Noah shifted the instant they crossed the barrier. The king pushed himself between Noah and the shifters on the other side.
“He’s with me!” the king roared.
The animals were all decked out in golden armor, and as they shifted back into their human forms, Noah realized it was the king’s guard. Their armor shifts with them? Noah returned to his human form and was shocked to see his pants seemed to have the same magical ability. No more ripped and shredded clothing? The constant mending and purchasing of new clothing was a pain in the ass.
“Varian,” the king murmured before stepping forward and hugging the man who looked very much like the ruler. “It’s so good to see you… but I requested your father.”
Noah stared at Varian and saw the man’s smile fade some.
Varian forced the smile back into place. “As it is good to see you, too, Cousin. I mean… Your Majesty.” Varian did a lopsided curtsy. “My father is… a little under the weather, so I came in his place.”
Lie… Noah sensed it, and he hoped the king did, as well.
“I need help. I hope you’re up to the task. It’ll be powerful magic in the spell I need.”
Noah stepped to the back of the room and listened as the king repeated the story of the attacks. He watched the king’s guard, noting their rapt attention on him as they all waited with anticipation of another assassin. All were on edge. He could feel them all ready to attack at any second.
And he was glad for it.
He moved about the room, watchful. He didn’t care if he was barefoot and shirtless. Noah was ready to leap into action at any second.
“How’s Eilam?” Theis whispered as he neared.
“Awake.”
Theis sighed. “That’s good to hear.”
“It is.”
They turned back to the discussion between the king and Varian.
“If there’s any of the ash left, it could be helpful in the locator spell,” Varian said.
Theis stepped forward. “We collected some for testing. I can get you a sample.”
Varian smiled at Theis. “That would be wonderful.” He turned back to the king. “I don’t know how long it might take me to create the spell and get your answers. You’d best find somewhere safe to hide until I do.” Varian reached out and grasped the king’s arm. Noah tilted his head when he saw something shimmering in the air around the king’s arm and Varian’s hand.
“What’s that?” Noah demanded.
Everyone froze, and soon turned to stare in the same direction as Noah.
“What?” Theis asked, frowning. “What do you see?”
“That,” Noah pointed. “Shimmering on the king’s arm.”
Theis squinted. “I don’t see anything.”
The king lifted his arm and looked down. As soon as he whipped his head up, Varian vanished.
“Damn him!” the king cried before lifting his hand and moving it over his arm.
The glimmering stopped.
“Was that a spell?” Noah asked, marching closer.
“It was,” the king said. “A tracking spell.” He continued to move his hands, little glyphs illuminating in the air around him. Power churned in his hands before he released it in the direction Varian vanished. The spell glimmered before surging forward and then fading.
“Him vanishing doesn’t bode well,” Theis said.
“I just sent a tracking spell after him.” The king turned to Theis. A box materialized in his palm, which he handed to the guardsman. “You can use this to trail him.” Once Theis took the small box, a vial of some liquid appeared on the king’s palm. “Toss this spell on him and it will bind his powers for seven days and nights. Long enough that we can hopefully get answers.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
“I want him found,” the king said to Theis. “Send a team to find my uncle, too. We’ll return to Eilam and ensure he’s healthy.”
“How will you know I’ve got Varian and your uncle?” Theis asked.
The king pointed to the mirror. “Write the news on there with your finger. I’ll see it.”
Theis nodded.
The king turned to Noah. “Ready?”
“I had hoped to reach out to my team,” Noah said.
“We have no time right now. Give a message to Theis.”
Noah turned to the guardsman. “Can you let Chris know I’m with Eilam? For them to keep up surveillance. Can you be the go between if they uncover anything big?”
“Absolutely,” Theis answered.
“Thanks,” Noah said, offering Theis a handshake.
“Just keep them both safe—I’ll handle things here,” Theis said.
The king moved his hands and created the portal back. Noah grabbed his arm before he walked through.
