Reclaimed (Shadow Beast Shifters, #2)(72)

“Okay, cool,” I said, nodding at Ixana. “Proceed.”

She blinked at me before turning back to her “perfect creation.”

“As I said, this land is mine and I control every aspect of it, from the weather to the protective fences that keep my residents safe from the outside.”

“Illusions,” Shadow muttered.

Her lips twitched, and she nodded. “It protects us. You can’t blame me for that.”

There was a history there, but neither of them delved any deeper.

We shifted our view from the white landscape, moving on to what lay beyond. Now the barrier itself was actually super impressive—until this moment, I hadn’t really seen the full effect of the snowflake fence. It was at least fifty feet high, with interlocked points on the flakes, the swirling patterns separating her land from the darker world beyond it.

A world we were about to step into.

“This is the birthplace of the shadow creatures in their purest form,” Ixana said, “and I will take you to the center point from which they emerge. The point the two mists converge. Once we reach that place, we will have gathered our army.

Shadow cleared his throat. “And how do you propose we make it to that point without being torn to shreds? Not even I can take on the wild lands alone.”

She grinned, a creepy sort of smile that made me think of a predator. “You can’t, but she can…”

Her gaze turned to me, and when it did, so did everyone else’s.

“No,” I said. “No way in fucking hell. Why would I help you two take over the world here? I’m basically ready to head back to the Solaris System.”

Shadow didn’t look happy with my statement, but he wasn’t the first to argue.

Ixana stepped toward me. “You’re in my kingdom and will obey my rule.”

Shadow cleared his throat, and ten to one, if he’d had a chance, he’d have been giving her the signal to shut up now. He knew better than any how well I took orders.

Ixana moved even closer, but Angel was between us in a flash, with her wicked curved blades in hand. Ixana was a smart little cookie, backing up immediately.

“Yeah. See, that shit doesn’t fly with us,” I told her conversationally. “I bow to no queen, and I obey no orders blindly. So unless you can give me a very good reason for why I should help you, I won’t be.”

Ixana, who had looked highly offended at those words, somehow managed to school her expression. “What if I told you that the answers you all seek to what and who you are can be discovered in this land? That, by heading to the original source of the creatures, you will unlock the part of you that’s been hidden from sight? The part that allows you to control the creatures?”

Peering around Angel so I could assess Ixana’s expression fully, I narrowed my eyes. “If you know, then just fucking tell me.”

It was Ixana’s turn to smile. “And why would I do that? As you’ve just said, what’s in it for me?”

Well, fuck. “Touché, and with that in mind, I still won’t be helping you.”

“Sunshine.”

He’d used my nickname in front of her, and even more than my need to know what this mysterious part of me was, was my need to help Shadow. Help him achieve a plan two thousand years in the making. Dammit. That was a truth I couldn’t ignore or walk away from.

I looked at Angel, who had relaxed a little, her blades gone. She tilted her head, shooting me a sad smile. “Whatever you decide, I have your back. If you want to leave right now, we will…”

That would be the smart thing to do. Leave, never look back, and forget about the near perfect year spent with the shifter god. Only, this part of me screaming louder than the rest, wouldn’t let me walk away.

“I promise nothing. But for now, I’ll stay and see what’s up.”

“‘See what’s up…’” Ixana repeated. “How gracious of you.”

“I know, right?” I smiled sweetly.

She had no fucking idea how gracious it really was.





35





Once we had our share of viewing the landscape from her tower, it was time to head to the wall for a more in-depth look. She went to call Birdy for me, but I shook my head. “I’ll pass on the lift, thanks.”

Midnight swelled up larger. I can take you.

Thank you! I appreciate you.

“My bonded mist is going to take me.”

Her smile was brittle. “Great idea.”

When Midnight swelled out, wrapping around me, it was like a warm hug and weighted blanket in one, and I felt secure and loved.

We should travel like this more, I thought as we soared over the landscape, many curious, furry faces looking up from below.

Our bond would like that. I would like that.

The mists were not sentient, literal beings, but the longer I was bonded to Midnight, the more it seemed to form its own identity. No wonder Inky always felt like a person in mist form. It’d had thousands of years to develop a strong sense of self.

When we reached the wall, my view was blocked at first by Midnight as it drifted down toward the path woven between the top tiers of the snowflake fence. This was where we landed, and as I stepped out to the edge, I found an uninterrupted view of the landscape beyond. “Fuck,” I breathed.