Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
We had our order packaged to go. Dawn was not happy, and Rian watched us all too knowingly.
As we left the restaurant with Crispin’s hand on my lower back, I made a mental note to investigate Rian’s motive for dating my ex boss.
If he was only trying to get more information on what his king was up to, he was going to the top of my shit list.
And yeah, maybe the people trying to kidnap me should have been up there, but you know, girl code.
Sebastian met us out on the street. I started to explain what happened, but he lifted his hand to cut me off. “Marcie informed me.” He looked both ways, as if the celestial in question might still be watching, even though she had agreed to meet me at the gates to the Bogs.
Because that was where we were going. If my great grandfather was really after me, I needed to be beyond a boundary. Not that it would stop him personally from reaching me, but it would stop most of his henchmen, especially if they were all werewolves and fairies.
With one arm loosely around my waist, Sebastian hailed a cab. One stopped almost immediately, even though it was a busy evening on a popular strip of restaurants and bars. That was usually the case with Sebastian. I was still working out how he did it.
He opened the door for me and I climbed inside, with Crispin going around to the other door.
Soon I was sandwiched between the guys with Ringo on my shoulder, boxed up fancy mac and cheese and matcha beignets on my lap.
We’d had the option to wait longer for Crispin’s steak, but he’d been as itchy to get out of there as I had.
When we were all silent, the driver flipped on the radio.
An old school rock ballad oozed out of the speakers, making the tense situation feel a bit ridiculous.
I couldn’t wait to be out of the cab where Sebastian could pop up an eavesdropping bubble so we could actually speak.
The bubbles had to be rooted to one spot, so it wouldn’t work while we were moving.
Obviously feeling brave after offering to claw a gargoyle’s eyes out—even though he’d offered after the gargoyle was gone—Ringo hopped down to my lap next to the takeout boxes. He looked at the boxes, then up at me pleadingly.
I shook my head. “You can wait until we get there.” There was no way I was getting green matcha icing on my dress.
“You treat that thing like a child,” Sebastian tsked. “It’s older than you by several decades.”
I glared. “He’s not an it.” Shaking my head for a different reason, I flipped open the lid of the top takeout box where the beignets were hidden.
Ringo went to town, not at all worried about being called an it.
In fact, he didn’t seem to care much about insults as long as he was safe and fed.
While I couldn’t provide the safe part, I could at least provide the latter.
Still, the thought made me sad. I could no longer even imagine what it might feel like to be back in my apartment with Braxton, unworried about being kidnapped, or having my roommate dropped off a rooftop by vampires.
After a while Crispin tapped my shoulder, and I realized we were as near to the Bogs as the street would allow. Only a long, dark winding path stood between us and the gates.
“Are you alright?” Crispin whispered. “I’m sorry I didn’t reach you before the gargoyle fled.”
I forced a smile. I had told him that the gargoyle fled before I could figure out his intent, and I hadn’t mentioned the angelic at all. Marcie hadn’t given away my little lie, even though she had likely seen both of them and had bided her time before appearing in the bathroom.
I would tell the guys the truth eventually, after I figured out if I wanted to meet the angelic tomorrow.
If she and her gargoyles really wanted to work with me to reach the blade, I could at least hear them out.
I was tired of endangering those I cared out.
Maybe it was time to let someone else take some of the heat.
Sebastian stepped out onto the dark sidewalk—there were few streetlights in this part of the city—then held the door open for me.
I closed Ringo’s now-empty beignet box, spared a silent apology to my ruined dress, then got out with both food boxes in hand.
My mac and cheese would be cold by the time we reached the Citadel, but I still planned on devouring every single bite.
And maybe I’d have some goblin wine while I was at it.
Crispin and Sebastian walked on opposite sides of me, their shoulders tense as if I might be snatched up any second. When Marcie appeared on the path ahead of us, we all jumped.
“It’s about time.” Her dark eyes were pinched, her full mouth grim. “Let us place you beyond the border, then we’ll talk.”
“Sebastian can’t cross the border,” I said. “And Crispin will need permission. I texted Mistral and Gabriel, but they won’t see the messages until they come close enough to the boundary to get reception.”
I felt Sebastian’s eavesdropping bubble pop up around us, and realized I should have waited before speaking. You never knew what might be overheard and used against us.
