“Any word from your men?” a voice asked through the communicator.

Vikuth spoke to the leaders of the other gargoyle clans. On the large screen, six faces stared back at them, some in their gargoyle form, some in human.

“Not yet.”

“Who is the elf beside you?”

Rina stiffened—the shift of the eyes on the screen had landed on her. Since he’d begun the conference call, she’d remained quiet, letting Vikuth speak to the other leaders.

The room they were meeting in was more secure than any military secret operations hub. It was filled with high-tech computer equipment she was sure would make the human government green with envy.

When entering the room, Vikuth had cleared it, leaving only them and the remaining guard. The information that would be shared in this room was sensitive, and he’d said he didn’t want to risk anyone leaking information.

“I am Larina Omaris, daughter of Khantar and Roshi Omaris, the king and queen of Faery.” She lifted her chin.

Shock registered on their faces. Extreme pride filled her while she stood before them, finally revealing who she was. It may not have been that long ago she’d thought of herself as a human, but now she knew the truth of who she was, she wouldn’t hold back. “And the mate to Rhodack Gahnoth, leader of Clan Gahnoth.”

Gasps filled the air. The men looked at her. Her chest filled with happiness to be able to claim Rhodack. She was his, as he was hers.

“I thought their child perished in the war?” a voice said.

More questions exploded.

Vikuth turned to her to allow her to step forward. She quickly brought the clan leaders up to date on the recent events and the history of how she came to be on Earth.

“The king and queen are here in the Terra realm?” a voice asked. “Well, that explains why the necromancers are trying to make their way here. They want you, princess.”

“Well, as the mate to Rhodack, you have our sworn loyalty. We will do what we can to find him,” Namoth, the clan leader of the Las Vegas clan, promised.

“Thank you—” Her words were cut off by an extreme pain that hit her in her abdomen. She cried out and bent over, grasping her stomach.

“Princess, what is it?” Vikuth shouted, grabbing her by her shoulders.

She squeezed her eyes shut and gasped for breath.

“Pain,” she cried out. It gripped her, almost bringing her to her knees. “Like something hit me.”

He held her to him, and she tried to breathe through the pain.

“The mating bond,” a voice on the screen announced. “Princess, with your powers, even though you and Rhodack have not completed the mating bond, you’re connected. You must be experiencing what he’s feeling.”

Vikuth growled beside her, and he held on to her. She lifted her head and cried out again. She knew what they spoke was the truth.

The link snapped into place between her and Rhodack. The connection strengthened, and she concentrated on the one thing that tied her to her mate. Experiencing his pain let her know that the bond had begun. This was what she’d need to be able to locate him.

She straightened to her full height, pushing Vikuth’s hands away so she could try. She’d fight through the pain if only to be able to connect to him. The sounds of the room disappeared, and she focused on reaching Rhodack.

“Rhodack,” she whispered, keeping her eyes closed so she could concentrate. She accepted the pain, knowing it was her one link to him. Her heart rate increased with the knowledge that they were connected. “Rhodack.”

She called his name again, her voice growing strong, and she envisioned the link between them. Electricity pulsed through the bond and slammed into her, a sight unseen.

“Rina?” His voice rang in her head just as clear as if he were standing in front of her.

“I hear you,” she cried out, excited she’d reached him on her first attempt.

Low murmurs filled the room around her. She stood still and pushed the sounds away so she could hear Rhodack. “Are you okay?”

“Where are you?” he asked through their mental tie.

“I’m in the lair with Vikuth. We’re trying to locate you. We’ve sent—”

“But you are unharmed?” he asked, cutting her off. Even facing danger and possible death, he would be worried about her well-being.

“Ask him to tell you where he is,” Vikuth’s voice penetrated her concentration.

She sensed him move close to her. She nodded to confirm she’d heard him. She didn’t want to risk losing the link she’d constructed with Rhodack.

“Yes, I’m unharmed. Where are you?” she asked. She prayed they would make it to him fast. The pain that surrounded her waist was intensifying the longer they remained united like this.

“In the mountains. I’m not sure where,” he bit out.

Tears ran down her face as she bore his pain.

“We’re coming for you,” she whispered, trying to hide that she was experiencing the pain along with him, but failed.

“What is it?” he snapped, immediately sensing her distress.

She ignored his question. She knew that since fate had destined them to be together, she’d be able to use her powers to locate him. Her little trip to Faery in her dreams had totally awakened her senses and powers.

Her crash course of her true powers was still overwhelming, but now, she was glad she’d had it so she could save her mate. She sensed their connection was weakening, and panic filled her chest.

“Who is with him?” Vikuth and the other leaders tossed around questions for her to ask him.

“Who is with you?”

“Two demons. A female name Geica and a male named Ol’gon. They’re waiting for their masters. Whatever you do, Rina, do not come. Send Vikuth and my men. Do not come!”

“Rhodack!”

“Promise me, Rina. Do not come!”

As he grew more irritated, she was able to lock in on his location before the link between them broke.

“Rhodack?” she cried out. Her eyes shot open and filled with tears. She turned to Vikuth. “I didn’t get to tell him I love him.”

