CHAPTER FIVE

 

EVERYONE LEFT CLAY and me to our own devices for the first twenty-four hours after we’d moved into our new space. It was almost as if the court was treating us as a honeymooning couple. Three times that day, meals appeared at our door with nothing more than a quiet knock to signal their arrival.

Guilt ate at part of me over the fact I was neglecting saying thank you to all of the people who’d helped Clay organize the room. There was so much more that I needed to say to all of those who’d been there for both of us while I’d been in the healing room. The guilt wasn’t enough to pry me away from Clay’s warm embrace though. It was as close to heaven as I wanted to get anytime soon.

Eventually, we had to venture out and face the rest of the court. When we did, I gave him a private tour of my favorite areas. The first days of his stay, he’d been too concerned with me to visit any of the places outside of the healing rooms and Fiona’s private chambers. In order to show him parts of the life I’d experienced last time, I took him to the library and through the classroom. We spent the better part of an hour playing with the fledglings, and I caught him giving me furtive looks from time to time.

The biggest difference between my previous stay and wandering the halls of the court with Clay by my side was the joy deep inside my heart.

The first time I’d been in the court, when I was with Aiden, I’d tried to force myself to feel happy and plant a smile on my face every day. It was a constant struggle to stave off the emptiness that lingered just below the surface. At best the happiness had barely gone beyond skin-deep, but now I was certain it radiated out from my every pore—it definitely filled every part of me.

When we arrived for the fae feast, a surprise greeted me. Sitting at Fiona’s right-hand side for the meal was Louise.

Her eyes met mine briefly, and while she didn’t acknowledge me beyond a simple nod, her smile didn’t fall from her lips either. In the moment that we stared at each other, I noticed how much softer her appearance was.

She hadn’t ironed flat her platinum hair like she usually did. The loose waves diminished the angular appearance of the lines of her cheekbones and jaw. For almost the first time, I saw Clay reflected in her cautious gaze. Reaching for my arm to draw my attention back to him, Clay guided me to a secluded table in one corner where my second surprise for the evening was waiting. Aiden and Ethan sat together having a hushed conversation.

When Clay ushered me into the seat, Ethan rose and kissed my cheek lightly. Testament to Clay’s good mood, he didn’t even flinch when Aiden copied the action.

“We’ve been discussing the future of the Rain,” Ethan said. “Clay thought you might be interested in learning more about it.”

Clay smiled smugly at me when I glanced over at him. I’d been asking him questions about the Rain as often as I dared, but each time he’d simply told me that he didn’t know what was happening. Obviously he’d planned this reunion.

“Dad has gone into hiding,” Ethan said. “And so has Abe.”

I wasn’t certain how I should feel. Relieved that neither of them would pose an immediate threat? Sad that they’d escaped and might potentially hurt us another day? Both emotions played out within me, but overwhelming both of them was apathy. Even though both Troy and Abe had been key players in the U.S. branches of the Rain, their absence didn’t really change anything. The Rain would still exist—and they would still hunt me.

“Isn’t there someone else who has stepped up and taken Abe’s place?” I asked.

“There is.” Ethan grinned, and I thought it was ridiculous that he seemed happy at whoever the new leader of New York was. “Ben has taken over in his father’s absence.”

I nodded; it didn’t surprise me at all. He seemed to share his father’s hatred for all things other. It was easy to recall the hatred he’d shown me during the journey into the Rain.

“It might surprise you to know that he’s—” Aiden’s words cut off when a peal of bells and trumpets signaled the arrival of a guest of honor.

There was a commotion at the door to the banquet hall, and I gasped as I recognized the newcomer as the very person we’d just been discussing. His rich skin stood out in the sea of opaque white fae, but when he smiled at Louise and moved through the crowd, there was an ease about him that suggested it wasn’t his first visit.

“—coming tonight,” Aiden finished.

“Why?” I asked with a horror-struck tone. A chill raced through my body as I recalled the last time I’d seen him—cocking his fingers like a gun at me moments before we’d turned the tables during the rescue we’d staged at the Bayview Hotel. The chill was an odd experience; I was so used to my veins heating with fire each time I was afraid. “Why would he come here?”

Aiden laughed. “It would appear that he was not so much dedicated to the cause as he was committed to supporting a particular person’s plight.”

He nodded toward Fiona’s table, and I glanced up to see Louise leaving her chair and making her way through the crowd to meet Ben. A pink blush stained her cheeks as her mouth stretched into a wide grin, and, for perhaps the first time ever, she looked utterly stunning despite the scarring over her cheek.

“You mean Louise and . . .?” I trailed off as I watched Ben pull her into his arms and press a soft kiss against her lips.

Clay’s body stiffened beside me, and I glanced at him to figure out what his problem was.

