Shim sighed. The dream the night before had been the most vivid since their childhood. It had hurt when she’d disappeared. “I suppose so.”
“You don’t think she cut off contact herself, do you?” Lach asked, his expression blank, but that didn’t work on the man who held the other half of his soul.
The smarter half. “No. She was right on the edge of a massive orgasm, Lach, so no I don’t think she decided to cut us off. She woke up. It happens. Besides, as far as I can tell, she hasn’t figured out how to tune us out.”
Shim turned. They had been walking since daybreak, trudging back and forth along the beach, looking for something Simon Roan, the mercenary, called a weak point. He would stop every now and then, use his tablet to take readings, and then move on. Finally, they had stopped here. And then the waiting had begun.
Lach shrugged as though it didn’t really matter. “I was just wondering if she’d figured out something.”
Shim sighed and looked at his brother. Though they had known all of their lives that this one woman was meant for them, he was sure that things seemed to be happening very quickly for Lachlan. “I had more control last night. Did you feel it?”
Lach nodded. “A bit, though I know you have the stronger connection.”
And that was a point of contention between them. “Only because I had hold of the thread when she died. It connected us. It doesn’t mean she’s going to love you less, Lach. I think we should try to find a way to tell her, and I think we should show her your real face.”
In the dreams, Lach’s face was always perfect, freed from the scars of reality.
The unscarred side of Lach’s head flushed a deep red. “So says the man with the perfect face.”
“Damn it, Lach, she’s not going to reject you.”
“You heard what her brothers said. She was raised a princess of the Seelie. She won’t want me. And I don’t know what to do now that it’s staring me in the face. I have to save her. And I can’t let her go.” Lach took a long breath. The night before, they had broken bread with Beck and Cian, who had been more than willing to talk about their little sister. Bronwyn, they had explained, had always been a bit of a brat princess. Indulged by their mother, she had been raised to expect a perfect life. She should have never had a moment’s struggle. They had no idea how she’d survived on her own.
But Shim knew. She was stronger than anyone gave her credit for. He could feel it. She was a different person than the child they had played through their dreams with. She was a woman who had fought for her life and was changed by the fight. She might have started life as a Seelie princess, as Beck and Cian Finn’s sister, but she was his and Lach’s woman now.
Duffy walked up to them, though waddling was perhaps a better word for what the gnome was doing. He was covered in plate armor, the very armor Shim had requested be made for his last birthday. It had been made as thin as could be, but it still weighed more than Duffy. Julian followed behind the small gnome, slowing his normally long strides to match Duffy’s.
Lach’s mouth turned down in a frown. “Are you sure we should let him come along? I’m worried about him.”
“We’re going to be surrounded by vampires who know what they’re doing,” Shim assured him. He lowered his voice as Duffy got closer, not wanting the gnome to know what they spoke of. “You can’t leave him behind. He would never forgive us. We’re going after Bronwyn. Don’t you think he’ll want to see Gilly again?”
Duffy had loved Gillian for as long as Shim could remember. Duffy, for all his flirting, had been sweet on only Gillian, and he’d held that torch for thirteen years. Duffy wasn’t foolish enough to believe his love would be returned. He’d told Shim time and time again, but Shim couldn’t leave him behind.
Lach nodded tightly. “All right then. But I don’t know about the vampires all knowing what they’re doing. Why the hell is Dellacourt coming along?”
Julian lifted Duffy on to the ledge they stood on overlooking the sea. The gnome’s armor clanged a bit, and he had to find his balance.
“Dellacourt’s not so bad,” Julian assured them. “And he won’t let his wife go without him. I think you’ll find Kaja very helpful. You might know the district where your bondmate lives, but Kaja can pick up Gillian’s scent. She’ll save you days of looking.”
“And it’s very interesting when she turns into a wolf,” Duffy added. “Did you see her earlier? She ain’t got no clothes on when she turns back into a girl.”
Julian stifled a laugh. “Yes, yet another reason Dellacourt won’t allow his wife to venture out without him. Duffy’s hit on her three times. You should watch it, little cos. Vampires take their consorts seriously.”
Duffy smiled, a naughty little grin. “It’s okay. No one takes me seriously at all. That’s when I swoop in and steal the girl. But after we find Gilly, I’ll just look after her. She’ll be needing a dedicated guard.” Duffy looked around. “I don’t understand why all the long faces. ’Tis a great adventure. We’re going to another plane to rescue a princess. It’s going to be amazing.”
“It’s going to be a miracle if we live,” Lach muttered.
Lach had gotten all the mopey parts of their soul. Shim was a bit more worried than Duffy, but he could see the gnome’s point. Shim got to one knee in front of Duffy. “I think Lach’s worried that we have so little time to find them. Father has called for all the Unseelie warriors to gather in four days’ time. At the end of the week, they will rip through the veil and invade Tir na nÓg before the vampire ambassadors enter. If we wait any longer, Torin could have access to vampire weaponry, and then we’re all screwed. We have to find her, convince her to come with us, and get her back here before her brothers invade.”
“There won’t be any convincing.” Lach frowned down at him. “She’ll come or I’ll tie her up and toss her over my shoulder.”
“I taught you well,” Julian said, slapping Lach on the back. “I rather wish I could go, but I’m rushing back to the Vampire plane. The Dellacourts and I are raising money and weapons to support your father and the Seelie twins. They won’t go in alone. It’s time to make our push. We’ll take back Tir na nÓg or we will all die trying.”
“Yes,” Lach said, “it’s the dying part I’m trying to avoid.” He looked pointedly at Duffy.
Duffy’s axe stood straight in his hand. He’d started to use it as a walking stick. “Don’t worry none about it, Lach. I ain’t letting no one kill you. The king himself charged me with protecting you both, but I would have done it anyway. I don’t care that you got a kingdom waiting on you. You’re me brothers.”
Shim patted him on the back, his eyes meeting Lach’s. They were of one mind when it came to the little gnome. They would protect him. “I appreciate it, brother. Now, how much longer do we have?”
Julian gestured to the small crowd. “It’s getting close. Come along now. Roan wants to talk to you.”
Shim followed his cousin and Duffy, excitement growing. Before they reached the group, Lach put a hand on his shoulder.
“You have to stay with me.”
A wealth of guilt washed across Shim. Since the connection between him and Bron had sputtered back to life, he’d spent more time holding on to her than he had dealing with things in this world. He’d left Lach to handle the day-to-day problems that came with being princes of the realm. He’d allowed himself to sink into his waking dreams of her, watching through her eyes as she moved through the days. But all the while, Lach had been left out. How lonely had his brother become?
“I will stay in this world, Lach. I know it’s important.” He couldn’t say anything else. An apology wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.
“See that you do. It’s getting harder and harder to pull you out. I can only imagine that you’ll be able to feel her even more when we’re on the same plane with her.”