Crispin made a funny face getting his ears to pop, then held up a finger. “Actually, Mistral has granted me permission to return without escort.” His voice trailed off by the end, as if he were reluctant to speak the words in front of Sebastian.
Marcie narrowed her eyes, but nodded. “Good. You can help me escort her to the goblins. Although if my grandfather is willing to come to this realm, no one will be able to stand against him.”
I did not like the sound of that one bit. I had no idea what powers an ancient celestial might possess, and I wasn’t keen to find out. “Where’s my mom?”
“I don’t know,” Marcie sighed, some of the fight going out of her. “And that’s for the best. If she learns our grandfather is now after you, she’ll return to this realm and risk herself. We must not lead him to her. We have to take care of this ourselves, before he comes for you.”
And here I’d been worrying about dinner and wine. “You really think he’ll come himself?”
“I cannot say. He has hidden away for a long time. I don’t know what finally inspired him to place a bounty on your mother’s head.
All I know is that we must all elude him until—” She hesitated, as if she couldn’t quite bring herself to admit that we were planning on murdering our own family member.
Even though he was planning on killing my mother if he could.
“We’re working on it.” I glanced at Sebastian. As far as I knew, we hadn’t heard anything more from Penelope. Once she agreed to tell us where my great grandfather was hiding, we could move forward with our plan.
“Good.” Marcie stepped closer. “Now let us bring you beyond the boundary. Celestials may be capable of reaching you, but only if they know where to look. They won’t be able to sense you amongst all that wild magic. It’s why your mother chose to hide there when she first fled.”
I nearly leapt into Sebastian’s arms at the sound of wings behind us, slightly muffled by the bubble. Straightening, I glared back at Lucas as he landed, then my ears plugged up again as Sebastian shifted the bubble to include him.
Marcie briefly repeated the plan.
Lucas’ expression darkened with every word. “And what am I supposed to do? Wait out here for you both to be taken hostage?”
“I would never give away my sister’s location,” Marcie hissed.
Lucas flexed his hands. He always seemed on the verge of wanting to pummel someone. “No, but if Eva were taken, she would come for her. She would sacrifice herself, and then where would we be?”
“The Bogs is the best place to hide,” Marcie argued.
Lucas flicked his wings. “I cannot fulfill my oath were I cannot go.”
“We are wasting time,” Sebastian interrupted, his voice low. “We can continue this argument after Eva is safe.”
I raised my eyebrows at him, surprised he was all for the new plan even though he couldn’t come along.
“If he takes you,” he muttered, “none of us will be able to reach you.”
I wasn’t so sure Marcie couldn’t, but I also had a feeling she would be less willing to sacrifice herself than my mother.
If I got taken, my mom was as good as dead, and the pathways would all be healed.
Maybe my great grandfather would let me live, but I doubted it.
I would probably never see any of the guys again.
There were so many things I should have said at such a pivotal moment, but I couldn’t think of a damn one. “Okay.”
I sensed Gabriel before he appeared, like a pulse of golden light in my chest. Both Crispin and Sebastian turned in the direction of the gates before any of us could have possibly seen him.
Once his broad shoulders came into view, something inside of me relaxed, ever so slightly. He still wore the same clothes I’d last seen him in, and I knew he and Mistral must have been busy keeping an eye on things in the Bogs. The bubble shifted again to include him as he approached.
He went to me first, putting a protective arm around my shoulders. “We came to the border for reception and got your text.” He looked at Sebastian. “You have been granted permission to enter our lands. If an ancient celestial might come for Eva, we cannot turn away someone who will defend her.”
Sebastian didn’t so much as blink in response. I, however, could barely keep up with all the new developments.
Marcie huffed. “Very well. Extra protection must not be turned away, even if it comes in an undesirable form.”
Lucas flicked his wings again. “If permission can so easily be granted, then I require it as well. I will fulfill my oath.”
Gabriel looked down at me, as if it was somehow my choice.
I gritted my teeth. I didn’t like Lucas at the best of times, but at the worst… Well, he could be handy. “We’ll ask Mistral, but you’ll have to wait out here until we do.”
“Fine,” Lucas grumbled.
“Then let us be off.” Marcie gestured in the direction of the gates, and we all started walking.