“I still don’t understand why on Earth she would want to be with him,” he seethed. “He tried to kill you.”

“He also helped free the rest of the prisoners in Bayview,” Ethan said. His words were clearly a warning and possibly something of a reminder to Clay.

“Why would he do that?” I asked, still feeling slightly lost in the conversation. He’d threatened to kill me two weeks earlier. Aiden’s words played in my head, but how could that affect such a huge turnaround? “Like Clay said, he tried to kill me.”

“I don’t think he’s cared about the company line for a long time now,” Ethan said.

Clay rolled his eyes and huffed.

“Lou helped him after one particular case,” Ethan continued. “Since then, he’s cared more about impressing her than about the specifics of his kill sheet.”

“And what’s that got to do with me?”

“Lou hated you, ergo Ben hated you. If she wanted you strung up on the wall and torn into pieces, he’d have done it for her.”

Clay’s hold on my hand tightened in response to Ethan’s words. A shudder ran through me. It was always disconcerting to hear them talk so plainly about murder. Ethan gave me a look that seemed to indicate he understood.

“Will he still do that?” I asked, feeling the chill of terror in a way I never had with the fire that used to run in my veins.

“Not unless Lou asks him to,” Ethan joked.

“Which she won’t,” Clay reassured me after shooting Ethan a glare that could kill. “Lou doesn’t hate you, Evie. In fact, I think she’s starting to understand the struggle you’ve faced more than Eth or I ever could. She’s got these new powers and abilities she still doesn’t understand.”

“And Ben’s helping her,” Ethan added.

I sat back and considered what he was saying. A new Rain willing to consider that not all others were evil. It seemed too good to be true, and I wasn’t sure how much I could trust it.

“So Ben’s really on our side now?” I asked, glancing over to watch him and Louise talking and smiling as I said the words.

Ethan laughed. “I’d say he’s on her side.” He nodded toward his sister.

Clay gave another grumble about Ben not being good enough for his sister.

I stifled a laugh as it became abundantly clear that maybe I hadn’t fractured the relationship quite as much as I’d originally thought—not now that the us versus them nonsense was behind the two of them. I also didn’t remind him that Louise had tried to kill me too for a time, even if that hadn’t been entirely her own choice.

“I don’t know,” I said thoughtfully. “I think they make a cute couple.”

Ethan and Aiden laughed with me as Clay sat and stewed.

“So you were saying about the Rain?” I asked when the commotion the arrival caused died down.

“I think it’s changing,” Ethan said.

“Changing how?”

“It’s been coming for a long while, Evie,” Ethan added. “Ever since the information Cl—”

A bang echoed out under the table and Ethan glared at Clay, who glared right back.

“Ever since certain information came to light around a year ago, some operatives started whispering about their discomfort in the indiscriminate killing. There are pockets all over the world that have been running that way covertly for years. It’s never been something that’s been openly discussed, but in the last few months, it’s been the worst kept secret in the Rain.”

“Okay?” I wasn’t sure exactly what that meant, or why he’d kept the information hidden.

“It’s been hard to know who could be trusted to discuss the shifting loyalties and who might turn people over for retraining as soon as possible. But there have been fractures forming. What happened at Bayview caused them to splinter. Battle lines have been drawn. Those wanting the new way are streaming to our side in support.”

“He held up his hand to ensure he got continued silence. “Before you go getting too excited, I don’t think the battle is over yet. After all, there are some very old traditions in place, some of which the controlling members have warped to suit their own needs, but I think a more open-minded approach might start to filter through the ranks everywhere. Bayview is now firmly in the camp heralding a new direction.” He glanced over at Louise and Ben with a smile that told me he was happy to see her happy and not consumed by her hatred and jealousy for once. “In fact, there’s even talk of an alliance now.”

I tilted my head to the side in question.

“Without having to spend so much of our time trying to protect our family and others from the Rain, we will have additional time to assist,” Aiden said. “At least with anything that may endanger the court. It will provide us with the opportunity to work together to eliminate the real threats.”

“There’s probably even room in the new, improved ranks for half-fae, ex-Rain operatives with phoenix fiancées if you’re interested, bro,” Ethan said to Clay.

For an instant, Clay’s face lit up like a beacon before he tampered it back down. Although he’d tried to keep it hidden, I knew he missed certain aspects of the job. Not the mindless killing, but the saving lives. Glancing at his doubtful expression, I hoped he wouldn’t say no just for my sake. I was happy for him to do whatever he needed to do.

After witnessing the destruction of the wendigo and Caelan, I understood more than most that some supernatural species did intend to harm humans. The protector inside me was more than willing to do whatever I could to help.

I placed my hand over Clay’s and gave it a reassuring squeeze. “There just might be.”

His mouth twisted into a frown. “We’ll see.”