Several of the guards gasped. Apparently, he was breaking some kind of royal etiquette, but Noah didn’t care. All of their safety was more important than etiquette.
“You’re sure the spell’s gone? No one can track you back?” He needed to ensure the king’s safety. And Eilam’s.
The king nodded. “We’re safe. I removed it.”
He gazed at the man’s arm, searching for any of the glimmering, but saw nothing. Noah relaxed some and unhanded the king.
“How did you see it?” the king asked, his voice hushed.
“No idea,” Noah answered.
The king walked backwards through the portal and held his gaze until the warlock disappeared through the magic.
Noah followed him, praying to the shifter gods they were safe.
* * * *
The need to urinate grew stronger each minute Eilam lay in the bed. He’d waited as long as possible, unsure if his feet would get him where he needed to go without a little assistance. When it was obvious Noah and the king weren’t coming back in enough time to help, he forced himself to a seated position.
Once the world stopped spinning, he placed his feet on the floor and did his best to lift himself. He stumbled and nearly fell… but luckily he reached the dresser before he did a full face plant on the floor. With the help of the furniture, he crossed the room and made it to the toilet where he did a very non-masculine pee sitting down. It was either that or he was gonna fall over.
As soon as his bowels were empty and he felt confident enough to get back on his feet, he rose and shuffled back out to the bedroom. He held on to one dresser and then reached for an armoire. Stopping, he leaned against the armoire and took a few deep breaths.
The second he rose to his full height, the door of the armoire opened a crack and Eilam saw fingers through the gap. Stumbling back, he nearly fell again.
“Come out,” he growled, his voice still raw.
The person inside the armoire didn’t move an inch. After a few more seconds, Eilam rushed in and shoved the door wide open. A man was shoved inside the armoire. Is he dead?
Eilam turned the man’s head.
And came face to face with… himself.
Eyes popped open and the thing inside the armoire rose to full height. Eilam backed away as the man stretched before turning around to fully face him. The imposter was naked, and almost immediately grew hard.
What the fuck?
“Who are you?”
“Eilam,” the man said without emotion.
“No… I’m Eilam. Who are you?”
“No, I’m Eilam,” the thing parroted. “Who are you?”
Just then, a portal opened into the room. The king backed in… followed by Noah.
Noah glanced at the bed—and when he apparently didn’t see Eilam—he then turned to see two of them. Noah frowned, freezing where he stood.
“What is it?” the king asked before turning to see what Noah stared at.
“A better question for you,” Eilam said, his voice sounding like gravel. “What is it?”
The Eilam clone crossed the room and grabbed the king. Noah and Eilam both jumped forward—Noah a bit more spritely—but Eilam paused as he watched the clone kiss the king’s neck.
As the clone tried to take the king’s shirt off.
“Stop! Stop!” the king cried, his voice sounding panicked.
The clone stopped mid-movement, its eyes closing.
“Return to your cupboard,” the king said. “And then power down.”
Eilam watched his twin turn and return to the armoire he’d found the thing inside. It climbed inside, appeared to shut off, and then the king swept over to slam the door shut. Eilam stumbled a few steps before Noah moved in to help. Once he was seated back on the bed, he looked at the king. “What is that?”
“What are you doing out of bed?” the king asked instead of answering.
“I had to piss,” Eilam said, his throat burning, but he didn’t care. He needed answers. “What is that?”
“Nothing for you to worry about,” the king cried.
“He’s a sex toy,” Noah murmured, a broad smile growing on his face. “That’s how he’s been able to deny us this long. He has his own personal Eilam to fuck whenever he wants.”
The king turned scarlet as Eilam watched. “No… that’s not what he is.”
“Then what is he?” Eilam demanded, pinning the king with a glare.
The king was silent a moment. He lifted his chin arrogantly and gazed at Eilam. “I am beholden to no one. I need not answer your questions.”
