Chapter Five

Rett

 

“And then she passed out,” I summed up in a dull voice.

It was dawn, and I was sitting on the steps outside of the infirmary with Luke Swiftlore. Inside, Rogda Orlov, the chief healer, had spent all night trying to coax the mysterious Laia back to consciousness. So far, she hadn’t had any success, and my insides were twisting with worry.

I could still feel the way she had burned in my arms and hear her shallow breaths.

“She was so scared of me,” I muttered.

“Aw, who could be scared of you, ya big lug?” Luke asked, running a hand through his dirty blond hair. His eyes were an intense mix of blue and green, belying his smile. He was worried. “Come on, Rett, you said it yourself. She was incoherent.”

“I still think it was the Alpha thing,” I said. “What could have happened to make her react like that? Maybe it has something to do with that Excris weapon she brought to warn us about.”

“Possibly,” Xander Bane said from above me, and he came down the steps. He was almost as tall as Kal and I were, his olive skin brown from the sunshine, and his dark brown hair clipped short.

Reagan Grace, lithe, dark-haired, and with gray-green eyes, followed behind and all but fell into Luke’s arms. You’d think they had been apart for years instead of half an hour. But it warmed my heart to see my bud Luke light up like that. Plus, they were getting married in ten weeks. They should be acting a little goofy.

“Well?” I prompted Reagan.

“She’s a shifter,” Reagan said, and I nodded, wondering why that had been hard to pick up on. “Rogda and I think there might be something wrong with her shifted form—that’s why you didn’t sense it, Rett, and I can’t figure out what she is. Until she does shift, though, we can’t say for sure.”

“Mystery keeps growing,” Luke commented wryly.

“Um, about that,” Reagan said and glanced at Xander.

“What?” I asked and looked between them. “What?”

Xander gave Reagan a look, then said slowly, “She’s Laia Llary.”

"No friggin’ way," I breathed as Luke made a similar, if more colorful, exclamation.

I hadn’t even thought of Laia Llary when she’d given her first name. Damn, I must have been tired. I mean, I was tired. Everyone looked at me, and I shook my head, trying to find the words.

Tristan and I had been looking for Laia almost every month for the past two years. We’d set out for a week or a few days, trying to track down leads.

Guilt and relief clashed inside of me now that she was finally here.

Goddamn Llarys—it figured she’d torn in like a hurricane.

“How’d you find out?” I got out after a minute—or a millennium. “How’d you find out?”

“I thought I recognized her,” Xander said. “So I asked.”

My face warmed. Oh, right, duh.

“Laia and Tristan are related?” Reagan asked.

“Laia is Tristan’s cousin,” Luke explained to Reagan. “She’s been missing since the Rift. Last we heard, she was helping shifters get out of SB prisons, but we could never track her down. And then, she seemed to vanish…she’s like Tristan’s sister.”

“Maybe she did get caught,” I said heavily, voicing Tristan’s worst fear, and we all fell silent.

The wind picked up, cooling my skin and stinging my dry eyes. I hadn’t gotten a wink of sleep. Now that I had this information, though, I was jolted awake like a shot of caffeine straight to the bloodstream.

Laia Llary. Here.

“Damn, I wish Tristan was home,” Xander said, staring at the sky and sighing.

“Words that have never been said out loud before,” I joked half-heartedly. I missed that bastard more every day, big mouth and all. He helped me keep up the humor around here. “She’s definitely got the Llary mouth.”

“She asked us not to tell any other Llarys she’s here,” Reagan said.

“Wait, she’s awake?” I asked and went to rise.

“How do you think they asked her?” Luke asked.

I glared at him as I straightened. “Not all of us got a full night of sleep last night, jackass.”

“Easy there, big bear,” Xander said. “We need to figure out what to do with her first.”

“Man, I think she went through some shit, so I don’t know about putting her in a holding cell,” I rushed to say. “We’ll have to figure out some kind of lodging, maybe…”

I trailed off, realizing everyone’s eyes were on me. Reagan was shaking her head, Luke was hiding a laugh, and Xander was giving me a patented Xander look.

“What?” I asked warily.

“No one wants to lock her up, Rett,” Xander said. “I agree with you, she needs safe lodging.”

“Sure,” I said and stood up, glancing around. “So, what’s the plan? I’ve been up all night and am starving, so please don’t expect me to come up with a solution…” I paused and rubbed my face, waiting. Then I caught on to the weighted silence. Shit. “Shit, Xander, no.”

