A Curse of Shadows - Page 85

I know that I suspected Noen, but hearing Asher’s words…that slices into my chest a little more than I expect.

“How did Declan get away?” I ask, then to be sure there aren’t three people we’re worried about, add, “That was him who attacked me, right?”

His grip on my hips tightens. “It was. Mali was waiting for me to get there before making himself known, but Declan mentioned something about needing to go before it was too late. Mali didn’t realize that meant he was planning to attack you, which is something my advisor is rather remorseful for not catching.”

I’ll have to remember to speak with Malimorte myself. If he’s the only other person Asher can depend on right now, we need him fully focused, not feeling guilty.

“So, you didn’t get to talk to Noen?” I ask, needing any of this to make sense to me.

“I was only there long enough to get my hands around his neck,” he says, shaking his head. “He’s been trying to get through to me since I found you, but I’m blocking him out. Unless he’s going to tell us where Declan went, I have nothing to say to him.”

“Maybe I can get the information out of him,” I say, and I can see the objection on Asher’s face before he even opens his mouth, but I hold my finger over his lips and continue. “With him chained and with you right on the other side of the door, I’d be perfectly safe. But if he truly did this, Asher, we both know why, which means I hold the most power over him.”

“You have no idea how much I fucking hate that you’re right,” he says between clenched teeth.

“I know.” I trace my finger over his chest, following the dips and curves of his defined muscles. “And if it weren’t the quickest way to find Declan, then I wouldn’t suggest it, but I’d rather find him and have this be over and I think you agree.”

“Furiously so.” He stands quickly, making me squeal. His hands hold on to my ass, keeping him fully seated within me as he switches our positions again. “I’m done talking about them, love. This night is for us. I have Mali recruiting our best trackers to look for Declan and Noen isn’t going anywhere. Tomorrow will be soon enough to deal with them ourselves.”

I open my mouth to respond, but he nearly pulls out of me, only to slam forward again, stealing all the air from my body and replacing it with pleasure.

Tomorrow might even be too soon.

CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

ASHER

The next morning, I wake before Isla and the thought of leaving her even to shower is unacceptable. I knew we needed to be careful until we figured out if there was still a threat to be worried about, but for the attack to happen on the one night when the pack is at its closest? I didn’t expect that.

I won’t be caught by surprise again.

So, after carrying Isla to the shower in our suite, we wash and get ready for what I imagine is going to be a very long day.

“What should I expect today?” she asks as we leave the room. “I can remember all the basic things about our world, but I was never queen before. I wasn’t even trained since you becoming king wasn’t supposed to happen so soon. I don’t want to do anything wrong.”

Holding her hand, I give it a gentle squeeze. “There isn’t anything you could do wrong.” I tap my head. “Just ask me if you’re confused about anything and don’t be afraid to walk away if something becomes too much for you. I don’t know what Noen is going to say today and Declan is still missing.”

A fact that infuriates me to no end. I should have hunted for him myself last night, but I needed Isla. I needed her closeness, her touch, her aura, her everything. My soul shattered the moment she cried out for me when she was being attacked.

The terror wrapped around me like a vise and I knew that being away from Isla, even if I was doing something to avenge her, would only be a distraction for me.

Her presence released the horror of having almost lost her again and I don’t intend to let her out of my sight until Declan is captured. That may mean that I can’t find the bastard myself, but I know there are other capable trackers on our island and he can’t have gotten far.

Isla looks up at me, blinking several times. “Are you going to torture Noen?”

“He hurt you, Isla,” I tell her flatly. “I’m going to do whatever I need to so that he can never do so again.”

She looks toward the ground as we continue walking, heading for the lower levels of the castle where Noen is being held. “I know and I’m not saying I don’t want you to do whatever you have to, but I don’t think I can watch that. I knew there was a chance that Noen was involved, but thinking and knowing…it’s a little different, especially now that I remember my childhood.”

That weasel manipulated her on so many occasions over the years. I know his dad was an asshole, but Noen had choices, and he chose to stay, taking the abuse because that was what kept him closest to my mate. Something that used to drive me insane and that nobody else seemed to see.

Worse, I forgot how much I hated him when he was no longer pissing me off. He’d used that same tactic on me, only pretending to miss Isla as I did as a way to bond with me. Or maybe in his twisted mind, he truly did grieve her.

Either way, I don’t know how I fell for that, but it won’t happen a second time.

It isn’t until we reach the final door to the holding rooms that Isla finally speaks again. “I’m sorry I didn’t listen before. Maybe I didn’t want to see it, or I really was that naïve, but I know now that Noen cared for me more than he should have. It wasn’t appropriate for me to spend so much time with him and maybe if I hadn’t been so stubborn, none of this would have happened.”

I stop and pin her against the wall, my touch gentle, but my eyes and chest feel as though they’re filled with fire. “This was not your fault, Isla. No matter the choices you made, you didn’t deserve death just because you were nice to another person. Noen knew what he was doing and this is on him, end of story.”