47

"Are you hungry?" Trevor asked me. He was the first to speak of us after Wyatt and Cyrill disappeared.

"Sure," I answered somewhat remotely. The main thing is that someone said something.

"Okay, I've already ordered," he said happily, rubbing his hands together.

"Then take it with you," Grayson growled, which didn't surprise me. However, he would have to get used to the fact that at least the two of them would visit us from time to time. Perhaps more often than he would have liked, and knowing Trevor, also unannounced

Well, I still had jade. Since my mindlink was working with the Alaisters, she would surely give us advance warning when they were coming, if within range. There were still phones for everything else.

"Let's walk a little. They'll call us when the food is here," I turned to Grayson. He didn't look at me as sour as Trevor did, but still a little sullenly.

He loved Trevor, probably more than he realized. Otherwise it was more than obvious. Trevor didn't seem to care a bit about Grayson's comments. On the contrary, they cheered him on even more.

This time I shook my head behind Grayson's back as I turned him towards the terrace.

"Use the Mindlink, little sister-in-law."

Trevor gave me a cheeky grin and Jade just shook her head at him. The two were a beautiful couple. Trevor always cheerful and ready for any prank. Jade dutiful and calm.

I've never seen two people look at each other in surprise so many times before. Were so amazed at their partner and yet a misunderstanding never arose between them.

"Don't use it too much," I grinned at him, glancing at Grayson, who shook his head at me.

"What? That gives us more time while he's making dinner," I apologized for him. I definitely have to work on the Mindlink. Shutting out Grayson was at the top, sometimes at least.

"If I cook with you alone, I'd rather that than his ordered food," he growled and steered me to the terrace. "So, what do you want to talk to me about?" he asked before the sliding glass door closed behind us.

"Nothing," I shrugged.

"Is that so?" He put an arm around me and we strolled to the lake. I tried not to look at the swath while he kept staring at it.

I took off my shoes, rolled up my pants and took a few steps into the lake. "Fancy a duel? I've practiced a bit!" I picked up some pebbles and let them jump over the water.

I did that a few times and Grayson watched me silently. Whenever I looked back at him, there was a smile on his face.

"Do not you dare?" I grabbed the nearest stones and only showed him half of what I could.

"Are you sure you can win it?" Grayson came up to me. He hadn't even bothered to roll up his pants, he even had his shoes on.

"Let yourself be surprised," I laughed and threw the next stone, still so that it fell into the water after four throws.

"You're better than that," he murmured, grabbing a handful of rocks. He weighed them in his hand, sorted out a few, and launched three across the water at once. A little surprised, but no less ambitious, I looked after them and then to him.

He laughed out loud and held out his arms for me. "Come here Pebble," he whispered. I dropped the stones from my hand into the water and snuggled up to him.

His embrace was warm and soothing. I felt safe like I'd only ever felt at home. This was my home now, with him.

"I love you Grayson," I exclaimed freely. I looked at him laughing, the corners of his mouth twitching a little before the happiness he felt stole across his face.

That with the marking was really a great thing. Everyone should be able to feel and sense what was going on in their partner.

He carefully brushed a few strands of hair out of my face and gave me a small kiss on the nose, on each of my cheeks and then on my forehead. He smiled at me and rubbed my back soothingly.

"We have guests, we really shouldn't overdo it," I chuckled.

"Your decision," he murmured, leaning down to me. His lips were so close to mine and yet I knew he wasn't going to kiss me.

"And yours as the evening ends."

"Well, I'm going to show you how much I love you tonight," I whispered, hugging him even tighter.

"You're such an idiot." Callum looked stunned at Elisane's lifeless body. He held up one of her hands as if to make sure it was so.

"What happened to you Caspian?" he asked in disbelief.

I didn't know myself, not even how she had died. I had sent her back to her family and now we found her lifeless body outside the palace walls.

I rubbed my chin thoughtfully. I was even more amazed that no one knew how she had gotten here overnight. It bothered me as I had to explain it to her family. You wouldn't believe I had nothing to do with it.

My brother Casimir had started the war with me, that had nothing to do with Elisane, she had been a tool for him to eliminate my Erasthai. Sending Elisane back to her family instead of punishing her was daring.

It had been right nonetheless. Her family had been vindictive and heartless and, with the exception of her, had been neutral in my brother's feud for the throne.

"I let her go." I stared at Elisane and wondered if it was all for nothing. Now the war would take on new dimensions. Now not only Casimir was after every pack that was behind me, but also her family.

"Whom do you mean?" Callum was visibly upset, something I had never seen in him.

