Page 11 of Tik-Tok

Tik-Tok pulled again, and the ring slid from her finger. Having it in his possession after all these years was more relieving than he expected. It kept his different powers from getting too jumbled inside him, making them easier to wield separately.

He took three steps back and removed the glove covering his gold hand. When the ring was seated on his digit, the color shifted back to the original silver metal. He flexed his fingers, admiring its return, before replacing his glove.

Behind him, the doors banged open and a huffing, puffing North stumbled back into the ballroom with a small, handheld luggage case. “I’m back,” she said as if they hadn’t noticed. “Can I … say goodbye?”

Tik-Tok looked over to where Tin was frozen, axe in the air, snarl on his face. Behind him was Reva with her hands outstretched, lightning balled against her palms, a crow frozen midair, and a female, hands twisted as if calling upon a large storm of magic.

No way in hell was he releasing them from their stone prisons. Once he was far enough away from the palace, this particular magic would fade on its own and then they would be Ozma’s problem.

“Sorry, my star, but I’m not interested in fighting my way out of here. You can have five minutes with the queen and king to pass along any messages.” He nodded to Ozma and Jack. “I’ll release a handful of guards now to help you move the others. When we’re far enough away, the spell will break, and you won’t want their magic hitting the wrong target when it does.”

Ozma ignored him, pouncing on North with the tightest hug.

Jack nodded. His face was grim as he took in the room of statues. “Release Whispa now as well,” he ordered, pointing to an elderly pixie. “She’s harmless and can take our child to safety while we deal with…” He glanced around the room.

Tik-Tok waved a hand at the pixie without a word, releasing her. A shriek fell from her lips, but he was already weaving his way around the others to carefully select which guards seemed the least skilled.

Better to play it safe.

The royals spoke in hushed whispers, the pixie replying through crackling sobs, as he made his selections. He worked slower than he would’ve liked, to give North a few moments longer. Not that he cared, really, but if she was willing to cooperate, it could make opening the portal easier. So he would play nice until she gave him a reason not to.

“Time to go,” he called from the ballroom doors when he’d finished his assessment.

Ozma clung tighter to North as she started to step back. Whispa stood behind them, crying silently while gently rocking the baby. North finally moved away from the queen and buried her face in Jack’s chest before stumbling her way over to Tik-Tok.

He held a hand out to North, but she brushed past him without taking it.Insolent!He pressed his lips together to hide a smile. As long as she didn’t take her attitude too far, he wasreallygoing to enjoy this.

Slowly, Tik-Tok backed out of the room, taking the knobs of both double doors in his hands. He half expected one of the royals to lash out at the last minute, to demand North stay.

Instead, feathery wings burst violently from Ozma’s back, blue light, otherworldly, and shimmering. She whirled on him, her voice coming out low and deadly, the first time he’d seen her truly angry. “Don’t think this ends here.”

Tik-Tok would’ve been disappointed if there were no repercussions. As long as he got his portal opened first, he welcomed Ozma’s revenge attempt.

With a flourishing bow, he took the final step from the room and closed the ballroom doors. A small, effortless burst of magic tingled from his fingertips as he released the chosen guards from his spell. Almost instantly, Jack’s order to stand down came. North clung to her luggage with her lips pursed, a deep line between her brows. But even while scowling, he saw her eyes growing glassy.

“Shall we?” he asked.

Her only answer was to pierce him with a stare.

He chuckled.Oh, thiswillbe fun.“After you, then.”

Chapter Six

North

Everyone North loved had been turned to stone. The only goodbye to her family would be through Ozma and Jack. Her father, mother, grandfather, grandmother, Birch…

North hadn’t known Ozma had struck a deal with the pirate. Ozma had bartered a female from the future in order for Tik-Tok to help her save Oz, but hadn’t known who it would be. Hadn’t known because North hadn’t been born yet. North didn’t know how to feel—her life had been given away before it even started. But it was what it was.

Before she’d left, Ozma had told her that Tik-Tok’s magic would wear off when they got far enough away, but she wouldn’t know for certain.

North walked out of the palace and through its protective barrier. A lot of good the magic did to keep nefarious fae out since Tik-Tok had found a way to slip past it. Howhadhe done it?

Her steps came to a halt and her eyes widened as she noticed guard after guard had been turned to statues. That was how…

She took a deep swallow and picked up her pace again. It was already darkening, and the streets stood empty. All fae living in the Emerald City seemed to be within the palace walls or celebrating Queen Ozma and King Jack’s child inside their own homes.

The sound of booted feet echoed beside her, but she avoided looking at the male. Wouldn’t let him see her tears. She’d tried to hold onto the anger she felt earlier in the palace, tried to be strong like her family would have been, but as soon as she’d left the ballroom, realization that she was alone struck, and hot tears slid down her cheeks.

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