Page 44 of Tik-Tok

“North will open the portal here,” he said, tapping at the map spread between them of the Northern Sea. “But there are different possible outcomes. In one, you get your vengeance and return relatively unscathed. In another, when North opens the portal, it sucks her inside and she’ll be lost forever. And, if the portal closes once we pass through, none of us will return to the Fae Lands.”

His breath caught. Lose North? No—that couldn’t happen. He had given his word to return her home, and he didn’t renege on his word. “So, we’ll make sure it’s the first outcome.”

“That’s the problem,” Echo said. “She couldn’t see the event that decides which outcome will become reality.”

With shallow breaths, he stood, staring at Echo, then Dax. “What are you doing here, then? Get back to the beach andmakeher see it.”

“Trust me, I tried. Apparently,it doesn’t work like that,” he said, imitating Celyna’s voice. “That’s why she only saw you once a year. Decisions had to be made outside of your goal before she could tell you, definitively, what to do next.”

That made sense. A lot of sense, if he was being honest. But they would simply have to stay docked right where they were until Celynacouldsee the correct path.There.That was a decision.

“What are you going to do?” Echo asked.

She refused to meet his eyes—likely because she was worried that Tik-Tok’s desire to open the portal would matter more than North. He wished it did. That would make his life much easier.

“I don’t know,” he admitted. But first, he needed to make sure North was still on his ship. “I have to talk to North. Alone.”

Tik-Tok stood, flew around his desk, and rushed onto the deck. Echo and Dax could leave his quarters behind him. He didn’t care if North was finished talking with Crow yet—he should never have allowed them time alone to plot an escape. No matter what he decided, he needed North there. With him.

Scanning the deck, Tik-Tok found no sign of Crow in either of his forms. His heart gave a small, panicked spasm as he searched for North. He wasn’t prepared for the sweeping relief of finding her at the rail. The pink skirt hugged her ass where she bent slightly, leaning forward onto her elbows. Jerking himself off hadn’t been nearly satisfying enough.

Approaching her slowly, he spoke in a wary voice. “Where’s your grandfather?”

“Gone.” She tilted her head to look at him when he joined her at the edge of the ship. “I told him I wanted to help you.”

She … what?“Why?” he blurted.

“Because I do.”

“And Crowagreedto that?” The skepticism in his tone was clear, even to him.

She shrugged. “He didn’t like the idea, but I’m grown. You should be happy he was the one who came instead of my father or grandmother.”

“I don’t doubt that.”

North bit her lip, trying hard not to smile. “I did it,” she blurted.

“Did what?”

“Used my magic!” She was practically bouncing with excitement. “I made a small whirlpool. It didn’t last long, but it’s something. I’m sure I can do it again.” She spun toward the water. “Watch.”

“Wait.” Tik-Tok desperately wanted her power unlocked, but did it have to be right now, when he had learned only minutes ago that it could lead to her utter downfall? He sighed and nodded toward his quarters. “Will you come with me? We need to talk about something.”

North lifted a brow. “Are youaskingme?”

“I can demand it, if you prefer,” he said, smirking.

Tik-Tok didn’t wait for her to reply before heading back to his quarters, and the soft pad of her feet followed at his back. He made sure Dax and Echo had left with a quick glance, then shut them inside, alone.

“Thanks to Celyna’s vision, we know exactly where the portal should open.” He crossed to the cupboard and took out two glasses along with a bottle of his finest rum.

“That’s a good thing, isn’t it?” North asked as he poured them each a drink.

“On one hand, yes. I get my vengeance and we all go on our merry way.” He tipped back his drink, swallowing, and turned to her with the other in his hand. Before he could extend it to her as he’d intended, he downed it on an impulse, slamming the empty glass on the table beside the first. “On the other hand, if fate goes against us, there’s a chance you get sucked into the portal and meet whatever that world has in store.”

North stared at him, mouth hanging open. “I don’t understand. The only way you’ll get to your father is if I…”

“No. They are two very different potential outcomes. In one, we all survive.”

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