Hidden Hope (Hidden Saga Book 3) (19 page)

I stared in disbelief. Nox seemed paralyzed as well. And then I launched myself at Lad, touching his cold skin to prove to my astonished mind he really was there and not an apparition brought on by grief and stress.

“Lad—how did you—where did you—” My heart pulsed in an ecstasy of furious beats. He was there. He was real. He was
alive.

He shrugged away from my touch, stepping back. “I climbed up to the balcony.” His expression was hard, but otherwise he seemed in pretty good shape for a guy who’d been in a battle-to-the-death an hour ago.

“But... those men... and then you didn’t come back. I thought you were dead.”

“Apparently.” He shot a significant glance over at Nox, who still stared at him in shock.

Nox finally snapped out of it and took a step toward Lad. “I’m so glad to see you. I never thought I’d—”

“Yeah, you seemed
real
broken up over my ‘death,’ brother. Sorry to interrupt you two. I thought you might need some help—when I went back into the house and saw Ryann was missing, I thought they might come after you next. Or that maybe you’d help me rescue her. I guess I shouldn’t have bothered. You’re both obviously just
fine
.”

He turned and strode toward the open doors to the balcony extending from Nox’s suite.

I chased after him. “Wait—Lad. What happened? How did you get away from them?”

He spun to face me, wearing a guarded expression. “I pretended to drown. I’ve swum in lakes all my life—I can hold my breath a long time.”

Now his eyes narrowed as he studied me, my tousled hair, my kiss-swollen lips. “How did
you
get away? I thought
Davis
sent those men, but I guess...” His eyes drifted to Nox.

“Wait—you think
I
sent them?” Nox said. “Why? To beat you up and scare Ryann to death? How could you even think something like that?”

Lad’s gaze went to the rumpled bed where he’d found us and back to our faces.

“Oh God, Lad, no.” Silently, I added.
It was Davis who sent them. And he has spies in this house. Maybe even in this room. He sent me here to kill Nox. We weren’t actually... we were bluffing for them.

About all of it?
he asked.

Nox broke in. “I had nothing to do with your attack—but we’ll figure out who’s behind it.” He gave Lad a significant nod, clearly playing a role for the guards nearby. “In the meantime, come sit down. You look half dead. I’ll arrange a room for you here for the night.”

“No, I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Come on, Ryann.” Lad held his hand out to me.

At my side, Nox stiffened but didn’t interfere.

“Oh, I uh...” I stuttered. I couldn’t leave now. “I’m staying here with Nox.”
I have to—I have no choice. Davis will kill my mom if I leave. Maybe even Daddy and Grandma Neena, too.

Lad searched my face.
And that’s really why you’re staying?
“
Do
you love him?” he demanded.

The two guards came around the corner, standing back, but staring at Nox, clearly asking if he needed their intervention.

I answered Lad’s question, conscious of the listening guards. “Yes. I do.”

Lad’s eyes squeezed shut and his jaw tightened. Oh God, he didn’t believe me, did he?

Nox cleared his throat, glancing over his shoulder toward the guards. “Thanks for coming by and telling us what happened, Lad. I’m relieved you made it out okay. And... thanks for looking out for my girl.” He slung his arm around my shoulders, pulling me in close to his side.

We all could have done without that last part. I
was
his girl as far as the guards knew, but he shouldn’t have rubbed it in Lad’s face. Especially right now when there was so much confusion.

The stony look came back into Lad’s eyes. He gave Nox a curt nod, then strode through the French doors, across the lanai, and swung himself over the balcony. I didn’t worry about his making the two-story drop—I’d seen him do much more astounding things. It was his emotional state that concerned me. And mine for that matter.

Even though we hadn’t bonded, the connection between us was so strong I felt like my own heart had gone over that balcony and was sprinting away from me down the beach.

I wanted to run after him.

I also wanted to let him go and make sure I never saw him again.

Because if I did chase him down, if I told him the truth about how I felt... admitted it to myself... I could never go back. I’d be completely vulnerable. If I reopened my scarred heart to him, I’d have no defense against the kind of pain I’d sworn I’d never let myself feel again. There was no loving Lad conservatively, cautiously. It was all or nothing with him.

