And then with a wink she reached out and grabbed onto her mate, before tracing them both from the room. It hadn't escaped my attention that she hadn't agreed to let me know if they found the energy.

"I'll go to Spurn." Talina kissed my cheek. "Ladre was adamant that I come back for him. It was d.a.m.n ..." She looked to be fighting back tears. "So hard to leave him there, but now that I've given him some time to know his true feelings, I'll be more confident in his choice. And while I'm there I'll search for the energy."

I gave her a hug. "Was everything okay when you went back? They weren't ... cruel to you?"

When I'd first gone to Spurn I'd been amazed at how badly Talina was treated. All of the clans had acted like she was c.r.a.p under their flippered feet, as if she were a lesser being, despite the fact she out-powered them by like a million to one.

A strange expression crossed her lovely pink face. "Actually, I've never been treated with more respect. Raror's last partner she's Earon's leader now is almost due to have her young, and she was very kind. A generous and just leaders.h.i.+p changes the whole dynamics of a clan." She smiled now, her tears gone. "And I think the fact that I returned with Ladre. And, Abbs, he actually introduced me as his mate. It kind of threw the other clan traditions out the window."

That was good. If there was ever an overly-cliquey, a.s.shat-filled world, it was Spurn. Unlike Fury, Talina promised to contact me if she found anything, and then with one last hug she traced from the room.

"So are we thinking the underground killing area of the fringe was the energy thing on Regali?" Ria's beautiful face came into focus.

I met her serious gaze, twisting on the metal bench trying to get comfortable. My strength was slowly flooding back into me and I knew I'd be able to stand soon.

"It was definitely a small-scale one. But if you want to go back and have a look around, then I have no problem with that." It was no secret that the queen worried about her jungle and its packs. "Now's the best time while I'm occupied finding the half-Walkers. After that we'll need to train our a.s.ses off."

She placed one of her warm hands onto my arm, and then with a wink the right exotically shaped purple eye closed briefly she traced away.

Delane stepped forward. "Brace and I need to get back to the tournament. It was delayed when you broke the cage on the Isle of Souls; the council needed to deal with the fallout. But if you still require my help with your Seventine battle our original bargain stands."

I nodded at the winged Walker. I'd not expected any different from her; her word was her honor. And she'd made a deal and was sticking with it.

The moment I could feel my extremities after lots of wiggling of my toes and fingers I jumped off the bench. Josian moved to help me, but I didn't need a.s.sistance. Once my energy had been allowed to refill, Walker healing took care of the rest.

Together Josian and I moved around the room, breaking the chains that held the others captive. Josian showed me how to crack the restraints. There was a locking mechanism hidden beneath one of the chains. Once these bonds were broken the others started to regain consciousness, but like myself were weak for a little while.

We'd just about finished when we ran into Brace. He was flanked by two very beautiful and familiar women. My heart jumped with joy, the emotion tearing through me and leaving a burning wake in its path. He'd found his family.

Caty leaped up when I came closer and threw her arms around me in a hug. I guessed she remembered me. "Thank you for saving us, Abby." She pulled back. "Brace has been telling us all about you ... how special you are."

I met his eyes, and the longing there just about brought me to my knees. When we were melded I'd felt the depth of his emotions for me. His love had been like a s.h.i.+ning beacon, eclipsing all else. There was nothing in any of the worlds above or below the place I held in his life. I was first to him. Which was partly why I'd never told him of Lucy's prophecy.

But once the bond had been broken he'd gone back to the calm, collected and private Walker. I never knew exactly what he was thinking. But finding his family seemed to have smashed down a few of these walls, because he was leaking emotions all over the place and I had to get away. I could not resist those sad eyes.

Lasandra also watched me, but unlike her beautiful son, she was still unreadable, and if I had to guess she wasn't quite feeling the same grat.i.tude to me that Caty had expressed. In fact I'd say she wasn't my biggest fan. What was with that? I was awesomely likeable.

"I'm so glad that you found your family." I couldn't help but smile at Brace. "I'll see you soon. I have to keep helping Dad." I forced myself to turn away, biting the inside of my cheeks so I didn't cry.

I made about five steps before he captured my hands.

"Thank you." He leaned in and kissed my cheek. "My family have been missing for so long, I should've known you'd be the one to save them."

I swallowed my tears, forcing my lips up in another smile attempt. "I did nothing but fall into that Utopia world."

He moved his hands up to cradle my face. It seemed as if every time he saw me lately he was touching my face. "You're a gift, sweetheart, don't ever doubt that."

