Faris’s mouth dropped open. “How did you know?”

“He’s the other half of my soul, vampire. And no amount of blending with you can take that away.” She stepped closer, and lifted her sword that he’d not even see her draw. “Let him speak, or forever hold your piece.”

Faris backed away and Liam waited until he was sure there would be no interference.

Slowly, he stepped forward. “I don’t think it was his fault, Rylee.”

Inside his head, Faris’s shock reverberated through him. Damn it, wolf, I do not want to like you.

“What do you mean?”

“I think the binding is doing things he didn’t expect. Except for that last bit where he tried to make you believe he was me, there has been no deception.”

Can’t blame a guy for trying, Faris muttered.

She looked at Griffin. “How long before they totally merge?”

Griffin rolled his shoulders and stood, letting him stand. Liam pushed to his feet, but didn’t touch Rylee. He didn’t want her to think it was Faris trying to take advantage of her again.

“Griffin, how long?” Rylee bit the question out a second time.

“A day, two at most, yeah?” He shook his head. “Shame, I was hoping the boy would follow in my footsteps.”

Rylee nodded, walked toward Liam, and cupped his face in her hands. “No matter what, I love you. If you and Faris truly merge, I will love you. Your soul is mine, to the end. And Faris, if you want me to love you, then stop dicking around. No more games.”

Faris was very quiet, retreating to the far recesses of his mind. Which, as far as Liam was concerned, was fine.

She went up on her toes and kissed him softly. There was a moment he felt alone with her and all he wanted was to bury his face against her bare skin and breathe her in.

But the moment passed too quickly and they stepped apart.

“Why is it that we’re always in the middle of a crisis again?” he asked softly. “I’m thinking this might be your fault.”

She laughed, and though it wasn’t a full belly laugh, it was a start.

“Not this time, Wolf. It’s all on you.”

CHAPTER 17

LARK

RYLEE LET GO of her man and looked to me. “Where to?”

This was where things got a bit tricky. “The Rim is what we call our home, where all earth elementals reside. It is hidden from humans and other supernaturals.”

“Like with the Veil?” Pamela asked. No surprise there that she asked the question first.

“It doesn’t matter, little witch. What matters is that getting you into the Rim may be difficult. My people aren’t known for welcoming strangers into their home. Elementals are . . . reluctant to let others know they even exist.”

“Are they going to fight us?” Rylee slid her sword back into its sheath. That was something else I had to dig up while we were here.

The sword I’d made for Rylee over ten years ago, right before I’d met her in Las Vegas. Right before I’d been stuffed into the oubliette.

I shook my head to clear my wayward thoughts. “No, but they’ll try and block you.”

Griffin snorted. “It’s why I live as far out in the forest as I do, yeah?”

I pointed at the two Harpies. “You two stay here. Griffin, are you coming with us?”

He grinned, his white teeth catching what little light there was. “Wouldn’t miss it for the world, yeah?”

With a nod, I took the lead, and started toward my home, a place I hadn’t been in almost thirty years. First I’d been ousted to the desert as banishment for flaunting the rules of my people, and then stuffed into the oubliette for helping Rylee.

A wash of disappointment slid over me. None of the things I’d done were truly wrong, they just were not what my father and his people wanted me to do. Peta’s claws dug lightly through the shirt on my shoulder, her mouth right by my ear.

“Easy, Lark. They can’t deny you forever. And your sister will help.”

That’s what I was hoping.

Cactus jogged up to my side. “Are we going to Bella?”

“Yes, that’s the plan.”

Griffin cleared his throat. “Your sister isn’t in the Rim proper-like. She’s living in your old place at the very edge with her daughter.”

Adjusting my trajectory, I kept walking. Cactus brushed my hand with his and I took his fingers for a moment, squeezing them. Of all the people in my life, he knew how difficult this was for me. To come home and once again be treated like I was useless.

Or worse, a threat.

We stayed to the edge of the Rim, all the way around the perimeter, until we came to my home. The tree was wide at the base and had a pulley system with a simple loop of rope for a foothold that would take me up. The main living quarters were fifty feet above us in the tree and carved into the trunk itself.

I glanced at everyone. “Wait here. I don’t want to freak my sister out. Rylee, come with me.”

Rylee jogged over to me. “You don’t think I would freak her out?”

Bella needed to know this was serious. And if she saw Rylee, there would be no doubt we were fighting the final battle in a matter of days.

“Yes, you probably will, but I think you should come anyway.” I reached up and tugged the rope, the pulley system working silently as it sent the foot loop down to us. Stuffing my foot into the loop I held out a hand for Rylee.

I caught her around the waist, winding one hand through the rope as I tugged on a second rope that would release the counter weight with my other hand.