Page 9 of Shadow & Stars
“Fascinating,” Butterfly said.
I resisted every instinct to snap his neck.
The barrier shimmered and expanded outward and upward. Thickening, light bursting across it in staccato beats every few seconds.
Margarite jogged back to Roman’s side, offering him another bow. “All done for you, Shadow.” She spoke cheerily, not the vengeful, broken queen I knew. “Until tomorrow.”
Roman didn’t react, staring at the barrier.
Butterfly moved closer to her. “What a fascinating development.”
She smiled, her hands clasped behind her back.
The monarchs yelled and screamed curses at us, baying for blood. I didn’t know how or why that wall was up, but I knew it wouldn’t last long. Roman wanted to buy us time, and time wouldn’t wait.
“Roman, please,” I begged. “We have to go.”
I could pick him up, having enough strength to carry him and his friend. But it would slow me down.
What if I asked Butterfly to carry him?
No. No. No. He would not lay another hand on Roman. He’d already caused enough suffering in his life.
“Darcy’s struggling,” I said. “I’m keeping him as warm as I can, but he needs proper heat. Roman? Come on. We have to go. We have to get him to safety. I have to get you to safety.”
Slowly, he turned his head, his eyes unblinking. “Darcy?”
“I-I-I’m here,” the human responded. “C-Can’t feel my skin.”
Roman blinked then, becoming more alert. “Darcy? What the fuck? Oh, God.” He winced, clutching the side of his head.
Was he hurt?
“Shit. What…” He looked between the wall and me. “Xavier. I’m here. I’m back here. I… Shit. What the fuck am I doing? Let’s go. Let’s go!”
Music to my ears.
4
ROMAN
Although my headache bordered on a migraine, I pushed through it, hurrying over a bridge spanning a deep gorge in the ice. I’m talking scarily deep. Possibly bottomless.
On the other side was an open wooden door. Two Victorian-style lampposts flanked it, a couple of abandoned swords on the frozen ground.
Not a good sign.
Beyond the door was an elevator, its metal door half open.
“No guards,” Xavier said.
Butterfly laughed softly. “Cowards. They should never abandon their post.”
What a prick. I’d love to kick him straight in his exposed family jewels.
Annoyingly, he might be able to fix this, especially as the time jar seemed to be unaffected. It could well be the key to ending this craziness.
Fuck. Unease sat in my belly like a lead balloon. What were we going to do if there wasn’t any fixing this? Both this realmand Earth had been through great change before, but this really took the biscuit. This was next-level messy.