God, it was this bad
before
bonding. How on earth would I survive if we did take that step and then something separated us? If he sent me away again… if something were to happen to him…

For the first time, I had a real understanding of the mark that occurred when a bonded Elven couple was permanently separated. The white hair was nothing. It was the indelible mark on the heart that could never be covered up, erased, or repaired.

I stared through the open doors at the empty balcony, at the night sky, taking in a shaky breath and releasing it.

I had to let him go. Tonight and forever. It was the smartest thing to do. I simply couldn’t
stand
loving someone like that again.

What the hell are you doing?

I spun around to face Nox’s aggravated expression.
What do you mean?

Why are you still standing here? Go after him. Tell him.

Tell him what?

That you love him. That you want to be with him.

I stared at him in shock. Then my gaze dropped to the floor.
I can’t. I can’t be with him.

He reached out and tipped my face up with a fingertip under my chin.
Why not? It’s not because you love me. I know you don’t. And—don’t take this the wrong way—I don’t feel that way about you anymore, either. After I got home tonight, I started chugging the saol water. You were right—it was the glamour.

“Oh.”

He raised his brows and gave me a confirming nod.

So what’s your problem?
he said.

I’m scared.

Of course you are. We’re all scared—life is uncertain. No one knows what’s going to happen. Things can go wrong. But isn’t it worth it to try? Haven’t you
ever heard that everything you’ve ever wanted is on the other side of fear?

My head snapped up. I stared at him
. Where did you hear that?

I don’t know. I think I saw it on Instagram or something.

Mom said that to me—that exact quote... the last night she was truly herself, the night we went to dinner with Davis.
I poked his chest gently
. I could say the same thing to you, you know—about Vancia.

He shook his head
. We’ve been friends too long. I don’t even know if she—

She does,
I assured him.

Hey—we’re talking about you and Lad here. So... what are you waiting for?

I gave the balcony doors a longing glance.
What about the guards? If I leave... 

Nox turned in their direction, and they both appeared within seconds. They looked intently at his face, obviously receiving instructions, then hustled out of the room.

“What did you say to them?”

“I told them I was concerned about the break-in at my cottage only a few doors down from here. I told them to go and secure the mansion and be very thorough about it. You should’ve heard me. I was very kingly.”

“Oh yes, your highness—you are
so
intimidating. So, you gonna give me a lift down or what?”

He smiled. We walked out to the balcony, peering over the edge. Nox picked me up.

You ready?

I nodded, and he jumped down to the sand, holding me securely in his arms. As soon as he set my feet on the ground, I took off running down the beach, calling Lad’s name in the Elven way.

Slowly, I walked back to Nox’s house. As I drew close, his shadowy figure came into sight, standing in the sand beneath his bedroom window. We looked at each other. His sympathetic eyes told me he already knew the answer to what he was about to ask.

Did you catch up to him?

I shook my head.
I couldn’t find him. And he didn’t answer when I called out to him.

Don’t worry. We’ll find him in the morning. For now, we have another problem. The guards are back.

Already?

Yeah. Apparently I was a bit too kingly—they made quick work of it.

Or they’re suspicious.

Right—I told them you were in the bathroom. So, get in there and splash around a bit or something, and then, we’ve got a show to finish.

I did as Nox suggested, going into his enormous bathroom and flushing the toilet, turning on the sink and splashing some water on my face. When I walked back into the room, he was waiting for me.

“Where were we?” he asked with a deliberately naughty tone of voice we both knew was an act. If our sexual impulses toward each other hadn’t already been erased by the saol water, they certainly wouldn’t have survived Lad’s visit.

I put on a faux-flirty tone of my own, leading him back toward the bed. Inside, I was dying. Outside I was a temptress worthy of an Oscar. “I believe we were right. over. here.”

The guards were back at their posts inside the doors, and once again Nox and I silently strategized while making intermittent noises of enjoyment.

So what now?
he said.

We’re going to have to fake your death—for your own safety and my family’s. I don’t see any other way. If I “fail” or refuse to assassinate you, Davis would only send someone else to do it. So... life as you know it is about to end—temporarily.

Oh wow. You’re right. I wish I’d had some warning so I could prepare—make a will or something. Who’s gonna get my record collection?
he joked.

