“No, I don’t think anything. I know he’s a part of it, because I’ve seen him on the video feed we recovered from a warehouse that was across the street from where the bodies had been dumped.”
I trembled with anger over finding out that my brother was responsible for more senseless killing, and he was helping outsiders kill his own world. I shook my head and met Z’s bright blue gaze. “He needs to die, in a very bad way.”
Zahruk smirked and nodded his head in agreement. “Hence why the asshole just climbed to the top of my list.”
“Syn,” Adam said walking over to us, and holding out his hand for the backpack I was holding with my belongings inside of it. I allowed him to take it, so that I could say my goodbyes.
“Zahruk,” I smiled before wrapping myself around him as I gave him a hug he hadn’t expected. “Thank you for everything. Keep Ryder from doing anything too stupid. Try not stabbing me at this engagement party.” I smiled at him and moved toward Adam.
Zahruk tensed, and then relaxed as a small bubble of laughter left him. “I can’t promise you that, but with him inside Faery, he is less likely to do anything too stupid. And I’ll promise to try not stabbing you, this time.”
“Syn, we need to go. My father has a few of his men holding the portal open for us.”
I turned, nodding softly as I looked around the club and at the faces of Ryder’s men. Ryder hadn’t come up to see me off, and while I knew we’d agreed not to say goodbye, it still hurt. I’d fallen for him, he’d been a thief who stole my heart, and I’d played the part of his willing victim and allowed it to happen.
“I’m ready,” I whispered, and accepted Adam’s outstretched hand.
“Not going to say goodbye to me?” Adrian said, sifting in and pulling me against him.
I smiled, but his wasn’t the goodbye I wanted. I felt bad that it wasn’t, because saying goodbye to him at the funeral had been so much easier than what I was feeling now with Ryder. “I’d never forget to say goodbye to you,” I whispered, and hugged him against me.
“Adam, if you hurt her. We will hunt you down,” Adrian said before pulling away, and offering his hand in friendship. “It’s been fun, Adam. I’d like to extend the hand of the Vampires to you. Vlad has agreed that your future wife,” Adrian looked at me and shook his head in disbelief, “has already earned our respect, and loyalty.’
“We accept, Adrian. Syn has that effect on people. She’s going to make an amazing queen to my father’s people someday.”
I didn’t blush; I felt nothing but denial from Adam’s words. I didn’t want to be a queen of anything. I wanted to scream in frustration. I wasn’t ready to leave. I wanted to go back to the bed, and hide in Ryder’s strong arms. I felt numb as if I was watching it happen to someone else.
I turned, scanning the faces of the friends I had made in the little time I had been here. These were my sworn enemies a little over a month ago, and now I considered them among the people I trusted. It was unreal that in such a little bit of time I had changed my opinion of these men, and their leader.
I scanned the dark shadows for him, but I knew he had stayed true to his word. He wasn’t coming to tell me goodbye. “I’m ready, Adam.” I swallowed the lump that took hold of my throat with the words.
“Flower,” Ristan said, coming up behind me. “You didn’t plan on leaving without telling this Demon goodbye?” Ristan smiled and pulled me against him and whispered in my ear. “You’re stronger than you think. I’ll send Alden to you when it’s time. Rest easy knowing he is mine. If the Guild touches him, they would be openly declaring war on the Fae. I know that they are—reckless—hell, they sent us you—but they are not stupid, Synthia. I promise you that I will protect him.”
“Thank you, Demon. Unfortunately, it’s all I can thank you for right now. You haven’t by chance seen anything changing?” I inquired, hoping he had.
“No, it’s still showing me the same thing. I wish it were different, for yours and his sakes.”
Adam walked me to the portal, and I refused to look back. It was time to do as I had promised. Adam deserved it from me. He’d never asked for anything but this from me. Ristan was right. I was strong enough to do this.
“You’re doing the right thing here, Syn,” Adam whispered as we approached the portal that his father’s men held open. “We can make it work, I know we can. This is the right thing,” he repeated as I gave him a sideways, slanted look.
I almost laughed; he wasn’t even trying to convince me. He was trying to convince himself that what we were doing was right. I smiled inwardly and stepped through the portal, out of my world—and into theirs.
Chapter Thirty Seven