Ascended (War of the Covens 3)

For a while, Lucien just stood there, numb, shock taking over his system. Finally, when it felt like the entire room might crack under the tension, he glanced over at Vil who was watching him carefully. “Can you find her?”

Vil shook his head sadly. “I’ve been trying these last few minutes. Something’s blocking me. I can only try places she might be.”

Jaeden coughed. “Can I make a suggestion?”

He shot her the filthiest look in his repertoire. “What?” he snapped, and she flinched at his temper.

“Well,” she managed with a shaky breath, “it’s been weeks. I reckon Caia’s dealt with the Septum and is now at the Center, since she has nowhere left to—” She broke off awkwardly.

“Nowhere left to go, right?” Lucien hissed, approaching her slowly. She backed up into Ryder. “Whose fault is that?”

“Hey!” Ryder pushed Jae behind him and held up a cautioning hand to Lucien. “Back off, man. She said she was sorry. You’ve dealt out your punishment … now back off.”

He wanted to kick Ryder’s ass. He wanted to punch him and throw him and smash him against something. The feeling was overwhelming, until Ryder’s familiar eyes locked with his and he remembered who it was in front of him—his best friend, his brother. Lucien shuddered, trying to gain some control.

“Shall I go to the Center?” Vil asked tentatively.

Lucien exhaled and turned back to the magik. “Yes, please, Vil. Tell her what has happened. Tell her … just bring her back to me. Please.”

“Of course.” The magik pressed a soft kiss to Laila’s lips and then disappeared at the table.

“Lucien, are you going to be okay, man?” Ryder asked quietly.

“No.”

There was a possibility Caia would never forgive him for this. That she would never trust him, just as he hadn’t shown her enough trust.

He glared at Alexa who was still spitting mad at Jaeden. “You,” he growled. “The pack is going to love you and Jaeden. House arrest means work for everybody.” His gaze slid to Magnus. “You have first shift, Magnus. You will escort Alexa to her room and guard her door. Aidan”—he turned to his brother-in-law—“you will have the unfortunate task of guarding outside her window.”

“Lucien, is this really necessary?” His mother piped up. His only reply was a withering look that made her clamp her mouth shut.

“Mom, you will relieve Magnus of his duty in eight hours. Ryder, you will relieve your brother of his in eight hours. As for Jaeden”—he glared at her again—“since your and Alexa’s rooms are next to one another, I suppose the one guard outside will do.”

“I know you hate me right now, but can I ask a favor?” Jaeden asked softly.

The only reply she got was a long, drawn-out snarl.

“I know. I just … I would really like to have some time with my mom.”

Lucien groaned inwardly. How could he say no to that? Julia was grieving for her mate and at a loss on how to deal with her daughter. Now Jaeden wanted to speak to her mom … he would be an ogre if he said no. He gave a quick nod and ignored the grateful smile she threw him before Jaeden and her mother ambled out of the room together. Magnus trailed behind them, his hand cuffed tightly around Alexa’s upper arm. As always, Mal and Finlay weren’t far behind their big sister.

As the pack slowly filtered out, leaving Lucien in the dining hall with his best friend, a wave of anxious nausea rushed over him. For a guy who hadn’t been afraid of anything before, he was suddenly terrified of a tiny blond who had the power to hurt him more than anybody else on this planet.

“She’ll forgive you,” Ryder assured him softly.

“I don’t even forgive myself, Ryder. How can I expect her to?”

22

Expect the Unexpected

Once more Caia glanced down at the palm of her right hand where it was temporarily scarred by a faint silver annulet. The scar was a reminder of her blood oath to the Council, every inch representative of that vow and the consequences that would follow should she break it. It was her hand that was scarred, for the hand was often a symbol used to represent a pledge of sincerity and justice.

If Caia made good on her oath, the scar would disappear immediately; if not, all her powers would transfer to the Council, leaving her with the annulet as a reminder of her deception. Not that she had any intention of keeping the trace.

A loud grunt shook her from her thoughts, and she looked up to see one of Michael Brown’s unit members pulling a magik up off the mat. Caia sighed, watching the team that had been put together to hunt down Marita train in their private gymnasium. First she had to find and kill Marita before she could even contemplate performing the rite that would ask the gods to give her the Daylight trace.