Fear the Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #9)(84)

But at the moment Cassie was in no mood to be logical. Nothing was going to keep her from finding Caine. Not even the love of a sister.

Meeting Regan’s wary gaze, Cassie dismissed her instinctive urge to simply thrust her sister out of her way. Even if she could match her sister’s strength, something that wasn’t at all certain, she wouldn’t get out of the room before Regan could have half a dozen servants running to help her.

No. If she wanted to be with Caine, she would have to get rid of her family first.

Which meant managing to tell a convincing lie.

She used her heavy sigh to her advantage, allowing her shoulders to wilt and her head to lower, as if in resignation. “Yes, I suppose you’re right.”

“Cassandra, it really is for the best—” Regan’s reassuring words were abruptly interrupted by the buzz of her cell phone. Releasing her grip on Cassie, she pulled the phone from her pocket to read the name flashing across the screen. “Shoot.”

“What is it?”

“Jagr, just returned,” Regan said, speaking of her mate. “I need to update him.”

Ah. Saved by the bell. Or rather the buzzer. Cassie, however, was careful to keep her expression resigned. “Go, Regan. I’ll be fine.”

“Are you certain?” Her sister bit her bottom lip in a gesture that was endearingly similar to Cassie’s own habit. “I hate to leave you on your own.”

Cassie refused to acknowledge the stab of guilt as she managed a stiff smile. “Don’t worry. I’m dead on my feet,” she assured Regan. “I think I’ll try to get a little sleep.”

The phone buzzed again and Regan gave a grudging nod. “There are plenty of empty bedrooms upstairs. Take one that you want.” She headed slowly toward the door, clearly torn between her duty to her mate and her newly discovered sister. “You’ll come find me if you need me?”

“Yes, of course.”

Watching her sister disappear through the door, Cassie forced herself to count to one hundred. Only when she was certain Regan wasn’t going to pop back into the room did she make her way to the marble hallway and slip silently through the shadows.

She didn’t like the feeling she was sneaking behind her sisters’ backs, but what choice had they given her? All right, maybe they thought they were protecting her, but they didn’t understand. She had to be with Caine. It was a ruthless, driving force that was making her stomach clench and a cold sweat break out on her skin.

He needed her.

She knew it to the very depths of her soul.

Tracing Salvatore’s scent, she followed it to a narrow staircase that led down to the basement level. Her foot was on the top step when she heard the sound of Salvatore’s voice coming from the ceiling.

What the heck?

She glanced up, at last spotting the vent hidden in the ceiling.

Obviously, the king and Harley were in a room above her, unaware that their conversation could be overheard.

“So there’s no hope?” Harley was softly demanding.

“I’m afraid not,” Salvatore said, unaware his bleak words were slicing through Cassie with a savage pain. “He’s too far gone.”

Harley made a sound of distress. “What if we call for a witch? If the spell could be removed, then maybe you could reach him.”

She heard Salvatore heave a harsh sigh. “There’s nothing left of the spell.”

Cassie frowned as Harley asked the question that was on her own lips.

“How’s that possible?”

“Cassandra said that the cur who cast the spell is dead. I would guess the spell died with him.”

“Salvatore, we have to do something,” Harley pleaded.

“He needs to be put out of his misery.”

Cassie slapped a hand over her mouth to hold back her shattered cry of denial at Salvatore’s ruthless confession. What did it matter what the king wanted? There wasn’t a chance in hell that she was going to let anyone hurt Caine.

Not now. Not ever.

“No,” Harley said, her voice shaky.

“I don’t intend to make a decision tonight,” Salvatore assured his mate, although Cassie didn’t miss the grim edge in his voice. He would do what he thought best for his people. Even if it meant destroying a feral Were. “There are too many other pressing concerns.”

“True,” Harley grudgingly conceded. “Styx and Jagr have returned.”

“I must speak with them.”

“What should I tell Cassandra?”

“Nothing tonight,” Salvatore said in weary tones. “Let her have a few hours of rest. We’ll break the news in the morning.”

Harley sniffed, as if she were trying to hold back tears. “This is going to destroy her.”

“Not if she has us to give her the support she needs,” Salvatore comforted his distraught mate. “Are you coming with me?”

“Yes, I need to warn Darcy what’s happened.”

Chapter 20

It took Cassie several deep breaths before she could force her shaky legs to continue down the stairs.

She had no intention of accepting defeat, no matter what the king might say, but she couldn’t deny a piercing sense of disappointment. She’d desperately hoped that Salvatore could force his way through Caine’s feral insanity. To reach the man, or even the wolf, beneath the madness.