Page 172 of Love & Heart Braking

Bortyss clenched his jaw. “My father said I could lead her outside.”

“I don’t know about that. Your grandmother has summoned you though.”

The siren’s nostrils thinned, and he tossed the end of the leash to Li. “Take her then.”

I didn’t move from my position on the ground. I needed the siren to go away.

And he did.

I released a long breath, then stood.

The Blum woman looked at Li. “You’ll regret that. He’ll find out as soon as he reaches her.”

Li smirked. “By then it will be too late.” She yanked on the chain, and I stumbled forward.

“Wait,” the Blum said. “There’s these too.” She strode to the hanger and pulled off something I’d soundly ignored.

Sparkly wings.

These people were idiots.

“Put them on.” She shoved them at me.

Once my wings were in place, Li jerked me out into the hall, and I hurried after the two taller women down the spiraling tower stairs. We entered the garden, passed the lab, and then we were walking into an area of the aviary I’d never seen.

Mantel and her ancestors had kept this part of the garden as a giant meadow. A maze of stone pathways and wildflowers, the flat surface was only disrupted by an amphitheater that descended out of sight. Assumedly for the purposes of the wedding, a hovering tent made of dripping silver sat to one side, champagne towers visible within.

A glinting caught my eye, and I craned my neck to see two cages, one silver and one gold, floating high above the amphitheater.

I’d take one guess…

“Enjoy today,” Li Boquit said conversationally as I scanned the huge area and the guests appearing through the garden paths.

I rose my brows, and her lips curved. “Tomorrow, we have plans for you. The Cinereses’ healer is positive that the answer to your magic lies deeper.”

My stomach lurched.

She laughed with the Blum woman. “We’ll see how quiet you are about your other magic after he’s cut into you. He has two theories, bone and brain.”

By Vulcan, they were going to open me up? I knew better than to think that they’d kill me before they had their answers, but as Acribus had said to Lerome, there was a lot they could do to me while alive.

I tilted my chin.

“Aw, she’s being brave,” the Blum cooed sarcastically.

They both laughed.

“I’ll take her from here,” a deep voice boomed.

Li hissed. “I have her, Tiqlig,”

I peered up at the towering earth guardian. The Ventram from the negotiations. The sphinx, Xix, was directly behind him. I blinked at the thick white ribbon connecting them. Huh, they shared a family bond.

Tiqlig smiled. “You have her currently, yes. And you are about to pass the leash into my hand.” He held out his large hand, palm up.

Looking like she’d swallowed a tentacle, Li passed over the chain.

“The Dethnels are calling,” the earth guardian said, a mocking smirk on his lips.

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