“Just a lot on my mind,” Effie murmured, turning back to the window she’d been staring out of, not that she was actually enjoying the view of the Kiri’s gardens below.
“Want to talk about it?”
“Want? No, not really . . .” Effie sighed, wrapping her arms a little tighter around her body.
She stiffened for the briefest moment as Lucian rested his hands on her shoulders before melting into his warmth. Somehow his mere presence made the air a little less oppressive. Not that she was about to admit it to him. His ego was big enough already.
Lucian brushed a kiss to the back of her neck, his voice dryly amused as he spoke in her mind. “I heard that.”
Her lips twitched and a little more of the melancholy faded away. “I just can’t shake the sense that this isn’t over,” Effie finally admitted. “We’ve captured the man responsible for setting off the markers, imprisoned him to ensure he cannot continue with his nefarious deeds, learned how to track the Shadows and repair the damage to the land, and yet we’re no closer to discovering who took Reyna, and we still—”
“Shhh,” Lucian breathed against her ear, cutting off the torrent of her words. “It’s always impossible to believe a war has been won when you’ve been in the thick of it for so long. True peace takes time. Just because a war is over doesn’t mean the work is done. So, yes, you are right. There are still more battles before us, but with Kieran imprisoned and unable to set off the last of the markers, the worst has passed. With him out of the way, we have the time that we need to set everything else to rights. You’ll see.”
His words eased some of the pressure in her chest. It would take time, but together they would deal with the Shadows and cast out the last of the corruption. Then, perhaps, Elysia would finally know peace once more.
“I’m worried about Ronan,” she admitted, voicing the other concern weighing heavily on her heart.
Lucian’s hands squeezed her shoulders. “I wish I could say that there’s no need for your worry, but I know better than most what it does to a man when he thinks he might lose the one he loves.”
Effie turned to look at him. “We don’t even know where to look for her. How can we help him when we don’t have a path?”
Lucian ran his knuckles over her cheek. “You cannot save everyone yourself.” She opened her mouth to protest, but he placed a gentle finger on her lips, continuing, “Helena can search in ways we cannot. Let her lead the search while we take care of other matters. She will summon us when she needs us. We will be there for your friend when it matters the most.”
Sighing, Effie nodded, and Lucian dropped his hand, tilting her chin up. “We all have our own parts to play in life’s battles, Effie. Just because you are not leading the charge does not mean you do not play an important role.”
One side of her mouth lifted in a reluctant smile. “Spoken like a true warrior.”
“With centuries of experience. You’d do well to listen to my wisdom.”
“Is that what this is? Oh, well then . . .” They fell into a comfortable silence, a small smile playing on her mouth. “She wants to throw us a parade, you know.”
Lucian chuckled. “Mortals love to celebrate their continued existence, brief as it might be.”
“You could try to sound a little less elitist when you say that, old man.”
His hands tightened on her as his lips moved back to her ear. “Who are you calling old?” he growled, setting off a wave of tingles low in her belly. “Do I need to remind you just how virile I can be?”
She squirmed, a flash of desire making it impossible to remain still. “Maybe . . .”
Lucian caressed her cheek, turning her face so that he could lean down and steal her lips in a spine-melting kiss. It started soft, just the featherlight touch of his lips over hers before he deepened it.
Her Guardian growled low in his throat when a knock sounded at the door. “Ignore it,” he demanded, searing her with another kiss.
The door swung open, and their visitor loudly cleared his throat.
Lucian groaned, pulling away from Effie to close his eyes and rest his forehead on hers. “Remind me to start removing doorknobs from now on.”
Nord scoffed. “Like that could stop me.” Lucian glared at him, and the blond man held up his hands, laughing. “At ease. I just came to see if the two of you were ready.”
“Ready? Ready for what?” Effie asked, looking between them.
Nord grinned. “You didn’t even get around to telling her yet, did you?” Shaking his head, Nord ran his hand over his beard, giving it a little tug. “How are you two supposed to be trusted to follow through on your duties when you can’t seem to keep your hands off of each other?”
Lucian shifted his attention back to Effie, his grin wolfish. “He might have a point.”
Her cheeks were on fire with the heat of her blush. “Speak for yourself. I was just standing here minding my own business when you accosted me.”
Lucian raised a brow, his eyes hot. “Is that so? Would you care to wager who could go longer without accosting the other?”
“No,” Effie blurted, her refusal adamant. She’d waited long enough for the Guardian to give in to his feelings for her, the last thing she wanted was to ever go back to the days when she was dazed with lust and all but vibrating from her unfulfilled desire.
Nord and Lucian roared with laughter.
“I suppose it’s a good thing there are three of us then. Kael will just have to be the responsible one for the next few hundred years or so while we get over this incessant need to touch each other.” He waggled his eyebrows in such an un-Lucian-like fashion that Effie snorted with laughter. Lucian pulled her close and nipped her ear. “Not that it’s likely I’ll ever get over it no matter how many centuries we spend together.”
Effie’s heart swelled, and she melted against him before something he said snagged her attention. “Hey!” Effie said, lightly slapping Lucian’s chest with the back of her hand. “You forgot to include me.”
Lucian’s brows furrowed. “I did?”
She nodded. “You said ‘good thing there are three of us,’ but Elysia has four Guardians now.”
His expression cleared. “Ah, actually that’s what I was coming to talk to you about.”
Now it was Effie whose brows dipped into a deep vee and sudden panic sent her heart racing. “Is something wrong?”
Lucian caught her hand in his, giving it a comforting squeeze. “No, nothing like that. Nord has put in his request for a transfer.”
“Nord?”
His ringed fingers were covering his mouth, doing little to hide his grin as he peeked at her with twinkling blue eyes. “I’m afraid it’s true.”
“But . . . why?” Effie asked, her heart aching at the thought of having to say goodbye to someone who had become the older brother she’d never wanted. “Where will you go?”
Nord’s hand dropped from his face, and he shrugged, his teeth flashing behind his beard. “That’s the beauty of it, isn’t it? One of the greatest adventures in life is the not knowing. For far too long I’ve been trapped in that citadel upholding the illusions necessary to keep our secret safe. But now with you here I have a chance to go out and discover my true purpose. It’s time.”