Page 42 of Tik-Tok

Echo let out a low whistle. “Oh, you never know. You could have visited the sea one day and stumbled upon me. Perhaps even been scared at first and held up your axe. You’re strong, even if you don’t look it.”

“It’s my size, isn’t it?” North chuckled.

Echo smirked and stood from the bed, pulling North up by her wrist. “Come on. Let’s go take out some aggression on deck with the weapons. What do you say?”

At that moment, swinging a real axe would be much better than throwing a pretend one. “Sure.”

North followed Echo up the ladder. A few of the brownies were doing their usual cleaning duties or taking watch up in the sails while Kaliko and Cyrx stood at the helm. There wasn’t any sign of Tik-Tok, Dax, or Respen. At the middle of the ship, near the rail, rested her old axe and a sword, as though Echo had already known North needed this.

As she scooped up the axe, a tinge of disappointment hit her that it wasn’t the one Tik-Tok had given her. But she’d left it in his room. After he’d slammed the door in her face, she wasn’t going to go to him—he’d have to eventually come to her, if he decided to see her at all. She’d done enough, offered enough, had been willing to give himeverything.

Echo brought up her glistening sword and North swung her axe against the silver blade, the loud clang echoing across the ship. The ringing in her ears and the vibration in her arms felt good. Echo thrust her sword forward and North easily blocked it.

“Perfect,” Echo said.

“Meet me after you finish. I have something for you,” Respen called to Echo with a smirk as he made an appearance, carrying a large sack toward the storage space below deck.

“You’ll have to wait a while.” Echo shrugged, her eyes dancing mischievously.

“I’d wait an eternity for you.” He blew her a kiss and disappeared down the stairs.

Echo swung her sword and North whirled out of the way.

“How did you two get together anyway?” North asked, lifting her axe higher.

“Respen tried to woo me for months and I refused his gifts, his conversations, all of it, but then one day, he didn’t try anymore. It hit me then that I liked him. If he’d kept trying, I don’t think I would have ever changed my mind.”

North had never been wooed in her life, and if it had been someone like Respen, she would have probably given in on the first day. She was about to say so but caught sight of something black high up in the sky, drawing closer.

Echo followed North’s gaze and craned her neck all the way back. “What the fuck is a bird doing way out here?”

North inhaled sharply as the bird soared nearer. She knew that crow!

Grandfather.

Relief flooded her—this was the proof she needed that her family was truly no longer stone. Dropping the axe with a loud thump, North ran to the end of the ship and waved her hands in the air. “Over here!” she shouted so he could see her.

Her grandfather swooped down and landed on the deck beside her. Black smoke enveloped him and a few feathers floated to the ground as he transformed into his fae form, wearing a dark tunic and pants, and equally dark feathers braided within his hair.

“Who are you?” Echo asked, bringing up her sword. “Step away from her.”

Crow released his blades from beneath his bracer, the tips extending over the back of his fingers like talons. “No.Youstep away from my granddaughter, siren.”

“What the fuck is this?” Tik-Tok boomed as he made an appearance. He must have heard her loud shouting. “Go home, pheasant. Like I told the queen, I’ll bring her back safely once she opens the portal.”

“You’ve had her long enough.” Crow glared. “She’s coming with me.”

“Oh really?” Tik-Tok drawled. “Do you plan to carry her back to the Emerald City in your tiny claws? Or perhaps I should turn you into stone instead?” He cocked his head and raised a hand.

“Wait!” North cried before he could change Crow into an ornament. “Let me discuss things with my grandfather alone. Please. I’m not leaving.”

Tik-Tok ran a palm across his jaw and flicked his gaze to Echo, then nodded. “Find me when you’re finished,” he said to North and motioned for Echo to follow him.

“North.” Crow turned to her, retracting his blades, relief written all over his face. “We’ve been sweeping the seas to find you. Are you all right? No one’s hurt you, have they?”

She shook her head. There was no point telling him about being stabbed by Rizmaela. The top of her dress was, thankfully, covering her scar. She was healed and the dwarf was dead, so it would only worry him more than he already was. And it would only make matters worse if she’d brought up being spelled by the sea witch.

“Thank goodness.” He exhaled. “I have a plan to bring you home, but I’ll have to leave you here to get reinforcements.”

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