For two days, the only thing Lachlain had been able to do was watch as Garreth continued to regress further and further. "We have him here," Lachlain told Lucia. "He's safe. But he's... gone."
Emma added, "Aunt Luce, it's bad." A maid rushed up with a towel, handing it to Lucia, then bustled away, likely afraid of the wild-eyed Valkyrie.
Dropping the towel without interest, Lucia said, "Explain to me what happened."
Lachlain related how they'd found him in the woods. "He was maddened. For some reason, he was certain that you'd died. He thought he'd killed you."
"In his mind he did," Lucia said. "An evil god made him believe that - made him see it."
Lachlain's beast stirred, and he asked slowly, "What god did this to my brother?"
"A dead one. Now take me to Garreth."
As he and Emma walked with her down to the dungeon, Lachlain said, "He will no' likely understand how you're here. Just seeing you will no' bring him back. Our kind... we doona return once gone this far."
How would Lucia react when she saw Garreth? When she saw the claw marks up and down his body from where he'd torn at himself? They'd drugged him, but for some reason, he readily shook off the effects.
The three hadn't even reached the dungeon's outer door when Garreth scented his mate and roared.
The sound of his pain made Lucia's façade of strength waver, tears threatening again. Lachlain gave a low growl in answer, so clearly desperate to help his brother.
Inhaling a steadying breath, she followed them in front of the cell. Inside, a cot lay mangled. A pallet was tucked into a corner of the floor. Darkness shrouded most of the spacious area.
From the shadows, Garreth's eyes blazed, just as they had the first time she'd met him. But now, they glowed the palest blue. She could see his muscles were bulging, his fangs glinting, his black claws so long. The beastly image that usually flickered over him was so strong it concealed the man beneath. He wore only jeans, and they were in tatters. He'd dug his claws into himself and all the brick walls around him.
The pale gaze that had been locked on her face now turned away. He refused to look at her and kept to the back wall of the cell, as far away from her as he could be.
Emma whispered, "He doesn't think you're real."
She couldn't imagine his misery, was wishing she could bear it for him. "Then I'll have to convince him."
Lachlain said, "It's no' just the turning at this point - the beast is so entrenched it's like a madness."
Lucia was only half listening.
"The drugs have worn off again. I need to dose him."
She shook her head. "No, I need him awake. Just let me in."
"Verra well, then." Lachlain exhaled. "You must stay behind me - "
"I need to be alone with him." Lucia would do whatever it took to get Garreth back.
Could get ugly. Just look away, Lachlain, this doesn't concern you....
"Damn it, Valkyrie, I canna guarantee your safety. And Garreth would expect me to protect you if he could no'."
Lucia could tell he didn't dare hope that she could save his brother. He was tempted to let her try but torn by his sense of responsibility.
I'll make it simple for him. Drawing her bow free, she said, "Where do you want it this time, Lykae?"
"Aunt Luce!"
"You doona ken how strong he is in this condition!" Lachlain snapped. "I'd be sending you into the lion's den. He could hurt you in his confusion, could think you're a spirit sent to torment him. And considering he's a male in his prime with his mate, he'll likely..."
"Understand me, Lachlain. I came here for my man, and I'm not leaving without him. If I have to live in there with Garreth, I will."
"You might just. There's no' a single record in our history of a Lykae returning from this state."
"And there was no record of anyone fighting the evil he just fought. Garreth won't hurt me now."
Emma softly asked, "Aunt Luce, would you bet your life on that?"
20
"He is my life now."
Emma and Lachlain gazed at each other, until finally, he nodded. As he opened the cell door, Lachlain cleared his throat and said, "He'll respond best to, uh, physical checks from you."
Physical checks? At her nonplussed expression, he said, "He truly is like a wolf now. Just use whatever you know about wolves."
"Got it," she said, placing her bow on the ground near the cell. Lucia would growl, scratch, and bite if she had to. "Lock up behind me and leave. Please."
When Lachlain hesitated, Emma told him, "Let's go. She knows what she's doing."
"Verra well," he muttered. He laid his hand on Lucia's shoulder. "Bring my brother back to us."
"I intend to. Oh, one thing." She unstrapped her quiver and handed it to Emma. "You trace this directly to Annika. And bring your big husband with you."
Emma frowned, accepting it. "What's this?"
"Potentially the most powerful weapon in existence. Something lots of people and gods would kill for." But for me - it was an afterthought compared to Garreth.
With a swallow, Emma nodded. "I'll do it. Good luck, Aunt Luce."
Once Lachlain had locked her within and escorted Emma from the dungeon, Lucia eased closer to Garreth in the back of the cell. "Shhh, Garreth." She reached for him so slowly. He still wouldn't look at her, as if it would hurt him to. When she gingerly touched his chest, he flinched, not because of his wounds, but because she pained him.
She leaned up close to his ear and whispered, "I'm here, Garreth." He stiffened when she gave a stroke down his tense back. "I'm going to take care of you."
He openly scented her, probably no more than he ever had before, just more obviously. Not that he'd tried to hide it when he'd buried his face in her hair, inhaling deep.
"It's me. Lucia," she said softly. "I need you back."
Finally he faced her, but he still refused to meet her eyes. She wanted him to look directly at her, to recognize her. If he met her gaze, he might comprehend that this wasn't a dream.
Instead he was eyeing her like a wolf with its paw in a trap, warily, angrily. She sensed that any second he'd attack.
He doesn't think I'm real. Maybe he did think her his punishment.
With tentative movements, she gradually eased her arms around him, her hands meeting at his nape. She sighed with pleasure, merely from feeling him warm against her. "I missed you. So much. I don't want to part from you again."