He didn't remember that the Seventine had ruined 'sweetheart' for us, but in that moment, I didn't even care. His use of the endearment again, brought every piece of joy back to the word.

"Brace. Can we go home, darling?"

He turned his head to smile at his mother. Before turning back to devastate me with his soft gaze again.

"I'm going to take them home. I'll see you soon."

I felt my brows draw together.

"We still have to finish the tournament on Nephilius." His murmur was close to my cheek. And then with an exhalation he brushed his fingers gently along my face and left.

d.a.m.n, Brace should just stab me in the heart whenever he saw me; it'd be less painful.

Josian didn't mention anything when I caught up to him and thankfully he accepted the tears streaming down my face without needing to ask questions. Delane was across the room with her fellow Angelica, trying to explain to them where they had been for such a long time.

There had been twelve Angelica and eight Walkers in the room. Twenty total, which was but a fraction of what we had found in the dark mountain.

Josian seemed to think it was these twenty who provided much of the energy to power the cage. They were necessary to the bigger plan, which had been to suck all of Nephilius into the Isle of Souls. That was where the real power would have been.

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate the Seventine? I was feeling something along the lines of stab-them-in-the-eye when I see them next.

Josian opened a doorway to Neol the tournament land, and we helped the Angelica through before leaving them with their flock members. Steva had been overjoyed that we'd freed the Isle of Souls. In fact, her wizened features had almost creased into a smile and she'd even touched my arm. Which was a huge show of affection for the Angelica.

After promising we'd be back the next day for the broad-sword portion of the tournament, Josian and I left for First World.

Lucy and Lallielle barreled into me the moment I stepped through the front door.

"Thank G.o.d," Lucy sobbed into my s.h.i.+rt.

I met the light green eyes of my mother over her head.

"I'm fine," I a.s.sured her.

She kissed my cheek. "I was so worried. But I knew you'd be fine; you're strong and resourceful, and I'm so proud of you."

I smiled through my weariness. The huge levels of energy that had run in and out of my body were taking their toll. I was going to crash soon.

"Go to bed, baby girl." Josian brushed my hair back. "I'll wake you in time to make it back to Nephilius."

I practically dragged Lucy across the floor and up the stairs. She finally let go of my arm when we were safely inside and sprawled across my bed. The smell of my clothes wafted up at us. I wrinkled my nose and with a sigh pulled myself up.

"I need a shower."

"Actually, Abbs, I think you need to be taken out the back and hosed down," Lucy said as she shoved me toward the bathroom.

She followed me in and dropped on the floor, her back against the wall. I focused on her for a moment. Her face was tear stained, eyes puffy, and then like magic the red started to fade off her skin. The same way as it did for me. Pixies didn't heal quite as fast as Walkers, but it was pretty close.

I pulled off my dirty clothes, shoving them into the hamper, before jumping into the shower. I used the energy stream to turn the water almost scalding hot. In my core I was still freezing cold.

"Where's Colt?" I called out to Lucy.

"In the dog house," she replied. "And he better get used to being in there."

"I'm guessing he forced you back here instead of searching for me." I was sitting on the floor, my legs drawn up with my arms hugged around them.

"Yes," she sort of growled. "Apparently I'm too small and weak to be of any use."

I inhaled sharply. h.e.l.l no. "He didn't actually say that, right?"

She snorted out a harsh laugh. "Well, not exactly. He peppered it with some c.r.a.p about his mate being precious and he can't live if anything happened to me. But in the end he didn't trust me to be out searching for my best friend."

And I'd bet Lucy's famous temper got the better of her in that situation. With a sigh, I decided to add a little fuel to her already flaming fire.

"I'm not saying what he did was right or fair, but Walkers don't think like Earth men. You truly are precious to him, and he would not be able to live without you. You're his other half ... imagine if you lost him." I had to clear my throat, forcing my own emotions down. This was not about me.

I heard her audible intake of breath, followed by another sob.

"It's not something you and I have to think about too much, because our men are pretty much indestructible. But we could still lose them, Luce. Don't be mad at him because he loves you too much. Every sentient species, of every world, searches their whole lives for a love like that."

"Whose side are you on, Abigail?" she groaned at me.

I laughed. "Always yours. But I know you're going to be miserable fighting with him. You two have to learn to find a compromise between his over-protectiveness and your need to be crazy and independent."

