Page 62 of The Powers of Nyx
“It?” the vampire asked, his voice low and deep. It sent a shiver down my spine.
“The bond with—him.” Again, Ry’s name was cut off by the stupid promise and glamour. A lump formed in my throat, one born of frustration and fear.
How could he do this to me? I hadn’t felt him since last night. No testing the bond, no checking in on me. The hole in my chest reminded me he’d abandoned me all over again.
Greer’s other mate hummed under his breath. He had dark eyes and silver-white hair combed back from his face, and angular features that made him look deadly, sharp like the edge of a blade. A shiver rolled down my spine as he ran his eyes over me. Like he was assessing a potential threat.
“Have any of you made progress in searching for the male?” the mate asked, glancing to either side of me.
Elias bristled and stiffened. I couldn’t ignore the spike of anger at his accusatory tone. Beneath the table, I reached for Elias’s hand and entwined our fingers. “This isn’t their fault,” I argued. “Heis staying away. There isn’t much we can do about that.”
The mate’s lips twisted as he slowly shook his head. “I understand you are new to this world, Ivy. But as your mates, they have made a vow to protect you. To serve you. To be your anchors and your lifelines. The one causing your distress is a problem. Onethey—” he motioned towards Adrian, Maeve, and Elias “—should want to hunt.”
My skin prickled at his words. “But—”
“Lazarus,” Queen Greer whispered. “Enough, my love. This will get us nowhere. Remember: it took us many years to sort out our differences. Ivy and her mates are dealing with a situation that none before her have had to handle.” Greer turned back to me with a gentle smile. “In all my years as Queen, in looking into the past Queen’s and their mates and rule, this is something I am entirely unfamiliar with. But if I had to guess, I would say your magic, now that it is anchored, is reacting to his disappearance. It feels the weight of his departure and Dream Walking simply is not enough to sate it anymore. Or help you.”
“He reached out last night. Just briefly.” I winced as Elias’s hand tightened around mine reassuringly. “He also came to me during the accident. I guess the impact from the crash must have broken my barriers.”
“How soon after did you complete the bond with Maeve?” Sable asked.
I met her gaze. “Not long. It was the same day.”
The witch hummed under her breath and drummed her fingers against the table. “To me, it means Maeve was your final anchor. Yes, you had three bonds before that. But one wasn’t technically completed—it was reactivated. And your magic sensed it needed another to anchor what he could not.”
“But we cannot be sure of that,” Greer replied, pursing her lips as she rested her hands atop the table. “Sometimes, Nyx works in ways we do not understand. Not until She reveals it to us, of course. Your Fae mate may be serving another purpose, which is why Nyx allowed for your mating and for the bond to lay dormant all these years. However, I would think by now he would have made himself known.”
“There was something else you didn’t say, when we first found out about him.” Adrian took my hand, forcing me to meet his eye. “When you found him, you said he was hurt. How?”
I swallowed thickly. The part of me still loyal to him wanted to hold back my suspicions. But the part of me that was exhausted sighed. “If I had to guess, abuse. He was skin and bones when I found him.”
“He’s a powerful Fae male to be your mate,” Lazarus mused. He glanced over Greer’s head at Amais. “If he stands to inherit one of the Court’s, that will make his situation dangerous. And if he is suffering at the hands of someone, it is likely the current ruler of his Court.”
Disgust and fear filled me as his words settled between us. The potential of what it meant. If Ry was being hurt, it was by someone powerful.
A bitter taste filled my mouth, but Elias stiffened beside me, his discomfort rolling down the bond.Are you okay?I asked gently.
His hand tightened in mine, but the tension didn’t leave.Yes, he replied.You don’t need to worry about me.
Even though he tried to push reassurance down the bond, it didn’t sit well with me. It drew me back to our conversation after we bonded, about his worries that he’d never be enough.
“What if he’s just...a Fae male from the Dream Court?” I asked, earning a narrowed glare from Lazarus. “He could just be Fae. Him being my mate doesn’t mean he’s likely a prince.”
The male beside Greer shrugged. “You may be right, but it’s more likely he’s of a powerful bloodline. I would consider his presence at Oberon a possibility, if he is of a similar age to you.”
“He might have been a year older; I don’t know. He never told me,” I muttered. It just didn’t seem like enough. Like when it came to Ry, talking would never get us anywhere. We could sit here for hours, but unless there was someproofout there of a male like him, we wouldn’t get anywhere.
My sternum ached, a dull, painful reminder of the night, and I sighed. “What else can we do?”
Greer rubbed a hand tiredly over her face. “I don’t know,” she replied honestly, lowering her hand into Lazarus’s outstretched one. “Truly, I have no idea.”
“I’m working on something,” Elias announced. “Quietly. If he’s dangerous, then I don’t want him knowing we’re looking for him.”
“I’m afraid he likely already suspects,” Sable replied, and all eyes fell on her as she rose from her chair. “I’ll consult the visions. See if I can pick anything up. Best you rest, young Queen. You’ll need it.” And with that, Sable left us in the meeting room.
Maeve stood too, lifting a fist to her heart, and bowing her head. “If there’s nothing else, Your Majesty, I’d like to take Ivy back up to the suite.”
A soft smile tilted Greer’s lips, and she nodded. “Of course. I, too, could use some rest.” She turned her stare on Adrian, who tensed beside me. “Come see me soon, please. I want to catch up.”