Page 56 of Wings and Shadowthief

He knew he was their best hope against Seth, though he wasn’t sure his power would be enough. Seth had more experience than he, and when he’d displayed a staggering amount of power in the past, he’d done so without breaking a sweat. There was no saying what the demigod was truly capable of.

Still on his knees, Seth smirked. “Sure. Just as soon as I’m allowed to stop kneeling, that is.”

“He’s still in control,” Gwen breathed. “Well, a little at least.”

There was no time to work out how much. “To the closest portal.”

Seth had told them there was one at the entry of the queen’s brugh.

They ran in tight formation as the guards followed, hearing the queen scream at Seth. “What are you doing! Follow them.”

“I will. You won’t mind if I make a cup of tea, first, naturally.”

Hunter would have laughed, if he hadn’t been too busy chucking fireballs behind them to slow down their enemies.

The queen’s gaudy manor was in sight. “Hold hands!” Gwen reminded them. He grabbed on to Tris’s and his mate’s, still racing. The wolves, having no time to shift, closed their fangs around Hunter’s and Mikar’s ankles as gently as they could as Cat and Blair joined the chain.

The second time Gwen opened the portal was as unpleasant as the first, but at least when they reached the other side Hunter was still with them, rather than imprisoned by three creepy goddesses.

They stood on Seth’s yacht, in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea.

Gwen closed her arms around Hunter’s shoulders, drawing him in. He held on like she was a lifeline. “You’re still naked,” Gwen reminded him.

Hunter chuckled against her cheek.

“Tell me someone knows how to drive this thing,” Mikar grunted.

Cat was a competent helmsman, though they remained on high alert through the trip to the nearest coast, half expecting the queen and her men to follow.

Aveka had taken a hit today; she was licking her wounds for now, no doubt.

On the other hand, she had Seth—their spy, one of their strongest allies, and in her hands, a devastating weapon.

That meant one thing.

They’d lost.

Chloe wasn’t done yelling.

They’d arrived in Oldcrest three hours ago, and the woman had screamed at them almost the entire time since—though she whisper-yelled when her pretty baby girl was anywhere close.

Gwen would have returned to the dorms, had she not felt like she deserved to be yelled at some more.

Their plan had been ridiculous, and executed poorly. They’d gone in with half the information, hot-headed, and they’d been dealt a catastrophic blow.

“I’ve lost one of my best friends today,” Chloe whispered, her voice breaking.

That was worse than the yelling.

Blair, shouldering the burden of their failure, was gone, leaving a note behind. A note telling them not to look for her until Aveka was dealt with. She’d taken a part of Seth with her, to ensure he could continue to fight Aveka’s influence.

“Blair will be back,” Levi said soothingly. “And though our friends were perhaps ill advised, they were—”

“Don’t. We messed up,” Hunter stated. “There’s no other way of saying it.”

“Not entirely.”

Gwen turned to Levi in search for hope.

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