I turned and watched as an arrow slammed into the panther from the side, and the witch screamed as another pierced her chest.
Arwyna flew in, her ruby wings pumping hard as she made a beeline for us. She landed on Dev’s hair and seemed to hold on as though she knew this was about to be a fight.
Then the largest wolf I’d ever seen prowled into sight. Dark fur and with eyes that glowed with power, there was no question who the alpha was. He attacked the panther, easily biting into the big cat’s neck and breaking it with a crunch.
The other wolves took off running, the witch right behind them. When I looked back, Liv was gone as well.
“Fen?” Kelsey had tears in her eyes.
“Hey,” Daniel began, “we don’t know who that is. Stay back.”
Arwyna was shaking her body, her wings fluttering as if to express her disagreement with the king.
That mega wolf’s tail had started to wag like a puppy’s, and despite the fact that he was covered in blood, he ran straight up to Kelsey and rubbed his face against her leg.
Kelsey dropped to her knees and wrapped her arms around the wolf. “My Fen.”
I stared as a young woman in all black stalked into the hall, an arrow notched in her bow. Her auburn hair was back in a braid, and she looked so much like Summer my heart hurt. “Evangeline?”
“Evan,” Daniel whispered her name.
She turned and stopped, a shocked smile lighting her face. “I can’t believe he was right. You’re here. You’re really here.”
“I told you, sister. I told you this was the correct time and place. Trent and Sasha were being too conservative.” Rhys looked like his father. He was dressed in tactical gear and had a familiar gun in his hand. It was my old Ruger, the one Daniel had modified to hold specialized rounds. And he looked like he knew how to use it. “Mother, Dad, Papa, we need to go. Lee is waiting for us in Ether. Liv and her lackeys might have run, but it won’t take them long to regroup. The pixie queen found us. It’s how we knew for sure you were here.”
“Rhys,” Daniel began.
He shook his head. “No, Dad. You can take charge when we get back to base, but for now this is my mission and I’m calling a retreat. I’m going to get my ass kicked by Sasha and Trent as it is. Fen, do not even think about changing. I know you want to show off how grownass you are, but you’ll have to do it back at base. Kill anyone who tries to stop us.”
Rhys turned and started back down the hallway.
“Rhys, there’s no way out if we go that way,” Dev complained, holding his ground.
Fen growled, an obvious warning that he could herd us if he wanted to.
“I think we should follow the kids,” Kelsey offered.
“Papa, we know what we’re doing,” Evan said encouragingly. “Please follow Rhys. Lee and Eddie are waiting, and the sooner we get out of here, the faster we can explain.”
“I need to get the painting.” I clung to hope that I could find a way out of this nightmare I found myself in. My children weren’t children. They were fighters, warriors, when I’d promised them an easier life, one where I protected them.
The walls started to rattle, the ground beneath us trembling.
“She’s coming back,” Dean warned. “And she’s not alone. I won’t be able to stop them all. There are so many witches here, and I don’t think they’re all from this plane. And I sense others. Demons, Your Highness. There are demons here.”
It was everything I’d feared about that fucking dark temple. It would allow demons easy access to the Council building, but then it wasn’t the Council building anymore.
Evan moved behind me, Fen coming to her side. “Momma, there’s no reason to get the painting. It’s dead. Do you think we haven’t spent a decade trying to figure it out? Again, I’ll explain it when we’re safely back at base. Hurry.”
Kelsey nodded. “Move it or I’ll pick you all up and carry your asses. I want to see Trent. He’ll fill us in on everything.”
Daniel turned and jogged to keep up with Rhys, Devinshea moving in behind me.
“Evan, stay close to me,” Dev said, reaching out to take his daughter’s arm.
Fenrir growled, his hackles coming up.
“Stop it, you jealous wolf. He’s my father,” Evan said, rolling her eyes. “He’s not trying to take me. Sorry, Papa. You have to forgive his bad manners. Fen has trouble with his animal instincts when he’s in wolf form. And he has a lot of animal instincts. You better be nice to my papa or I won’t give you any treats.”
“She won’t give you any treats at all,” Dev swore under his breath. “She’s a child.”