Phoebe was wearing the blue wool satin faille robe over his favorite leather armor. She could see his sword pommel poking out through the robe opening, telling her he’d come armed for a fight.
“I borrowed it from a guy,” Phoebe answered without a lick of guilt. Then he caressed his daughter’s cheeks in both hands and turned serious.
“We couldn’t just barge in through the front doors, y’know? We were able to follow the Alexis family’s carriage thanks to the dove you set free, but things got trickier from there. We made a couple of people outside and inside the ruins take a little nap and stripped them of these robes that are seriously in bad taste.”
He cast his gaze toward the unceasing ruckus.
“His Excellency, Lord Linus, and I came down into the ruins. Lady Michaela and Johanna are waiting in the carriages outside.”
Apparently, this was a full-scale rescue mission.
Rock was moved to tears as she thought of each person who had come for her.
“You’ll reach the main sanctuary if you return down the path I came. You can’t miss it—the hall’s full of benches.”
Phoebe jabbed his thumb over his shoulder, pointing out his path. The main sanctuary room was probably the same space she’d passed on her way here. She’d seen the cultists with their heads bowed in prayer there.
“His Excellency and Lord Linus are tearing the place apart as we speak. The plan was to scare the living daylights outta the cultists until they ran for it, which seems to have gone swimmingly. It’s safer there now. Go to him.”
“Okay. Thank you, Father.” Rock nodded, then shared the information she had obtained during her time there. “By the way, I ran into Krister here.”
Phoebe furrowed his brows.
“Krister? Was he in one piece?”
“He’s alive. He said they broke his leg when they kidnapped him.”
“And here I thought he’d willingly joined their ranks,” Phoebe said sarcastically, but he couldn’t hide his smile. He was probably relieved to hear the other tailor was mostly okay.
“I met with him in this area earlier. He might still be around here somewhere.”
“Should I fetch him while I scout out the area?”
Phoebe seemed keen on looking for him, so Rock quickly let him know what he needed to watch out for.
“Watch out, Lord and Lady Alexis are further in. They’re with someone called the bishop, who seems like a child to me.”
“A child?” Phoebe raised an eyebrow but shook his head, seemingly deciding it was best not to think about it. “I’ll just look for Krister right now. Go find His Excellency in the sanctuary.”
“I will. But try not to get hurt, Father.”
Rock trusted her father’s skills, but she still worried about him.
“I won’t get hurt,” Phoebe answered her worry with confidence. “We’ve gotta get home and open up shop before the dust settles.”
“You’ve got that right. I’d hate for everyone to think we ran away from paying rent.”
Keeping the shop closed for days was horrible for business.
If we get home safe, I need to quickly get business going again and make back our losses.
“See you later, Roxy,” Phoebe said, lowering his arms so she could leave. But after looking down at her face like he was loath to part with her, he closed the gap between them and pecked her on the forehead.
The sensation tickled a laugh out of her.
“That’s embarrassing, Father.”
“You did it first. I’m just getting revenge!”
After that light exchange, father and daughter temporarily parted with a smile.
Rock broke into another run toward the sanctuary.
The ruckus sounded as loud as ever, and she even heard beastly howls. It was kind of funny, trying to imagine Ebel and Guido trashing the place, given their usual demeanor.
Thinking about them filled Rock with joy.
She was dying to see him and thank him.
Phoebe’s directions accurately led her straight into the sanctuary.
The room she’d passed through mere hours ago looked like a disaster site with all the benches smashed to pieces. Nothing was left standing. The werewolves had trashed everything from the tapestries covering the limestone walls to the rugs and even the altar.
Only two figures loomed in that destroyed space—both sharing the same black fur, triangular ears, sharp fangs, and golden eyes.
The two werewolves turned toward Rock in unison as she bounded into the room.
“Roxy!” one of them howled, his golden eyes flaring open.
Rock knew it was him. It didn’t matter how many werewolves were around, she’d never mistake his velvety voice.
She dashed toward him, jumping over the debris in her path. She nearly tripped over a broken bench, but by that point, two furry arms had already wrapped her in their secure embrace.
“Ebel! I knew you’d come!” Rock cried out, throwing her arms around him. Ebel rubbed his wet nose and furry cheek against her head.
“I’m so glad you’re all right, Roxy!”
“I’m perfectly okay, thanks to you,” she answered, gazing into the golden eyes just above her.
Even the color of those eyes, which was unique to werewolves, were beautiful and precious when she associated them with him. Of the several different werewolves she’d met, only Ebel’s visage was special to her. Unable to resist that beloved fluff, Rock returned his nuzzle by rubbing her cheek against his.
“Thank you so, so much…for coming.”
“You are my light. I can’t live without you,” Ebel said, his voice trembling with every emotion.
A surly sigh echoed behind the hugging couple.
Rock looked over her shoulder to see the other werewolf giving his broad shoulders a cynical shrug.
“It would’ve been entertaining if you picked wrong. How could you tell just by his voice?”
That whining voice undeniably belonged to Guido Linus.
“Roxy would never mistake you for me,” Ebel retorted with absolute confidence and looked to Rock for affirmation.
“Hmph! You say that when even we can’t tell each other apart in the mirror?” Guido snorted, sounding a little jealous, which got a laugh out of Rock.
“I can’t tell your faces apart, but I know Ebel’s body.”
“Right, you’ve measured me in this form before, too,” Ebel said, backing her up with a wolfish nod.
But Guido was the kind of man who wasn’t satisfied unless he got the last word. His nostrils flared with a second snort.
“And what kind of measuring was that? Can you swear before God that that was a chaste act, Ebel?”
Rock and Ebel instinctively looked at each other when they heard his quip.
“I’m sorry,” Ebel said with a chuckle to the blushing Rock. “Guido can’t help feeling embarrassed and awkward around you.”
That probably had something to do with the quarrel they’d had before Michaela’s birthday party. Not only did Rock not care about that anymore, but she was actually grateful to the Linus siblings now.
“I am truly grateful to Lord Linus and his sister,” she said from within Ebel’s arms.
“You should be. Make sure you tell Michaela the same thing,” Guido shot back.