Jeri stood beside Crissy and glanced at Princess Kara’s bow in her hand. She was going to be protected by an archer. That was something she’d never considered happening in her life. She looked around at the Alterealm royals and was a bit taken aback by their appearances. All of them were in black leather and had weapons hanging off of them. She felt like she’d been transported back in time.
Crissy handed her an earbud. “My phone is connected, so you can listen in.” She nodded.
Jeri put it in her ear and then jolted to hear the voices in her ear.
“Are we doing this stealthy or mayhem?” One of the men said.
“Mayhem is a method now?” She actually recognized Pince Leone’s voice.
“If we let Daxx go first, it is.” The other man, possibly Emil, said.
“Har har, guys.” There was no mistaking Queen Daxx’s voice.
She watched Trendan talk to King Troy, and then Prince Quinton was waved over. When he reached them, he nodded and pulled one of the large blades off his back.
King Troy touched his ear. “Prince Trendan is going to lend a hand.”
She looked back to see Trendan was holding the large sword in one hand and moving it around.
“Probably better for you, Quint, two are getting pretty heavy for an old guy.” That was Prince Rafael, but he sounded less princely than she’d ever heard.
“I’ll show you old, punk. Next practice. You and me.” Quinton growled. She looked over to see that he looked amused as he said it.
Turning to Kara, she leaned closer. “Am I to go inside? Where should I be?” She froze when she noticed everyone turned and looked at her.
Kara smiled and reached over and touched the earbud in Jeri’s ear. “We’re going inside, and we have the door, so no one gets by us.”
Jeri nodded but didn’t speak because she wasn’t sure if she would be broadcasting to all if she did. She glanced at Trendan to see Princess Paisley giving him something. He put it in his ear, so she knew it was also an earbud.
He nodded to her and then looked over at Jeri. As he walked toward her, she couldn’t help but notice that his entire gait had changed. He wasn’t that man she’d had breakfast with. He was the man she had seen in his soul’s life. His eyes were filled with the excitement that life should bring someone.
She smiled when he reached her and then looked at the weapon. “You’ll have to grow your hair out again.”
His grin was big. “It is a lot of work.”
He was kidding with her. She liked this side of him. Prince Victor walked by, and she saw the severe expression on his face and was reminded of why they were there. “You don’t think there’s a need for that, do you?” She pointed to the sword.
He looked at it and then studied her for a moment. “It is better to be prepared.”
She nodded. “Hopefully, you won’t need it—even though you look like you want to need it.”
He leaned closer, winced, and then stepped back. She touched the pendant hanging around her neck.
“Sorry.”
He shook his head. “Don’t be. You need to wear it to be safe. That takes priority over anything else I may want.”
The look he gave her made her inside catch fire. She’d never been so aware of a man in this way before. She wanted to say it was the soul connection but knew that would be a lie. Trendan was a very good-looking man. When he looked at her, it made her feel sexy and aware.
“We’re going in.” Kara looked at Trendan and then smiled. “You would have made a good Viking.”
Trendan glanced at Jeri, and they both laughed.
Jeri followed behind Crissy, Kara right beside her as they went down the very cluttered garbage alley and along the side of the building they were going in. She turned on the earbud because if there was a problem, she wanted to be aware of it. She felt like she should have had some sort of weapon, but in truth, she didn’t know how to use anything, so it would have been an accessory only.
“Crissy, you and Kara hang back with Jeri until we’re inside.” That was Rafael’s voice again.
“You have until the count of twenty, and then I’m coming in to cover you,” Kara answered.
Rafael leaned around Quinton and looked back at her. He looked amused.
“Women with skills.” Prince Arius said. There was no mistaking his voice at all. It was calmer, almost soothing—the exact opposite of his appearance.
“You watch your step,” Paisley said through the earbud. “Or those skills will have to save your butt again.”
Several of them chuckled.
Jeri looked ahead to see that Trendan looked just as entertained by the chatter as the royal siblings did. She had never thought about preparing for a fight before, but to her, going in with a light heart was probably better than stiff serious—but she knew nothing about it, so it could just be her.
Crissy stopped and held out a knife to her. Jeri looked at it and then gave her a wide-eyed look and shook her head.
“I’d probably stab myself.”
Someone chuckled. ‘Wouldn’t be the first time.”
“It was once,” Chase said and then stopped and glared at Quinton.
“I hate being left behind.” Alona’s voice came through the earbud. “I don’t know when that happened. I used to dread this, but now I miss it.”
Someone snorted. “I need this so much.” It was Autumn. “It better not take too long. I want to be back before Viola’s nap is over.”
“I’m just happy no one is crying.” It was Prince Michael.
“Give it time,” Leone said, “Quint will be after because he’s getting old.”
“Now is the time for silence.” Prince Victor announced.
Jeri looked to the front and saw they were outside the door to the building now. Gone was the relaxed feeling from the sibling banter, and in its place was pure adrenalin and fear. She was afraid of what was on the other side of that door.
