Red and Her Wolf (Kingdom, #3)

“Aye,” Miriam whispered, “we did.”


Danika smiled, her friend knew her so well. “Are you sure, Mir? Ewan grows madder each day for want of her. I’ve sent him on wild goose chases all over Kingdom, letting him think his Red’s been spotted, when the truth of it is, he’s never even been close. He grows weary himself. And yet if I tell him, I know he’ll force me to take him to her, exposing her location again. Galeta would surely discover his visit, she’d kill him… maybe even me. Not that I care about myself, but I still have my other boys to consider.” She shook her head, curls bobbing forcefully around her face with her frustration.

A faint smile feathered across Miriam’s thin lips. “In order for Violet to challenge Malvena, she must learn the truth, and there’s only one to tell it to her.”

“Ewan will be so angry at me for keeping the truth all these years,” Danika’s words were soft, echoing with the faint trace of bitter laughter.

Mir cocked her head. “Aye, he will. But in the end, he’ll know the truth, why it had to happen that way.”

Danika snorted. “Such trouble we find ourselves in all the time.”

Laughing, the sound almost like what Danika remembered, Miriam nodded. “Aye, and that is the truth of it, my friend.” She glanced over her shoulder quickly. “Violet will return soon, I must go, but first… how fare your boys?”

Smiling, Danika sighed happily. “Hatter is mated. Alice is wonderful, crazy herself, in fact, I visit them often. Quite fond of Alice’s cupcakes.” She patted her stomach. “Gerard and Betty are doing well, vacationing in the Bahamas I believe. Wedding present, you know how it is.”

Miriam nodded. “Good. Good. And Jinni?”

“Worse.” Danika frowned. “He’s fading quickly. There are days when he’s little more than a bodiless voice. I can barely see him.”

“His mate is coming; she’s not quite ready yet, Dani, cheer up. He too shall have his happily ever after.”

A rustle sounded, like a door knob turning, Mir’s eyes widened and she squeaked. “I must go now, I’ll contact you again. Love you, sister dear.”

And then she was gone.

Danika swallowed when the lamp went black. Her friend was gone. Again. And though they talked once a month, it was still hard; and getting harder. Miriam was a sister to Danika, her only true friend, and she was desperate to get her back from mortal land. No matter what it would take.

Even if it took angering the Big Bad Wolf to do it.

“I do what I must,” she whispered, and nodding decisively, went in search of her moody prince.

Chapter 3

Ewan howled, stamping his foot like a bull’s against the very edge of no man’s bluff. He hated visiting Jinni. Why the bloody fool insisted on living here baffled him. Jinni’s home, (and even calling it that was a stretch) was little more than a cave at the rock’s edge.

The exiled genie was more ghost than man now. The curse had long since stripped him of his body; he was now nothing more than an insubstantial mirage.

The SerenSeas whipped forcefully into the cliff, gale winds clawed through his fur pushing him back and threatening to rip the skin off the pads of his feet.

He howled again, long and low, knowing the bloody bastard could hear him. It was time to hunt. Ewan would not leave until Jinni had joined him.

Period.

After the fourth howl, a vaporous shape manifested before him.

Pulsed as a dim blue, before coalescing into a tight shape of arms and legs, torso, and head.

“What?” The Persian lifted a fine dark brow, his nostrils flaring as he glared at Ewan.

Ewan shook his head, pointing his nose in the direction of the Mad Hatter’s woods-where the Jabberwocky roamed. Few were brave enough to enter, but Ewan was close and Jabberwocky or no, he’d not be detained again.

Last night he’d heard an echoing cry, haunting and so achingly familiar his body had broken out in a sweat. For the first time in years, he’d heard her. Jinni he brought along not for the help, the miserable man was terrible company anymore, but rather out of a sense of loyalty.

He was fading fast. Never had Ewan seen one so determined to release his spirit to the Great Wolf in the sky.

“Not today, Wolf,” Jinni said, turning to go back.

Rain fell like shards of ice; pricking the sensitive tip of Ewan’s nose and making him sneeze. Already Jinni was dematerializing. With a huff, Ewan called the change to him. Unbecoming, as easy to him now as breathing. In moments his bones had shifted, his muscle lengthened, and he stood on two legs, attempting not to flinch as the rain pelted his sensitive flesh.

“Jinni, ye damn fool. Ye’re coming with me. I’ve need of yer assistance,” he growled, the weather making his words sharp and raspy.