“Aw, Rett, you’d be the best person for the job,” Reagan wheedled. I knew Xander had put her up to it, and I shot him an evil look. Bastard was staring at the sky, all remote and granite-faced. “She’ll be so comfortable with you. I mean, you were one of the first people besides Fallon that I became friends with in Winfyre.”

“Hey,” Luke said, and Reagan shot her fiancé a look. “I mean, yeah, you’re great when you’re not pretending to be grumpy. The kids love you.”

“Gee, thanks. But I’m swamped right now.” My voice was tinged with desperation. “No Kal, no Tristan?” I shook my head. “I’ve got like a two-week backlog of work.”

Having Laia show up was one thing, but having to take care of her after she’d smuggled in contraband and collapsed? Plus, the awkward fact that we had a history she wasn’t privy to…

“Laia takes precedence,” Xander said. “And she’ll help you once she’s well.”

“And you can hold this over Tristan’s head forever,” Luke added.

I winced. “You know I can’t do that. I mean, I owe Tristan. Big time.”

Xander and Luke glanced at one another, as it finally dawned on them why I was being so reticent. Reagan looked politely puzzled. Tristan had done something for me and my family after the Rift. Something I didn’t think I could ever pay back.

Especially where Laia was concerned.

“I forgot about that,” Xander muttered. “Shit, I don’t know…”

With a sigh, I asked, “You want me to claim her, right?”

Both of my friends now looked pained on my behalf, fully realizing what they were asking. Goddammit, I didn’t want to make them feel bad. But, at Xander’s resolute nod, I knew that from a practical standpoint, this was the best plan.

Too bad practical didn’t always work in a place like Winfyre.

“I’ll claim Laia Llary,” I said.

“Thank you,” Xander said, and a faint smile played around his lips. “I’m sure it will work out.

Yeah, or she’ll claw my eyes out in my sleep.

And if she doesn’t, then Tristan will probably throw me into the sea.

 

“Go on, already,” Reagan said and pushed my back. “Waiting out here won’t do anything.”

I shot Reagan a look over my shoulder. She beamed at me. Man, if Reagan wasn’t so damn nice, hardworking, my best friend’s girl, and one hundred percent right…

There was no getting out of this.

I knocked, and Rogda opened the door, raising her eyebrows and ushering me in.

“I’ll wait out here,” Reagan stage-whispered. “Call me if you need me.”

“What brings you here, nephew?” Rogda asked. She was a tough old Russian broad who’d made it to Winfyre with her sons a few months after the Rift. They were all incredible shifters, but Rogda and her son Niles were also healers. While her other sons mainly worked the patrols, getting sent all over, she and Niles were based here in Cobalt. “Sickrooms should not be this busy.”

Even though she sounded stern, her one eye twinkled at me. We’d helped get the Orlovs into Winfyre after some Skrors and SB bastards had tried to prevent their passage. She’d lost an eye in the skirmish and now wore a patch, but it made her look more badass, like a lady pirate. Rogda, being Rogda, liked to joke that losing an eye was worth gaining five nephews.

“Um,” I said, avoiding her gaze and studying the ceiling. “Well…”

“Bit early to be causing my patients trouble, mm, Bear?”

I fumbled for words as I nodded. “Sorry, I need to talk to Miss Llary.”

Standing on her tiptoes, Rogda patted my cheek and said, “You’re a good man.” Then, in a whisper, she ordered, “Don’t upset her. She’s worn herself to the bone. Her adrenal levels need to recover; otherwise, she might go into shock again.”

Horror punched through me. Tristan’s cousin couldn’t show up only to die on us. “Yes—I mean, no, we wouldn’t want that.” Rogda glared at me, and I held up my hands. “I’ll be nice.”

Rogda stepped aside and ushered me in as she stepped out. Laia was sitting up in bed, and I stopped dead in my tracks, surprised. Her glossy auburn hair was down around her shoulders, and her hazel eyes sparkled with gold. The early morning light made her glow, and, as I looked at her, her cheeks deepened with a flush. I didn’t think I’d ever seen anyone as stunning as she was.

And then Laia gave me a tentative smile. I almost clutched my chest as my heart throbbed.

What is happening to me? Are these sleep deprivation side effects?

“My hero,” Laia said lightly, and I tried to smile. But I’d noticed how her hands clenched around her knees. “Better stop saving the day, or I won’t be able to ever pay you back.”

“Nah, don’t worry about that,” I said and moved closer, hoping I wasn’t making her uncomfortable. “Is here okay?” I blurted out, not sure what else to do.

“For what?” Laia asked, and gestured. “I mean, there’s a chair.”

