He nodded, his aquamarine eyes boring into me. I felt them roam my nightgown, then settle back on my face.

“Thanks again.” I curtsied and turned on my heel. Hurrying away, I heard the enchanting melody strum up again as I exited the hall.

* * *

Now I had to speak to Mona. I hurried across the clearing and into the woods. I still wasn’t used to the speed at which I could travel now. It only took me ten minutes to reach Mona and Kiev’s tree, whereas previously it would’ve taken at least an hour—and that would be if I’d been jogging.

As I ascended in the elevator, I found the witch pacing up and down on the balcony, one hand wrapped around her midriff as the other rested against her temple. She seemed to be completely oblivious to me, even as I neared within a few feet of her. I had to call her name.

“What is it?” She raised her gaze to me. She looked irritated at being disturbed.

“Caleb told me everything,” I said. “And I have a request to make of you. I know you’ve got a lot on your shoulders right now, and I would much rather do this without you, but there’s just no way we can—”

“Rose, please just get to the point.”

“I want to ransack the witches’ islands. Both the island that Caleb used to rule and Stellan’s island.”

Mona’s eyes widened. Before she could object, I continued. “Do you think there’s any possibility that those humans they kidnapped could be on their island?”

“It’s possible, I suppose,” she said slowly. “But Rose, this type of mission is extremely dangerous. You’d be marching right into their own territory. Things might have changed since you last visited. You don’t know what you might find there now.”

“But we have dragons. I already spoke to Jeriad and he agreed to let us bring at least fifty of them with us.”

Mona still looked doubtful. “I don’t think you should do anything until your parents return.”

I sighed impatiently. “But we don’t know when they will return. Isn’t time of the essence? In the meantime, we could be doing something to help. I know you need to stay here and think, and you don’t have to help us storm the place. We just need you to assist us in breaking through the first island’s boundary so we can enter. Once we’re finished there, we’ll try to take one of their vampires hostage so we can enter the second island.”

She fingered the ends of her hair. “And if you come face to face with Rhys? Have you thought about that?”

“It’s possible that the black witches aren’t even there. They could be on another kidnapping excursion. And if they are, well, many of them will be injured anyway from the battle here in The Shade. And those who aren’t injured… we’ll just have to be careful.”

Mona bit her lip. “Your parents may never forgive me for allowing you to go through with this,” she muttered. “But… all right. I’ll help you break through the first island’s boundary, and then you’ll have to handle things from there.”

Kiev entered the balcony, apparently having overheard our conversation. He walked toward me, eyeing me closely. “You have guts, girl.” Then he turned to face Mona. “I will accompany her.”

I could see pain in the witch’s eyes. The last thing she wanted was for her husband to go riding off into an attack with us, but she seemed to know better than to argue with Kiev when he was bent on something.

“Kiev, could you two start gathering some others to come with us? Since we have so many dragons, I don’t think it’s necessary for more than a handful to come,” I said, as a plan began to form in my mind. “In fact, having more could be a disadvantage.”

“Very well,” Kiev said.

“I’m going to get Caleb now,” I said. “I suggest we bring at least one werewolf, and we should also bring a witch, aside from Mona, who won’t be staying with us long—perhaps Ibrahim—and then the rest could be vampires. It doesn’t matter as long as they are not humans.”

The couple nodded and we hurried down the tree, parting ways as we reached the ground.

It’s time to give those witches a taste of their own medicine…

Chapter 22: Caleb

Rose. She had become a whirlwind. Whenever there was talk of danger, her first instinct wasn’t to recoil, like most sane people. No, the first—and only—thing she thought to do was walk right into it.

Her courage was a gift, but I also feared that it would become her downfall. I couldn’t help but feel she was beginning to spin out of control.

As I sat on the steps of our cabin, waiting for her to return and explain to me whatever wild idea she’d just gotten into her head, I found myself wishing that just once, she would allow herself to rest. I had come close to losing her too many times of late. I just wanted to lock her up.

I stood up as I caught sight of her emerging from the woods at the foot of the mountain and climbing up toward me. Arriving at the cabin, she gripped my hand and pulled me inside.

“Let me talk to you while I take a shower,” she said. “We don’t have a lot of time.”

I entered the bathroom with her, waiting patiently at the door as she removed her clothes. I tensed as I laid eyes on her bare form. Her soft curves and smooth skin still made the predator within me stir, even now. I leaned back against the wall, watching as she began to soap herself down.

“I spoke to the dragons,” she said. “And I spoke to Mona. I think we should storm the black witches’ islands and try to retrieve the humans they’ve stolen.”