Things are looking up for our side.”
It was a testament to how loyal these men were to Orin when the lycan didn’t rip off his arm. It almost made Brokk respect his brother a little more, but the days of respecting Orin were gone.
“Where’s Varo?” Orin asked.
“The last I saw him, he was at the lookout,” the dark fae replied.
“Let’s go,” Orin said and jerked his head to the right.
Brokk scowled at him, and Orin grinned back as he started down the hall again. They took a left, and Orin’s men vanished.