"My first shark," I answered calmly and I saw him freeze. I hadn't confessed to him yet. He basically raised me like a little brother. I didn't have the heart to say it, nor how to tell him.

He had his own problems and still didn't care about them. After a few minutes he had collected himself and was still pacing back and forth in front of me restlessly.

"Okay, I couldn't have taught you that." He tore his hair and seemed completely dissolved.

"Why? You let yours go too." It was a question, but my voice sounded disinterested.

"It's not the same, Caspian!" It wasn't. His went and didn't come back to save the most powerful werewolf clan from collapsing. mine loved someone else

None of what Luna was putting on us made any sense. She knowingly put her children in danger. But the bitch said nothing. She rewarded no one for their sacrifices, whether they were the Alaisters, my best friend, or anyone now in danger because of my brother.

"I'll let her go, let her be happy, something she deserves," I enlightened him.

"Why don't I believe you, Caspian. You always have something on your mind." I had that. I told him everything unconditionally. But in this case, I trusted an oracle more than him.

"The one who really loves her gave up everything for her. He was willing to give up everything for me and yet he was always by her side to take care of her," I sighed. "She deserves him Callum, I will not influence her decision."

"But you can!" My best friend looked at me and shook his head. He was worried that what was rolling towards us, that we couldn't stop it. I could see that he couldn't believe what I was saying.

"Why are you still here, waiting for your Erasthai to come back to you? You can influence all of her decisions just as much as I can." It was a defiant answer, like that of a child.

"We'll get this under control, Caspian. Letting her go was the right thing to do." Callum patted my shoulder and it should certainly have a calming effect. My official adviser spoke through him, but there was no one here who could hear his formal words.

"Do you believe in it?" My question sounded almost helpless. Callum was twice my age and it didn't save him from a similar fate.

"No. We'll have to prove ourselves," he answered flatly. It wasn't the diplomatic Callum who answered now. But he'd never been romantic when he talked to me either.

"What are you going to do?" I asked him.

"Go to her," he murmured, but it didn't sound convincing.

"I've already ruled that out," I replied. "She deserves to have someone like her mate by her side. A quiet life away from the intrigues that would have awaited her here. She would be in constant danger here," I confessed.

"What makes you so sure that you couldn't have protected her?" he asked. He asked as a friend and also concerned about his own Erasthai.

"I had a kingdom and I was unable to rule it. You proved it to yourself, you had it all covered," I reminded him.

"It didn't surprise you. You knew what your brother Caspian was doing," Callum countered, saying something I had never said to him.

"It was a guess. How is my niece?" I dodged.

"Anderes Thema, Caspian", grollte Callum.

"Well, I think I'll take some time off," I said bluntly. All of this got over my head.

"Caspian?" Callum bumped my shoulder so hard I staggered back the first time, not caring to show weakness in front of him.

"You should hurry. Go to your Erasthai, Callum! Convince my niece that she rules the kingdom temporarily if you don't want Casimir to take over. You can lead her Callum, get her back." And do what you've been doing all along, I added mentally. rule my kingdom.

"Are you perfect, lunatic? Caspian!", I heard Callum panting, but I just shook my head. I was more than sure that it was the right way to go. I stopped listening to my heart a long time ago. Something I had forgotten.

"If Tara survives all of her madness, I will do everything in my power to get her heart back. But I think we both know I never had it." I have no idea where the words came from, but it wasn't my mind that was speaking.

"Caspian," Callum cursed next to me. I could feel the confusion in him. He had always guided me with his advice and now I shut him out. It was better that way.

He could also guide my niece, teach her everything she needed to know. It would give me time, enough time to do justice to Tara. Time to protect her, especially what lay ahead and the borders that protected Alaister's witch couldn't stop.

"Time will tell, Caspian," Callum assured me. Well, I had heard that a number of times over the past few weeks. He knew what my brother was capable of. However, he didn't say it because it was the least he could give me.

It took his consent to let me go. Confessing to myself that she meant more to me than outsiders would ever know by letting her go. I would do anything to make her happy.

"Will you help me?" I asked him.

"Sure, but I can't without Peninnah, you know that!" Peninnah loved him more than he knew. Your reasons for staying with your mate may not have been hidden from him, and if I were a good friend I would tell him.

I could have told him a long time ago. I could have asked for his help as well, so I didn't plunge my affairs into a catastrophe.

"How long will you be away?"

"As long as necessary," I snorted.

"Well, I expected the answer." Callum scratched the back of his head, something he never did.

"She'll be happy to see you," I assured him.