“No movement near any of the exits.” It sounded like Prince Emil. “I’m coming over, and I’ll come down from the roof.”
“Raf, you and Michael get up there and meet him in case he runs into trouble.” King Troy said.
“I’ll take the fire escape up. Michael, you run up once you’re inside.” Rafael said.
“Why do I always get the stairs?” Michael mumbled.
“If we don’t go through that door in two seconds, I’m going to start swinging out here,” Daxx stated. “Let’s get the party started.”
“There it is,” Quinton said. “Now we can enter.”
It sounded like Alona was laughing wherever she was. “I love all of you. Not one hair better get damaged.”
“Go look at the sleeping baby, Duchess,” Chase said with such love in his voice that Jeri had to look at the ground before tears filled her eyes.
The sound of a crash of breaking wood startled her. “Go now, Kins.” Someone said.
Jeri realized that a few of the Royals and their guards were missing. It made sense that there was more than one exit and entrance to the building, so they must be elsewhere.
“We hit the jackpot over here.” A woman said. “Might need a few more bodies.”
“Quinton, Paisley. Go help, Kinsley.” Troy said quickly.
“On our way,” Paisley said.
“We’re in.” A male voice said. “Bart and Woods had to break through the door.”
“How’s it looking there?” Someone grunted, and then Jeri realized the others that were in front of her had scattered and were fighting with men she’d never seen before.
“A few stragglers.” The man answered.
“Go help Emil and—” A low growl came over the earbud. “Kinsley, when you’re done.”
“Yes, sir.” Another voice replied.
Jeri followed Crissy over to a corner, and then she was able to see what was happening. If given the choice, she would have preferred to put her hands over her eyes so she couldn’t see at all, but she needed to be aware and ready.
“This looks like guards’ quarters up here,” Emil said.
“This floor, too.” Michael hissed out a breath.
“We knew there were—” Troy paused, and she heard grunting and quickly looked around to find him. He used two of those large swords against a man equal to his size. “—more guards somewhere.”
“Guess they got tired of living under the city,” Bethany said. “Oh, I don’t think so.” She hissed. “One for you at the bottom, Rafael.”
“Rats moved—into a—building.” Quinton was fighting with another large man.
Jeri turned and looked to see Kara had her bow drawn and was calmly watching what was happening. How she was so calm, she didn’t know. Glancing at Crissy, she was momentarily shocked to find her crouched down almost in front of her with the same knife she’d offered her held out from her body.
Jeri was just about to ask if she really needed to be here when she jerked her head back in the other direction to look at a man who rushed by her. His soul was blacker than anyone she’d ever seen. “That man’s soul is black.” She pointed, and Kara looked in that direction.
“Victor. To your right.” She released the arrow, and the man collapsed on the floor.
“I have him,” Victor said in a tone that would make one believe he was out for a Sunday stroll and not in the middle of a battle with giants that rivaled his own size. He ducked under the swing of a man with a much thinner sword and reached toward the man that Kara had seemingly knocked out. The man disappeared. Prince Victor rolled and sprung back to his feet just in time to stop the blade of the other man from reaching his body.
“Solrelm royals have some moves too,” Arius said.
Jeri’s heart stopped. She’d forgotten that Trendan was in this mass chaos of bodies. She looked quickly and then saw him. He was fighting as she’d seen him in his soul’s memories. One hand wielding the large weapon like it was a flyswatter and not a heavy piece of metal. When his opponent’s sword connected with his, she was able to differentiate that clang in the many sounds she was hearing through the earbud.
“Some,” Trendan said. “Do.” He wasn’t as chatty as the others, and she was very thankful for that.
“Lookout.” Kara gave her a nudge.
Jeri reacted and ducked down as she sidestepped. A man was coming toward them. He wasn’t carrying a sword, but he did have the look of bloody vengeance on his face.
“Not today.” Kara released another arrow, and the man looked like he melted in mid-step and slid to the floor. “Love these tips.” She said. “Don’t step on the one napping behind you, Daxx.”
Someone snorted. “Dance on his face,” Daxx said. Jeri watched Daxx, who also had two blades, although they weren’t near the size of the ones the men had. She stepped back, put both blades in one hand, and pulled something off her waist. Dropping down to one knee, she held it over the man, and he disappeared. She let go of what she had in her hand and then put a sword back in it.
“This is great.” there was no mistaking Autumn’s voice. “I needed this.”
“Save some for the rest of us, dynamo,” Chase said in a winded voice.
“Go get your own,” Autumn responded.
Jeri looked around and then saw Autumn on the stairs against two men who looked like they were trying to come down or possibly run up them; she wasn’t sure. Autumn had no weapons in her hands at all. Jeri sucked in a breath when Autumn grabbed the banister and used both feet to jump and kick the one man in the chest. He tipped and then thudded down the stairs like he was made of rubber. “One for you, Victor,” Autumn said as she confronted the other man.
“Many thanks,” Victor said and went toward the stairs.