Page 87 of The Night Hunting
I crossed my arms. “All right. Then tell me, what do you want in return for breaking the curse?”
“What I know you can’t promise, because the others will never agree.”
“Freedom.”
She nodded. “Even if you could promise me that, I know the moment I break his curse, the others will kill me. After all, the only reason I’m still alive is so I can break the curse.”
I frowned, the wheels in my mind spinning. I glanced to the side, to the door at the end of the hallway. It was closed and the two vamps standing guard were on the other side. I wondered if with their hearing, they could hear us.
I cast a wall of darkfire across the corridor. That should do it.
“I can promise you your freedom if I don’t say anything to the others.”
Dot’s eyes widened for a brief second. She schooled her features. “I’m listening.”
“I’ll arrange to take you to Shane. I don’t know when, I don’t know how, but I’ll find a way and it’ll be soon. Be ready.”
“And after that?”
I clenched my teeth. “I’ll arrange for you to sneak out of the palace before anyone finds out about it. I’ll give you your freedom.”
She seemed to consider it, her eyes fixed on mine. If she was trying to find the lie in them, she wouldn’t.
“You surprise me, little wolf.” Her grin broadened. “I’ll be ready.”
I nodded at her, then marched away from the prison.
Now I had to come up with a damn plan and execute it.
26
RAIKA
I haddinner with Minsi and Tyren. They knew about the curse, so there was no reason for me to lie about it.
“Shane is losing control,” I told them as I prepared a quick dinner. I wasn’t in the mood for cooking, but they needed nourishment. “He’s locked up at DuMoir Castle right now. But don’t worry. The witch will break his curse, and he’ll be back here with us.”
Minsi’s anxiety spiked, but Tyren acted before I could. He grabbed a glass full of ice and handed two cubes to her, so she could hold them in her hands. The difference in temperature helped shock the system and break the cycle. Tyren also took her mind off it by telling her a story while I cooked—a made-up, sweet version of Red Riding Hood where the wolf didn’t eat the grandma and he fell in love with Red. If only life were that simple.
After dinner, they helped me clean the kitchen, and we watched an episode of a tv show the two of them were following, my mind elsewhere. When that was done, I put Minsi in bed. I thought Tyren would disappear into his bedroom, but he followed me back to Shane’s bedroom.
He halted at the doorway and crossed his arms. “Now tell me what is going on.”
Tyren was a teenager, but he wasn’t little anymore. In fact, in the past month, he had grown another inch and bulked up. Soon, he would be as tall and strong as his older brother.
I sighed. “I can’t tell you.”
“Why?”
“Because I promised the witch I wouldn’t tell anyone, and I’m a woman of my word.” I walked to him, placing a hand on his arm. “But … trust me. You know I love your brother. He’s my mate and I’ll never do anything that might hurt him. Or you and Minsi, for that matter. Just go to sleep. Rue will stay with you both while I’m gone. Hopefully, Shane and I will be here for breakfast.”
He stared at me, a knot between his brows. “I … I trust you.”
A soft smile spread over my lips. That meant a lot to me. “Go to your bedroom. I’ll be back soon.”
He looked at me for a moment more, then nodded and went to his bedroom. I changed into all-black clothes and soft shoes and then waited for Rue at the front porch. She didn’t ask any questions, or say any word. She took me in, nodded, and went in the house.
I stared at the closed door for a second.