“It’s okay, I can stand over here,” I said, and Laia raised an eyebrow. “I know you don’t like Alphas. But I didn’t tell anyone, nor will I, and, uh…”

“What are you talking about?” Laia asked casually, but her knuckles went white.

“Last night, before you passed out, you realized I was an Alpha, and you—”

“Oh, I was delirious, bear-boy,” Laia said easily, and I frowned. “It’s fine. Sit.”

Moving over to the chair, I sat stiffly and rubbed my hands together. “All right, then, Miss Llary, we need to talk about why you’re here, and, uh, next steps.”

“To find Tristan,” Laia said firmly and sat up straighter, wincing a little. “He needs to look at that Excris weapon. I’m sorry I even brought the thing into Winfyre, but it’s too powerful and too dangerous to have been left where I…found it.”

I nodded. “Didn’t Xander and Reagan tell you?”

“Tell me what?” Laia went rigid. “Is Tristan okay? They wouldn’t tell me anything—”

“Oh yeah, yes, he’s fine,” I assured her. “I mean, we haven’t heard from him in a while, so...” Laia’s eyes went huge and terrified. “No, sorry, that’s normal. He’s been scouting outside the territories and figuring out new safe routes between ’em. Best man for the job, you know?”

Laia sighed. “No, I didn’t know he wasn’t here. Of course. I’ve only been looking for him for months. At least I’m close. That’s something.”

“You didn’t know he was in Winfyre?”

“No,” Laia said. “Not until recently. I was told he’d left the Northbane.”

I drew back, outraged. “By whom? He’s one of the five Commands, a Tiger Alpha—” I broke off, seeing a shadow of fear cross Laia’s face. She was afraid of Alphas—why was she pretending not to be? “Don’t worry, he’s still the same smartass we all know and love.”

“Great,” she said and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, I doubt even the apocalypse could rattle my cousin.” Her voice was wry with warmth and affection. “And a tiger? How often does he sing Eye of the Tiger?”

“At least once a week,” I said with a laugh.

Laia let out a small laugh. “Oh, Tricks.”

“Now there’s a nickname I haven’t heard in a while. We should bring that back. That’s how you knew who I was, huh?” I asked, and Laia nodded. “Can only imagine what the crazy bastard told you about me. Please take it with a grain of salt.”

“He said you were one of his best friends, someone he trusted with his life, and you had an annoying habit of rubbing off on others—for the better,” Laia said.

“Seriously?” I asked in a gruff voice, trying to hide my amazement and pleasure.

"After he said you were too big for your own good and ate everything in sight."

“Yeah, that sounds about right,” I said and grinned at her. “Laia, until Tristan comes back—”

“I can’t see my other family,” she blurted out. “Not yet.”

“What do you mean?” I asked, feigning ignorance.

“They’re north of here, right?” Laia asked. “Veda or something?” I nodded. The Llarys had all settled up there. “They can’t know I’m here until that weapon is destroyed.”

“Winfyre is secure, Laia. Your family is safe, and I know they’d be happy to see you…”

Laia put on a pleading, big-eyed look, and I grimaced, then fell silent.

“It’s not what you think,” she said after a minute, and then she bit her lip. “Rett, if there’s any other way I could stay here, any other predator’s price…I’ll pay it. Happily.”

“I’m sure we could work something out—if you tell me what’s going on,” I said.

“It’s only a matter of time before someone figures out that Excris weapon is here. It has the potential to tip things in favor of the Skrors and the Excris,” Laia said. “And their new allies…”

“Is that where you’ve been?” I asked, amazed. “Undercover?”

Your family has been worried sick, Laia. I’ve been worried sick. Do you know how many nights I lay awake, hoping and praying you were alive? That we’d find you? And now Tristan isn’t here…

“More or less,” she murmured, and I snapped out of my reverie.

"I mean, of course we'll help you, but there is a price, and our Laws…"

“Of course,” she said and squared her shoulders. “I’m ready.”

“Why do you look ready for the firing squad?” I asked. “Do you think we’re going to throw you in jail?” Laia flinched. “Woman, you just have to put up with me until Tristan comes back.”

“Wait, really?” Laia asked, and a small grin flitted over her face. “All right, I’m listening.”

A warm buzz filled my chest. “Uh, yeah, well, see, you’ll be my guest and claimant, and—”

“Excuse me?” Her face was horrified. “Claimant?”

“I have to claim you, Laia Llary,” I said and cringed at the look on her face. “Told you, there’s a price to pay for sanctuary.”