Noah moved closer to the king and drew the warlock into his arms. Without a word, Noah captured their mate’s lips. The king pushed against Noah’s chest and tried to pull his head away.
At first.
But soon, his hands slid along Noah’s bare flesh, his lips eagerly returning the kiss. Noah lifted the king slightly, rocking his hips against the man.
Eilam was weakened, but not so much that the sight of his brother bear kissing their mate didn’t have an effect on him. He felt his cock thickening; the need that had been assaulting him for months so thick in his blood that he felt his control vanish.
“Stop this!” the king cried before shoving Noah back.
He stood in the center of the room, staring between them. His lips were red and kiss-swollen. His breathing came rapidly, his lungs working hard to provide air to his lust-stricken body.
“I belong to no one!”
With a wave of his hand, the king disappeared.
Eilam stared at the space where the ruler had just stood a moment before looking at Noah.
“He’s close to breaking,” Noah said. “But you’re in no shape to push him.” Noah smiled. “Yet. Rest up.”
“How can I rest?” I have no idea where our mate just went. And how the hell do we get out of this place if the king doesn’t return?
Another thought slammed into Eilam. What if he’s in danger?
* * * *
Adriel kicked a shell from the sandy shore as he walked along the water’s edge. He’d wanted to put more distance between him and the two bear shifters, but he knew it was too dangerous to leave the security of his private realm. The best he could do was to get out of that room before he’d been forced to admit what they both apparently knew to be true.
His need for Eilam was too great. Now, coupled with his need for Noah that grew by the second, he felt his control slipping all the more. He’d nearly yielded moments before. Without the fear of Eilam’s injury preventing him from succumbing, he had nothing to quell the need.
Easier said than done.
His body ached for Noah’s touch. All he could think about was the shifter’s hands on him. All he could see was the three of them in that big bed, with him writhing between their large bodies.
If he wasn’t careful, they would claim him and they would control him forever more.
That can’t happen.
In his fear of losing Eilam, he’d been weak and considered surrender. Now that Eilam appeared whole, he needed to remember the reason why he couldn’t yield to the two bear shifters.
If the witch surrenders, Midnight will fall.
The last line of the old prophecy had repeated in his head each and every time he’d been ready to surrender. He couldn’t be the reason Midnight fell.
Adriel needed to focus on the mystery before them. He needed to save the city and those he cared about.
Had his own race truly colluded with the vampires to overthrow Midnight? Varian and Ralnur both knew the prophecy and had to realize they were playing with fire—if they were helping the vampires.
Ralnur had been like a father to him, after the passing of his own. Theral had died too soon, before Adriel had barely been out of adolescence. Had it not been for Ralnur, Midnight would’ve collapsed into chaos.
Without Ralnur, Adriel would’ve had no idea how to rule the city.
Did all of Midnight not matter to them? Siding with the vampires spelled the city’s doom.
Words his father had spoken many, many years ago whispered through his mind. Be wary of thieves and sycophants, child. They gather around the weak who hold power.
Adriel paused mid-step and considered those words.
Adriel had sought independence from Ralnur and wanted to prove he could rule on his own. That had made him drift away from his family and seek out his own court. Who had he gravitated to? He craved those in his inner circle who would entertain him. Those who made him laugh. Ralnur had been a voice of reason when he least wanted it.
He drank, made merry, and had taken many a man to his bed—before Eilam, of course.
He was weak.
He’d tempted the dark powers into Midnight by not taking his rule seriously enough. Ralnur and Eilam had been right. Had he listened? No.
Adriel needed to listen now. He needed to be strong. His reign was in jeopardy. The safety of millions rested on his shoulders. This was a pivotal moment—either he stood strong and faced his enemy, or he lost it all.
He stared out at the sea lapping at the beach for a moment, trying to seek inner strength.
Adriel needed to lead his soldiers into battle… not hide away. With the wave of a hand, he returned to Midnight, ready to lead the charge.