Declan
Forty-eight hours. That's how long it had been since they took Lux from him. Declan felt as if every second of those hours had carved away pieces of what was left of his soul, and considering Lux comprised half of it, there wasn't much left for the pain to take. He prayed that the man she returned to was more than a bitter shell, but right now, he only cared that she returned.
Of course, his friends were doing their very best to do what loss had yet accomplished. Drive him mad. It had been so long since he attended a full gathering of the First Circle, and his memories had clearly glossed over a few things to protect his sanity. Like how loud and fussy they all were.
Audra sat in the window seat, her elbows propped on her crossed legs while she sharpened a stick with a whip of air. Any other time Declan might have paused to admire her control over the element her magic was aligned with, but tonight he wanted to tell her to stop showing off.
Though perhaps she was whittling to keep her temper under control, he wondered as he followed her laser focused gaze across the room where Hanish and Travis sat, their lanky forms tangled together as they spoke in whispers to one another. He suspected she wasn't jealous of the romance between the two; instead, she would be irritated that Hanish was at his boyfriend's side rather than at hers.
Declan pinched the bridge of his nose and turned away. That was their drama, and he didn't care what happened as long as they handled their business some other time. There were bigger issues at hand, like rescuing Lux, and hopefully, stopping the Fae Queen from summoning demons from the Underworld.
In another corner, Brooke, Ruby, and Kitty chatted quietly. Out of the girls in the Circle, those two had been the quickest to welcome the earth witch back into the fold. Brooke's kindness hadn't been surprising. As her grief over the death of Corinne softened, the prickly girl disappeared and was replaced with a logical and even-tempered young woman. Water had chosen her well.
Betting on Ruby's reaction was riskier than playing the lottery. A lot of things changed as she grew up, but she still bucked expectations whenever she could. In the end, empathy over being a misunderstood outcast won over any ill feelings. Her fire essence rippled off her in waves as Kitty filled them in, and Declan knew any lingering anger she had would be channeled into a more effective outlet than ragging on the ex Circle member.
The same couldn't be said for Sara Elizabeth. With Travis preoccupied, she sat in an armchair alone, tapping her manicured fingers on the armrest while glaring at her high school nemesis with enough heat he almost questioned whether the right channeling stone had chosen her. So much of her personality was far more in alignment with Fire witches than the typically calm and serene Water witches.
The initial reunion clamor had died down long ago, but their voices vibrated through the room, rising and falling as someone grew animated. If they weren't all watching him with varying degrees of concern, he might shout at them to be silent for one damn minute, but with their Priestess Most High missing, he was the leader. It was time to behave like one.
His phone buzzed. Bella and Phoebe were checking in. Despite their protests, they were staying behind at the Godelieve Estate to protect the Gateway. Phoebe's health had never really recovered after the fight against Daphne and Bella, while powerful, still only dabbled in magic. Proficiency would be required to save Lux.
The phone nearly bent in his grip. Witches and sorcerers around the world would hardly call this group proficient with only a couple of years of training under their belts, but Declan trusted every person in this room. He paused on Kitty.
Especially Kitty.
She caught him watching her and whispered something to Ruby and Brooke before coming over to him. "Everything okay? Well, as okay as it's going to be right now."
Nodding, he slid the phone into his back pocket before he snapped it in half. "Callum should've been back by now."
"Are you really worried something happened to him because between you and me, if he could get close enough to Morgan le Fay, this war would be over. I've never even seen him use his Gifts, but power seeps out of his pores. Not to mention he's possibly the most intimidating person I've ever met, and I've met an angel and the Fae Queen."
Declan almost laughed. "No, I'm not worried about him, and he warned us some of the Round Table would have to be convinced to let a full Circle into Camelot."
"I don't get it." She pulled her blonde hair on top of her head, rolled her eyes, and released it so the frizzy curls bounced around her face. "It's a place of magic. Why wouldn't we be welcome?"
"Camelot only exists because of carefully maintained spells. It's a place frozen out of time, and if so much as one piece slips, our connection to it could be gone forever. We might need that place of refuge if we don't defeat Morgan."
Fingers brushed against his forearm, and he glanced down to see Kitty touching him hesitantly. "We're getting her back, Declan."
"I know." He clenched his jaw. "I said if we don't defeat Morgan. There's no question in my mind that we're going to bring down Morgause and bring Lux home. Butâ"
Blue eyes searched his face when he paused. "But what?"
"Thank you. For everything."
Kitty's mouth dropped open. "For what? I've been lurking in the background for months, threatening to kill Lux."
"But you didn't."
"Because I knew I couldn't." She sucked air through her teeth and closed her eyes. A single, murky tear slid down her face, leaving behind a black track. "The Bloodborn lair Lux found was Sara Ashley's. I taught her how to steal power from witches. I used her because I couldn't kill the innocents myself, and when she grew out of control, I slit her throat and stole her stones."
If Kitty thought to shock him with that confession, she was going to be in for a shock of her own. "Lux saw the visions. She saw what drove you to do what you did, and I'm not telling you there won't be consequences or that the guilt won't eat you alive one day... But I'm telling you I will not sit here in judgment and pretend like I won't do the same if it's between saving Lux or letting her die."
"I'm a murderer, Declan. My soul is stained with those sins."
The door swung open, cutting him off before he could answer. Callum entered the room with a thunderous cloud in his blue eyes, but Percy gave Declan two thumbs up and a grin, easing the sudden tension in the room.
"If it's good news, why does he look like he could chew rocks?" Sara Elizabeth asked, jerking her chin toward Callum.
Percy clapped his friend on the back. "Because he doesn't like it when people make him work for what he wants."
"The Round Table is made up of a bunch of imbeciles," Callum spit out.
"They asked you to lead it, and you declined," Percy said. His grin faltered when Callum turned his icy gaze on him. "Just saying."
"So we're good to go?" Brooke asked.
"Not quite."
Declan frowned and spun on Percy. "What does that mean?"
Callum answered, "They'll only allow you, one witch, and Travis."
Everyone swiveled to look at Travis. His freckles stood out on his face as the blood drained away. "Why me?"
Percy's usual flippant attitude softened. "Because you're a Guardian, and there will always be a place for you in Camelot."
"It's honestly probably the only reason they let you in," Callum said. "It's been awhile since we've had young blood in the Guardians, and since you're the ones who brought him to light, passage through Camelot is their thank you."
Half a dozen voices raised in protest at once, and Declan resisted the urge to put his hands over his ears as everyone argued over who was going to accompany him.
"Enough," he shouted, using the power in the stone beneath his feet to amplify his voice. "Kitty will come with me, and before anyone says anything, don't. It'll be a waste of breath."
"So, what are we supposed to do while we wait?" Ruby asked with genuine confusion.
Callum herded everyone to one side of the room. Returning to the empty side, he rapped on the wall and a portal opened. Five horses waited on the other side, their breath coming out in silver puffs in the cold air.
"You are going to ward this portal until we return. No one goes in or out."
Everyone noddedâeven Sara Elizabeth. Audra peered longingly through the portal, and Hanish cast a worried look in her direction. Whatever that was about, Declan would care later.
"Let's go," he said, taking the coat Callum offered him.
"All this magic and y'all still ride horses," Travis fussed as he walked through the portal with Declan and Kitty. He edged around the beast, whose tail swished as if picking up Travis' nerves. "Lux is gonna owe me so big for this."