I know. I’m sorry. If you want to get up now and pack a bag or something, maybe I can sway the guards into forgetting about it. I’ll try to make them forget Lad’s visit, too. But I need to put most of my focus behind making them believe they saw your dead body. Then I’ve got to report to Davis and hope he lets me go. Or that he’s decided to take me to Boston again now that I’ve done his bidding.

Well, at least you’re not bored, right? Don’t worry about the packing thing. I’ll just buy some clothes when I get out of here.
He grabbed my shoulders, staring into my eyes with a deadly serious expression
. Listen to me—you be careful. And don’t worry about Lad. Vancia will get him to Boston. You, too, if you need help getting there.

What if he won’t go? What if he doesn’t want to help me anymore?

He’ll be there—trust me. I know my brother. There’s nothing he wants more in the world than you. I’ll meet up with you all there. In the meantime, let’s get busy. You have a “murder” to commit.  

An hour later, I sat straight up in bed and let out an ear-splitting scream. When the guards came running around the corner into the sleeping area, they found me frantically shaking Nox and calling out his name.

I looked up at the men. “Something’s wrong. He’s not waking up.”

They rushed forward. As they bent to examine him, I put all my effort into my next words, sinking them into their minds.

“I think he’s dead. Oh my God, he
is
dead.” I screamed again and did my best to fake a realistic cry. “I want my father. I want to see my father.”

The taller of the two men, a fair-haired Elf with deep blue eyes, straightened and looked directly at me. “I’ll take you to him. He’s expecting you.”

Kirk, that two-faced S.O.B.
Nox’s voice snarled in my head.

I tried to discipline my expression, but I knew my eyes must have widened in surprise, and I gasped aloud at my mistake.

It’s okay, Rye. It’s okay.
Somehow Nox, without opening his eyes, knew I was panicking and tried to reassure me.
It’s fine to be surprised that one of them is Davis’s spy—it supports your story if Kirk thinks you didn’t know you were being watched.

Oh, right. Good. I’m kind of nervous—first assassination, you know. So... I guess this is goodbye for now.

I’m afraid you’ll have to let yourself out this time.

That reminds me—should I try to see Vancia before I leave here? Let her know what’s happening?

No, that’s okay. I can tell her myself from here. We... uh... we can hear each other long-distance.

Oh. Wow.
What further proof did I need that they were meant for each other? I’d done the right thing telling him about the glamour and its cure. He was going to be happy with the girl he
truly
was meant for—provided we all lived through the next week.

Following the traitorous guard from the room, I gave Nox’s still body one last glance.
See you in Boston. By the way, you look pretty hot for a dead guy.

I shouldn’t have said it—I almost giggled and blew the whole ruse. I sure hoped my glamour held strong on the one remaining guard who was near him—that the mind control would prevent him from noticing the slight twitch of Nox’s mouth, the soft rise and fall of his chest as he also struggled not to laugh.

Yeah, well, you’d better drink your saol water, sister. Or when I see you in Boston, I’m going to make you pay for that—one super-sized musical glamour-coma coming right up.

You can try, buddy. You can try. But it won’t work anymore.

              From now on, I’d only be dealing with my
true
feelings. Like it or not.

*     *     *

The blond guard and I left Nox’s mansion and walked in silence down the Pacific Coast Highway. As we neared an upcoming driveway, the nose of Davis’s limo peeked out and edged forward.

              “Get in,” said the guard.

              I shot him a side-glance, forcing myself not to spit in his direction. Nox had trusted him. Of course Kirk assumed he and I were allies in the service of Davis, and it would be stupid of me to contradict that assumption. I got in the car.

              “There she is,” Davis beamed. “My own little deadly weapon. Is it done?”

              “Yes,” I snarled as the guard opened the other door and climbed into the backseat.

              Davis looked at the man for confirmation. “Kirk?”

“Yes. He’s dead. I checked the body myself,” he said. Davis was undoubtedly swaying him, so the guard must have believed what he was saying. So far, my Sway was holding.

As the car started rolling, Davis brought his attention back to me, questioning me relentlessly about how I’d pulled off the assassination. The entire time, he kept a hand on my mother’s knee. She sat in silence, staring out the window.

Knowing that actually carrying out such an assignment would devastate me, I pretended to be devastated. My act seemed to reassure Davis. I guessed he couldn’t exactly go inside and check for himself because it would be
unseemly
for him to be at the murder scene when Nox’s death cleared the way for him to once again ascend to the Dark Throne.