It was a balance Brace and I naturally had, but Lucy was someone that inspired the protective instincts in everyone around her, and Colton was even more overbearing due to his wolf side. There was something animalistic about Colton. He fought against his wolf instincts, but sometimes he lost.

"I'm not used to this mate thing." I heard tears in her voice again. "I told him I hated him, and he said that was fine as long as I was safe." Her voice broke a few times. "But I saw the pain I caused him and ... he even had a few tears which he thought I didn't see."

Big tough Colton was a softy under all of that growl and fur. And he loved his little pixie; anyone could see that.

"s.h.i.+t. I've got to go find him, Abbs. Will you be okay?"

Her voice sounded higher. She was on her feet and already moving.

"See you soon," I said as the door to my bathroom slammed open and shut again. I dropped my head forward until it rested on my knees.

I was so tired, and cold. Deep aching shudders threatened to wrack my body, but I held them at bay, forcing my limbs to remain still.

Are you okay?

I jumped about a hundred feet in the air. Okay, it was like two, but it felt higher. How the h.e.l.l was Brace in my head?

How are you in my head?

Might as well ask him the question.

He laughed.

I'm not in your head. I just reached out to contact you and found your s.h.i.+eld down. I thought I'd check if you were doing okay.

d.a.m.n, what the h.e.l.l was with my s.h.i.+elding? I knew in this form of communication he could really only hear what I sent to him, or thoughts I projected very loudly. He could not search around in my head, and considering all the secrets I was keeping that was a good thing.

I'm okay, just a little cold. How are your mother and Caty?

His voice sounded lower. Keep an eye on the cold.

I was already feeling warmer just hearing his voice.

And they're doing great. The Abernath people are showering them with presents and parties. Although both of them are in the same situation as you: tired and cold. Mostly they're looking for some rest.

There was a pause, a comfortable moment where we just sat in silence. If this were the old Brace I'd have asked him why his mother hated me, and how he truly felt about finding his family.

I'd want to hear the joy in his voice and feel the love in his mind. Of course, if it were old Brace I wouldn't even need to ask; I'd be feeling it all in his head.

I'm looking forward to seeing you in the morning.

I could tell he wanted to say more. The pauses felt too much like someone who was skirting around the real reason for contacting me. But I didn't push very unlike me because sometimes there was no going back. And if I'd learned anything the last few weeks it was that I needed him to still be in my life. It kept me from going completely crazy.

Bye, Abby.

It felt like a caress stroked my body as he left. Closing my eyes, I let the tears fall, the shower was.h.i.+ng away the evidence of my pain.

Abbs.

I gasped, realizing that Brace hadn't exactly left when I thought he had.

Don't cry, sweetheart. You're killing me. There was an extended pause. I'm coming there right now.

No. I'm fine, Brace. Just overwhelmed with everything that's been happening.

There was no reply. I flew to my feet, just about killing myself by slipping and falling through the shower door. As I scrambled back to my feet, the air rushed around me drying the water on my body. I dived into my closet and found underwear, jeans and a simple white s.h.i.+rt. There was no time for anything dressier.

Meanwhile my heart was beating at a million miles an hour. I had a terrible feeling I'd just made a mistake, and now I was going to have no choice but to explain myself.

I felt Josian's energy outside my door.

"Come in, Dad," I yelled.

My door slid across, silent as it disappeared into the groove.

"Brace is here," Josian said, stepping further into my room. Everything shrunk around the ma.s.sive Walker as he reached my side. "Do you want me to get rid of him? Because I'm pretty sure I could take him." He wiggled his eyebrows up and down, a cheeky grin creasing his handsome face.

I gave him a hug. It had taken me a bit of time to get used to the need Walkers had for touch and affection, but now I found myself craving some contact.

"I think maybe he's here to demand some answers. He has dreams about us, and seems confused a lot," I whispered as Josian pulled me close into his side. "Do you think I could explain to him what happened and maybe then he could help me maintain the separation? It's too hard with him trying to push for a relations.h.i.+p. I can't resist him."

Josian didn't answer straight away; he was staring out at the view through my balcony doors. "Brace is a really smart guy, with an a.n.a.lytical mind perfectly suited for battle. Which is part of the reason Que was so hard on him. His father saw the potential in him and used these a.s.sets of his son to form a formidable leader." His eyes narrowed. "But when Brace met you he changed, even more so once you were melded. In some ways he's more base instinct and animalistic than many mated Walkers."

Except Colton.

"Why do you think he's like that?" I asked in a tight voice.