Page 113 of Fairies Never Fall

“We need to get Lysander to safety!” Ezra says.

I seize his shoulder. “You have to go! Get out of here.”This wasn’t the plan.I left it too late. I’d just wanted him to have one good day in case everything blew up in my face, but he was never supposed to be in danger.

“No way in hell I’m leaving you,” Ezra growls. His gaze slices across my face briefly, and the fierce protectiveness in his eyes sucks the air out of my lungs. The next second Plato is ushering us up the hill.

“This way.” He sweeps up the bags from the picnic table. “Quick!”

The world spins as Ezra lifts me like I weigh nothing, and I grab onto his shoulders. “I can walk!”

He ignores me.

Orion’s wall of shadow hides the azeroths from sight as we climb the hill. The pool is locked, but Plato snaps the lock easily with a jerk of his shoulder and ushers us into the fenced-off area.

“Inside,” he grunts.

“What the fuck is going on?” Felix demands, bouncing on his toes, the current of fear obvious below his brash tone.

“Those are the guys who’re after Lysander.” Ezra sets me on my feet and looks around. “We’re trapped.”

The pool lights come on behind him. Three familiar figures emerge from the water, dressed in sleek battle gear. Water streams from their long, dark hair.

“Belle?”

Sleek interlocking plates made of hard, shiny scales cover them from the neck down. They each carry a spear whose tip glows blue — even Belle.

She gives Ezra a tiny salute. “Human.”

“Not trapped,” says someone behind us, and my heart begins to pound. Owyn Maddox steps through the gate, his glasses glinting blue. “Bait.”

A fairy comes through the gate behind him. Only Ezra’s arms keep me upright when I see her. Her face is almost as familiar as the one I see in the mirror every day. Her long, corn-silk hair is bound up in a braid at her crown, impeccable and practical. Her wings are like mine, but a deeper, richer color, shimmering with fairy dust in the light from the pool.

“Oh my god.” Felix’s whispered hiss reaches my ears.

Ezra looks between Maddox and I. “You’re using yourselves as bait for the azeroths? Are you guys nuts?”

“Get into the pool house, all of you,” My sister commands. “Ann and her sisters will protect you. Quickly!”

I don’t have a choice but to do as she says.

Inside the pool house is dark, and furniture clatters underfoot. I turn to catch one last glimpse of the scene, and I see Ann, Daphne and Belle surrounding the building. Beyond them, my sister’s wings lengthen and thorns sprout from her claws as she summons her ur-form. Then the door slams shut, closing us inside.

“Tell me what’s happening,” Ezra growls.

“It was my plan.” I was a lot braver when I proposed it. Now I’m shaking hard enough to shed my wings. “Ann told me they needed to get all the remaining azeroths in one place, and Maddox agreed that using me to lure them in was the best way. Then Orion caught wind, and everyone got involved before I could stop them. I didn’t mean to put you or Felix in danger. You were meant to leave.”

“There’s no chance I would’ve left.” He runs a hand over his hair. “Was that your sister?”

“Yes,” I breathe.

Felix raises his hand. “I don’t know what’s going on, but if Ez is involved then so am I.”

“I’ll have a word or two for Maddox after this,” Ezra bites out.

“If we survive,” says Lilian.

“We’re not going to get killed. Orion and Maddox know what they’re doing.” Plato moves the plastic furniture away from the window. “Besides,noneof us were about to leave you to face this alone.”

My throat tightens. Even Lilian gives a wide-eyed nod.

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