Page 42 of Wicked Ties
The others stood in a loose circle. Each had changed into battle gear. Weapons were strapped around their bodies, and magic seeped off them. Everyone was in various shades of black shirts, leather pants, and thick combat boots. Maze moved to the center, getting everyone’s attention.
“You all know the plan. My parents are there waiting for us. They will draw her out and it’s up to us to hold her long enough for Tilly and I to get the bottles that hold the Keres’ souls. If we can’t hold her . . . well, it wouldn’t be the first villain we’ve put down, would it?”
All eyes swung to Beckett. He gave us all an unapologetic shrug. “Truth.”
I shuffled from one foot to the other. Energy was pumping through my veins. “Okay. Let’s do this.”
Astrid opened a portal right next to us. The air shimmered in hazy, wavy lines. It wasn’t bright blue like Beckett’s. It was more subtle. Using her portal would let us go in silently and without warning, like walking through an open door. We’d be there one moment and gone the next. Beckett was the first to go through, followed by Astrid.
Grayson winked at me as he followed in next. “This ought to be fun.”
Kylian paused, glancing around the school and looking like he was waiting for something. The ground shook beneath my feet and the grass moved to the side like a manhole had been opened. Soto, the tiny Unseelie Astrid had brought back with her, leapt through the hole and landed next to Kylian, “Wait, I’m here!”
“Decided to get out of bed, did you?” A humorless chuckle escaped his lips.
“Only a fight could drag me from something so heavenly.”
Though she was a few inches shorter than me, she had skills none of us had—skills to survive. She’d lived in the deadly Unseelie realm her whole life, where even the air tried to kill. Yet she did it with ease, blending in with the elements. Her skin was a pale, shimmery green with tiny scales around her temple and on the side of her neck. Her hair was braided close to her head on one side and spiked up on the rest.
She held out a knife the size of her forearm. “Ophelia gave it to me. I’m ready now.”
“Yeah, don’t die.” Ophelia’s voice echoed around the courtyard, but I still didn’t see her. “You know, without us.”
Logan waved Soto and Kylian toward the portal. “Go before she tackles us all and runs through.”
Soto glared at him. “I’m not sharing my gift.”
“I have my own.” Exasperation laced his words, and he sighed. His power flowed for a second. “Go. Now.”
Soto straightened like she’d been zapped with something, then marched through the portal, obeying the power of his charm speak. Kylian chuckled and followed close behind her. Maze and I were the last two to go through. I didn’t look at him and he didn’t look at me, but I felt his presence there. It was a constant comfort. I sucked in a deep breath and stepped through, knowing he would be with me.
Vague memories of being at the Circus of Freaks flashed through my mind, but the place looked nearly abandoned now. That creepy circus music played in the background, and I wondered if they ever shut it off. A dilapidated merry-go-round groaned and creaked, and a high-pitched squeaking sound pierced the night.
Maze groaned and rolled his eyes beside me. “They never shut it off.”
The plastic horses children would ride were falling apart. In some cases, they looked like they were about to die. The carnival was set up much the way I remembered from when Maze brought me here. It was meant to both terrify and intrigue people. Signs for the half-wolf boy and psychic readings were hanging off half-broken poles on tents. On the other side of the walkway was a smashed fish tank. The glass still littered the ground in front of it, and I forced myself to hide my smile. I put my foot through that when I wasn’t pleased with a siren. It felt like a long time ago, but in truth it wasn’t.
The main show tent sat at the end of the long line of tents, and we walked right past it. Maze’s mom tiptoed to myside while the others broke off from our group and disappeared between the tents to go around behind the Crone. His father walked a few feet behind us. He didn’t look at us or say a word. Tension rolled between the three of them—the dysfunctional family that wanted to protect each other.
“Are you sure, my son?” She whispered so low I could barely hear her.
Maze didn’t even answer her. He just kept on walking. The plan was to surround the Crone from all sides. Maze, Astrid, Beckett, and I stuck together to take the head-on approach. His parents would help where they could, but they weren’t nearly as powerful or strong as the rest of us. I expected to have to draw her out, to have to lure her to us in some way. Butt when we got closer to her tent, she stood there under the moonlight. My muscles twitched with the need to go, to move, to fight.
The last time I saw her, she looked younger, with curves for days, long white hair down to her waist, and sapphire-blue eyes. The only reason she looked like that and not her usual old haggard self was because she’d just fed off of the magic of a soulmate bond. Now she’d begun to age once more, and her skin held wrinkles around her eyes and lips. Her hair was no longer smooth but frizzing. The tight black dress she wore sagged in some places on her body.
She stood there with two balls of magic in her hands. She smiled at Maze as soon as she got sight of him. “Mazerial, how lovely to see you.”
He didn’t offer her the same fake pleasantries. “You know why we’re here?”
“I have my suspicions.” She tossed the balls up and down, catching them in her hands. “Did you think you’d come in undetected? Like I wouldn’t know?”
A shiver went down my spine when a wide smile spread across her face. “I’m looking forward to this. Oh, look at the Castalia family showing unity. How . . . adorable.” She chuckled at his parents. “So quick to forfeit your son after so many years, and all for a demon girl. If I had known it’d be this easy, then I would’ve orchestrated this a long time ago.”
Enough of this. I flicked my wrist, giving the signal to attack, then I sprinted at her as fast as I could. Kylian came from one side while Grayson took another and Logan the next. The four of us went at her full force. She threw one of those energy balls at me and I slid to the ground like a baseball player sliding into second base. I popped to my feet as it soared over my head and exploded behind me. Fire lit up the area, and the blast made me stumble forward. Heat swarmed my back from the blast, but I didn’t turn to watch it. I kept my eyes on her as I righted myself and began running toward her once more.
She spun around and fired another ball at Grayson. He didn’t even blink an eye. He just side-stepped it and kept on charging. Another explosion went off and more fire lit the dark area. Kylian drew his sword at the same time as I drew my knife. The four of us were the first wave. I leapt into the air, bringing the knife down toward her throat. Two long swords appeared in her hands from thin air. Metal clanged against metal as she deflected our blows. She threw her arms out, knocking us back, then turned just as Grayson brought a sword to her throat. She blocked the swing with hers. Sparks flew from the metal.
“Young Shade, you have much to learn.”