“He knows,” Vikuth assured her. He grabbed her by the shoulders and forced her to look at him.

She refused to let her tears fall. She’d hunt down her mate and bring him home. No matter what the demons did to him, she’d kill them. “He knows.”

“What did he say?” Wulfir, the clan’s leader of Sydney, asked.

Taking a deep breath, she pulled herself together. Falling apart wouldn’t help bring Rhodack home safe.

“I know where he is.” She turned to the screen and began telling the room everything she knew.

Rhodack growled. He sensed Rina was hiding something from him. He wasn’t sure how she’d come to know how to mentally connect with him but he was glad his little elf was embracing her powers fast. He just prayed she would heed his warning.

“Come now, pet, it’s time for us to greet the masters,” Geica’s voice greeted him.

He scowled, his body moving to her command. Whatever evil magic she’d used on him meant he obeyed her orders. He remained in his gargoyle form, unable to shift back to his human form, thanks to the magic. Not that he wanted to switch back. Being in his gargoyle form did offer him protection.

He followed her down the hall in the demon’s hidden fortress in the mountain and exited the building. He looked to the sky and took in the moon that hung high. It would be hours before the sun came up, and at the moment, he didn’t have to be worried about turning to stone.

“Put the gargoyle over there,” Ol’gon’s deep voice cut through the night air.

“But I like having my pet close to me,” Geica pouted, tapping her hand to Rhodack’s chest.

He snarled at her taking the liberty of touching him.

“You can do what you want with him after the masters arrive,” Ol’gon snapped.

A sinister grin spread across Geica’s demonic face at Ol’gon’s words. “Well, since you put it like that,” she murmured, directing Rhodack to stand where Ol’gon had instructed.

He stood on display while the two demons waited. A few more exited from the demon lair as time ticked away. Rhodack scanned the area, trying to learn all he could about it.

If Rina was able to reach him again, he wanted to be able to give her all the information he could so she could have Vikuth come to his rescue.

When his men arrived, they’d wipe out this demon lair and all the demons located here.

Thunder filled the air, grabbing his attention. He released a curse and looked to the sky. Dark clouds began rolling in.

“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me,” he said as a portal formed.

Lightning streaked across the dark sky, and the clouds lowered toward the ground. The demons waited patiently for the clouds to touch down. A loud boom echoed through the air, and the portal opened. The winds kicked up, breezing past Rhodack. Leaves, rocks, and dirt swirled around, and the winds rushed by.

Bright light lit up the night, and the portal officially opened.

Robed figures emerged from the light, and the demons knelt before the figures.

The masters were here.

Rhodack growled, his gargoyle ready to attack, but his body wasn’t his to control at the moment, and he froze. Three figures stood before the kneeling demons.

Necromancers.

“Rise,” a deep voice ordered.

The demons immediately obeyed. The air calmed, and the portal grew smaller before it snapped shut. The floating rocks and dirt floating dropped to the ground, and the air grew still.

Rhodack’s eyes met those of the leader, the necromancer who stood in front of the demons with the appearance of a person in charge. He knew who the necromancer was.

Chukai.

The necromancer king’s right-hand. It would only make sense that instead of the king himself coming to Earth, he’d send his most trusted subject to gain control over a realm.

Chukai’s lips turned up into a sinister grin as he realized that Rhodack was a prisoner.

“You all have done well,” he announced to the demons. “Your king will be pleased by the gift you’ve bestowed upon him. This isn’t the princess, but the leader of Clan Gahnoth, and will be well received.”

“Thank you, sire.” Ol’gon nodded and turned toward Rhodack, too. “The princess has grown into her powers and was able to escape. He followed her, and we were able to capture him.”

“He followed her, eh?” Chukai brushed past Ol’gon and the demons and walked toward Rhodack. “Now why would a gargoyle warrior rush after the Faery princess?”

A growl escaped Rhodack’s chest. He held the gaze of the necromancer. Chukai resembled a human, but the color of his skin denoted the difference between necromancers and humans.

The Forged realm was a realm of darkness that didn’t have a sun to offer any light. The necromancer’s skin was pasty pale with a hint of gray to it. His irises were midnight black, and his magic simmered in the air around him.

Necromancers were strong, dark magic-welders and were not the best at hand-to-hand combat, hence why they used demons to do their dirty work. Their strength lay in their magic.

“None of your fucking business, necromancer,” Rhodack snapped in response to Chukai’s question.

“No need for you to confess. I can already see why.” Chukai chuckled. He crossed his arms in front of him and cocked an eyebrow at Rhodack. “Imagine that, the fates would line up an elf with a gargoyle.”

Rhodack glared at the necromancer, refusing to admit the truth to him. He strained against his invisible bonds, unable to break free of the necromancer magic.

“No need for you to reply.” Chukai shook his head. A glint appeared in his eyes.

Rhodack’s stomach clenched in fear. He bared his fangs, the only part of his body he could control. He’d kill this necromancer. There was no way he would allow them to touch Rina.

“She’s going to come for you, and when we get our hands on her, we’ll take great pleasure in draining her power,” Chukai snarled. “I’ll make sure you’re there for the spectacular event. My king will destroy her and the Fae kingdom.”