Page 136 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

“Do you believe your mate will see another way through?” Ajéí asked, her amber-flecked eyes flicking to me.

“She’s still resting after that…trance. I haven’t discussed it with her yet, and I don’t feel qualified to speak on it until I do.”

“Very diplomatic,” Tieran said, head tilting slightly as he studied me. “But if you were a betting man?”

I met his gaze, unwavering. “I’d say Ally is rarely wrong. If only three threads lead us forward, then those are the threads we follow.”

A chorus of murmurs rose as the souls conferred among themselves, until Sable cut through the noise.

“And the common denominators—can you make sense of them?”

“Some,” I allowed. I’d spent the last forty-eight hours following along the best I could, watching her write, rewrite, cross out, circle, connect notes to columns and margins. “Others, not so much.”

“Give us an example,” Onyx pressed.

To my relief, Alec appeared beside me, pressing a hot mug into my hand. I downed a scalding mouthful of coffee and let my eyes drift across the Thornquists’ now-vandalized cabin.

“There are consistencies in the threads she’s marked victorious. One is the fulfillment of the prophecy Adrastos laid out for her. We have to acquire all six pieces to stop the rise of the four horsemen.”

“Great Commander, Angel of Death, Fertility Goddess, Warrior, Witch, and Wraith,” Tieran recited, clearly briefed. “Right. He named all but the Witch and Wraith.”

“We’re still no closer to identifying the Witch. But judging by her notes, Ally may have narrowed it to one of two. The Wraith, at least, allies with us.”

Even if she was up to something on her own that kept shifting her threads like a live wire.

“And what about this raven’s cry?” Otto asked, adjusting the collar of his leather jacket. He had his mother’s onyx hair and the same inquisitive eyes.

“Your guess is as good as mine,” I admitted.

“Multiple hierarchies have ties to the bird,” Alec added. “We don’t know if she meant it literally yet.”

“I did,” croaked a hoarse voice behind us.

Alec, Fae, and I whirled to find Ally standing on shaky legs, now wrapped in my sweats and hoodie. My heart lurched.

She looked pale. Fragile. Chilled. How long had we been out? Evidently long enough to summon a full diplomatic court.

“Ally,” I breathed, rushing to her—but faltering before I could touch her. I didn’t know if she could handle contact yet.

She nodded—saw my hesitation—and closed the space herself.

We crashed into each other’s arms.

Relief slammed into my ribs like a hand reaching into my chest and setting my heart gently back in its hollow cage. Without her, I’d been half-dead.

I buried my face in her hair, the bridge of my nose burning. “I fucking missed you, little nova.”

Something between a sob and a laugh rasped out of her, broken and hollow, but her arms tightened around my waist anyway.

“You never let go,” she whispered into my chest, turning her face to rest it over my heart.

“Never,” I promised. And I wouldn’t. My mate might be a force of nature—the storm to level all storms—but she was mine to withstand.

She inhaled deeply, maybe anchoring herself in my scent as I was in hers, then turned to face the sea of eyes...though she didn’t let me go.

“I’ll answer all of your valid questions,” Ally said with a near-convincing attempt at humor, “but first, I need to eat before I sprout fangs.”

Laughter rippled through the room, and to my relief, the Souls moved quickly—clearing space, fetching plates. Tieran pulled out a chair for me to guide her into. Onyx poured coffee. Kingsley slid into the seat beside hers, slicing fruit just as Alec arrived with a platter of bacon. Rose brought donuts.