Page 65 of Tik-Tok

She stared down at the stone, knowing what it was because her grandmother had one that was exactly the same. It was a stone which could prevent curses. Reva had used hers for protection while helping to defeat the previous Northern Witch, Locasta.

He took a step back and spun to leave.

North’s eyes widened and confusion jolted through her. “That’s it?” she called.

“Have a safe journey home,” he added without glancing over his shoulder.

Tears didn’t come. She didn’t feel hurt or sad, onlyangryover the most dismal farewell she’d ever had. Fury stormed through her veins. The magic within her touched down on the waves, making them rise in anger too, until they sprayed over the edges of the ship to the deck. “I hate you!” she yelled. It was pitiful. She should have cursed at him, but that was the most she could force out.

Tik-Tok stilled and glanced over his shoulder. “Back to that, are we? Good.” His red irises shifted away from her as he resumed walking.

Her jaw clenched. “You’re a coward.” With a scowl, she turned to face the water, the waves choppy but slowing. She hadn’t suffered in her past like he had, but, had their roles been reversed, she still would have given him more words, more emotion, more of a goodbye.

The sound of heavy boots thudded across the deck, and a growl escaped Tik-Tok as he spun her around. His face was inches from hers, his crimson eyes blazing, his expression as angry as hers had been. “I may be a selfish bastard, but I’m not a coward.” He gripped the nape of North’s neck and crashed his mouth to hers. His lips fit perfectly with hers, then he parted them with his tongue and pushed it inside, kissing her senseless.

When he pulled back, the anger was no longer on his face, and in its place was something else she couldn’t read. He reached into his other pocket this time and fished his compass out. With gentle fingers, he opened her hand and placed the object on her palm, then he tenderly wrapped her digits around the cold metal. “It’s yours. Go home. Think about it. If you fail to see sense and want to find me, use the compass.”

She sucked in a deep breath, her eyes wide as she stared at his beloved object. “Tik-Tok…”

“Don’t argue with your captain.” With the finality of his words, he walked off again. And this time, she didn’t stop him as he went inside his room. He didn’t ask her to stay—he’d left her a choice instead.

“Well, that was interesting.” Respen cleared his throat as he came up beside her. “Do you need more time?”

North studied Tik-Tok’s closed door, then looked down at the compass. She opened her luggage and placed the two objects he’d given her inside. “I’m ready.”

Respen nodded and grasped her arms. When she closed her eyes, nausea bubbled through her entire body with the longer journey, and the falling seemed to last and last until everything was still.

As she opened her eyes, bright green shone around her. The flickering emerald brick road, the glistening shops, the sparkling palace.

At the Emerald City Palace gates, every guard’s stare locked on her and Respen. Her hands shook as she threw her arms around the pirate in a quick hug before releasing him. “Go!”

With a smile goodbye, he vanished just as an arrow whizzed past her to where he’d stood, flying through empty space.

“North!” a familiar voice shouted.Birch.

She turned to him as he lowered his bow. “I’m fine. You’re still here?”

Birch wore his chestnut-colored uniform, his hair ragged as he pulled her into a tight hug. “We all are. Once Crow came back with news of finding you, we decided to wait for your return.” He hugged her tighter. “I wish I could have done more at the celebration. I wish I had known Tik-Tok was coming.”

“It’s fine.” North hugged him back, and none of the old feelings she had for him surfaced. She was simply relieved to see her friend. “No harm was done to me.” At least not from Tik-Tok or any of his crew besides Rizmaela.

“Let’s get inside so everyone can finally be calm. Your father and grandmother have been impossible to live with since you were taken. Even after Crow returned with word, the two of them have continued to rant.”

North knew they both would’ve struggled with her decision to stay onThe Temptress. With a sigh, she walked beside Birch past the floral gardens and into the palace. The entrance was mostly quiet except for a few servants cleaning the high-backed velvet chairs. They all looked at her and gasped, halting their movements as she proceeded past them into the throne room.

It was strange seeing the bare area now, when the last time it had been full of celebrating fae, frozen as statues after Tik-Tok had turned them to stone.

“Wait here while I get your parents,” Birch said.

Ozma and Jack shot through the open doors before he could take a single step. Brielle was nestled close to Ozma’s chest, her eyes shut as she slept.

“North, I’m so sorry. I had wondered if you were the one Tik-Tok wanted, but then you never manifested magic. So I was sure you were safe,” Ozma rushed out, gently passing Brielle to Jack. She grabbed North and drew her to her chest. “Crow told us everything … that you wanted to stay.”

North nodded. “It’s all right, Ozma. If anything, I have you to thank because I was able to discover my magic. As for Tik-Tok, he isn’t a villain. He went through the portal to save another world.” She wouldn’t confess all his reasonings to her family because those were his stories to tell. North knelt and opened her luggage to retrieve the red stone, then stood and handed the object to Ozma. “He wanted you to have this back.”

Ozma’s lips parted as she took the stone from North. Jack frowned, like he didn’t believe Tik-Tok would do a good deed for no reason.

More hurried footsteps echoed throughout the throne room as her mother and father burst in with Birch. Thelia’s chest heaved as she crushed North into a fierce hug, and her swollen belly pressed against North’s.

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