I stuck to my story—I’d put the poison in Nox’s drink and made sure he’d swallowed it by making a romantic champagne toast. Blinded by lust, he hadn’t suspected a thing. I’d stayed beside him in bed for a long time afterward, checking his pulse, checking for breathing to make sure it had worked. Then I’d faked horror at finding him dead to throw suspicion off of myself.

“It doesn’t matter,” Davis informed me in an arrogant tone. “Even if you are suspected, you are my daughter, and I am once again the ruler of the Dark Court. You are above the law now.”

I nodded and then tried not to squirm as he tilted his head to one side and then the other, taking inventory of my appearance.

“I assume you didn’t have to go
too far
in your efforts to seduce him into trusting you? Your hair color hasn’t changed.”

At first I was confused. My hair color? And then I realized what he was getting at. Spluttering in very real embarrassment, I said. “Uh... no... I was able to poison him before I had to... uh...”

Davis laughed. “Good. That’s good. This is all coming together even better than I’d hoped. I may still be able to arrange an advantageous marriage for you. As it turns out, your former paramour, Lad, survived the tussle with my men. He was seen near Nox’s mansion last night, no doubt trying to get inside to see
you
.”

Uh oh. So he knew Lad was alive. Clearly another of his spies had been on the job at Nox’s house and reported back. I had to fess up to seeing Lad, in case he already knew I had. If he
did
know and I withheld the information, he’d doubt my entire story and Kirk’s account as well.

“I saw him. He actually found a way in—he came to Nox’s bedroom.”

He nodded. “Interesting. Go on.”

“We spoke for only a few minutes. He told us how he’d survived the fight. Then he left.”

“Hmmm. I’m surprised. Why so quickly?”

“He caught Nox and me making out. He wasn’t happy.”

“Ah.” A wide grin spread across Davis’s face. “Excellent. So his attachment to you is still strong. We can use this. It would still be an advantage to have the Light Court on our side when the plan is enacted.”

“So... I can be with Lad now?” It seemed like what a pathetically in love, glamourized girl would ask. In truth, I was wondering the same thing.

Davis eyed me and then broke into laughter. “Yes my dear. You will have the young man. As my daughter, you will have the entire
world
at your feet.” His eyes shone with a maniacal gleam. “Speaking of your birthright, you must have been… very persuasive to get past Nox’s staff and into his private quarters late at night.”

Uh oh. Something didn’t feel right. I’d thought the interrogation was over. I thought I’d already passed. “Yes… I did my best.”

He gave me a dead-eyed chill-inducing smile. “And you did well.” Turning to Kirk he said, “Kill the mother.”

“No!” I lunged for the huge guard, but he stiff-armed me, holding me back and reaching for Mom’s neck.

He got his fingers around it with one hand and opened the back door with the other. Freeway noise filled the car’s interior, the pavement whizzing by in a blur as we sped along. I attacked him, pounding on his steely arm, digging my nails into one side of his face, kicking at his legs and trying to distract him as much as possible. Anything to keep him from throwing her from the moving vehicle.

“What are you doing?” I screamed at Davis.

He sat back into his own seat and held his fingernails out, inspecting them as if nothing more interesting were happening in the back seat at the moment.

Finally losing the battle against Kirk’s superior strength, I watched him pull Mom from her seat and drag her body toward the open door. Frantic and knowing she had only moments left to live, I did the only thing I could. I swayed him.

“Drop her. And jump out.”

Immediately the brawny man released my mother’s neck. And then he leapt from the speeding car, his body hitting the freeway with a smack before it whizzed from sight.

I dropped to my knees on the floor, pulling Mom into my arms and holding her head against my chest, rocking and crying.

Davis leaned over and pulled the door closed, and then laughed as if he was in the audience of an A-list stand-up comedy show. The vile laugh went on and on.

“Oh yes. You
are
my daughter. You only needed proper motivation to tap into your natural gifts. I
knew
you had it in you. With your Sway and mine combined, very soon our people will regain our rightful position in this world. You’ll see—you will be glad you… and your dear mother...” He reached over and picked up one of her limp hands, which was bruised from his brutal grip last night. “... are with
me
.”