Maybe she was wrong, and Nikhail wasn’t in danger. Maybe this was all for nothing, and the guns she’d strapped to herself would remain unused, as would the magic in her veins. Maybe she’d find him, and they’d laugh about how silly this was.
Maybe.
But maybe not.
River was halfway to the door when her phone buzzed in her pocket.
Ryker
Hey Shortie
While I’d like to talk you out of this plan, I know you’d never listen to me. I’m going to get to the Southern Region as fast as I can, rules be damned, but in the meantime, I sent some help your way. They should be there soon; I just didn’t want them to take you by surprise.
Stay safe.
River had barely finished reading the message before a knock came from the door.
“River?” The voice was vaguely familiar, but River couldn’t place it. “It’s Arlo. Your brother sent me. He said you might need some help.”
That was fast.
Who did you send?
She wasn’t naturally distrustful, but the current circumstances had her on edge.
Arlo Night. They were already in the area when I called.
That explained why the voice was familiar. Arlo worked with Tertia, and River had met them a few times before. She wasn’t overly familiar with the water fae, but both Ryker and Nikhail seemed to like them, and that was a good enough endorsement for River.
Tension seeped from her shoulders.
Perfect. They’re here. I’ll let you know when I have an update.
With any luck, the next time she sent her brother a message, she would be with Nikhail.
A dark part of River’s mind asked her what she would do if she didn’t find her air fae, but she quickly shut down those thoughts. She couldn’t let herself think of all the ways this could go wrong or let her mind delve into unknowns.
She had to find Nikhail.
“Hold on,” she called out.
River peered through the peephole, confirming Arlo was alone. Like River, the water fae was dressed in black, but they wore fatigues. They were also armed, and they had the look of a soldier about them.
River unlocked the door and pulled it open, even as she heard Nikhail’s voice in her head admonishing her to stay in the safe house. The air fae would surely be angry with River when he found out she broke her promise and disobeyed him, but River would risk Nikhail’s fury a hundred times over if it meant he would be all right.
Fae fatalities in the military were rare, but theydidhappen. Ryker had attended more than a few funerals over the years, and River refused to sit by while Nikhail became another statistic. She was here, and she would be damned if she didn’t follow her instincts.
“Thank you for coming.” River tried to force a smile onto her lips, but the stress of the situation made it more of a grimace. “I appreciate it.”
Even if she hadn’t been fae, that wouldn’t have been a lie.
Powerful though she was, River was not a fool. She had been training with her magic for years, but she’d also been cut off from it for weeks. Not only that, but she lacked military experience. Yes, she knew how to shoot a gun, but she’d never aimed one at a person before. She’d never wanted to do such a thing, not even on days when Tertia had been at her worst.
In her heart, River was and always would be a healer. It was why she’d become a doctor, and why she’d yearned so desperately to find a cure for her father. She’d reluctantly armed herself today, the weapons more for self-preservation than anything else.
She already had enough souls on her conscience. She didn’t need any more.
On top of all that—as if that wasn’t enough reason—River was only one person. Yes, she was incredibly powerful and born with volatile magic, but still. Just one person.