Page 44 of Vicious Little Vows
Mistral looked past me at Gabriel, his silver eyes reflecting his bobbing light. I knew they must have discussed it already while they were out searching the estate.
“The trees,” Mistral sighed. “Even gray and withered, they are the trees of my homeland. They do not grow anywhere on earth. I was a fool to believe they could grow nowhere else. I just—”
He’dwantedto believe. I understood that feeling well.
“I’m sorry to have gotten your hopes up.” I knew it wasn’t really my fault, but still, we were here because of me.
“Eva, you are the only hope I’ve had in a long, long while.”
He kissed me, and more magic sparked within me. Mistral’s magic mixed with mine always felt like starlight. He gripped my waist while Gabriel wrapped his arms around my shoulders, his chest pressed against my back. I closed my eyes, reveling in their warmth as I thought of Crispin.
We ended up in another stone room. I saw Lucas first and was confused, then motion drew my eye to the other cornerof the room as Crispin lifted an arm to shield his eyes from Mistral’s tiny light. He slowly lowered his arm, looked each of us over, then stood. “I suppose I should be flattered that I’m not the last to be rescued.” He winked at me.
I shook my head, appalled that he could joke at such a time. Then I smiled. I couldn’t help it. “Just get over here,” I sighed.
He practically skipped over to us, then wedged himself against my side. “All aboard the Eva express.”
“Don’t ever say that again.” I closed my eyes as Lucas put a hand on me too. Now that my fear had waned, and three of the guys were with me—plus Lucas, I found it easier to spark my magic. I thought of Sebastian, but nothing happened.
I closed my eyes tighter. It wasn’t an issue with the magic. It was there. I could sense it was enough. I couldn’t feel Sebastian, but I hadn’t been able to feel the other guys either. It should have worked the same. Unless…
Realizing my dilemma, Mistral stroked a finger across my cheek, prompting me to open my eyes. “Perhaps try thinking of your little furry friend. Your connection to him is different, but you cherish him and know his energy.”
My palms were starting to sweat, and my magic was leaking out of me. I chewed my lip. “Right. Right.” I closed my eyes again.
When nothing happened, Gabriel started kneading my shoulders, and Crispin took my hand. I didn’t have to open my eyes to know which was which. With my heart thundering against my ribs, I thought of Ringo. The guys gripped me tightly as we shifted.
I swayed on my feet from the effort as we landed, but all three of them kept me upright.
“Eva!”
Tears welled in my eyes as I opened them. We were out front of the estate within the walls. Ringo must have been out lookingfor me. He was nothing but a dark blur as he charged toward us, leapt up the fabric of my dress, then nuzzled in against my neck.
“I tried to find you,” he rasped.
I took my hand from Crispin’s to cradle Ringo against my neck, then looked up at Mistral. “I couldn’t find Sebastian. I—”
He pulled me close. “Let us find this guardian you mentioned. Perhaps then we will have answers.”
EIGHTEEN
We searched the estate for the guardian, but it never revealed itself again. We never found an entrance for the stone rooms it had put the guys in, and I wondered if they must be deep underground with no way in or out. The guardian could place people there, and if they didn’t have celestial magic, they would be trapped forever.
But Sebastian did have his own form of traveling magic. He might have been able to escape on his own. Only, he hadn’t stated whether or not he could access his magic here. Crispin’s own innate magic was intact, but he couldn’t use more from the earth as he could on, well,earth.
We sat in the sun, weary from our long night, debating what to do. To search the estate again, to venture into the gray, or to see if there was anyone else in this realm who might be able to tell us more about the guardian. To my surprise, no one suggested just leaving Sebastian behind. Maybe they knew already that I wouldn’t agree, or maybe they were just worried about weakening our conduit star, without which, we would stand no chance against my great grandfather.
Either way, we were staying put. My thoughts strayed for just a moment to my meeting with the angelic and her gargoyles—I even still had the card she’d given me stuffed in my bra—but it was a distant thought. They certainly weren’t at the top of my current priority list, even if they could become potential allies.
Crispin had been slouched in the grass, but abruptly perked up, his expression turning from zoned out to thoughtful.
“What is it?” I asked, apprehensive about what type of idea he might have come up with given the circumstances.
He looked past me at the estate doors. “I was just thinking of how we might summon this guardian…” He pursed his lips.
“And?”
Mistral and Gabriel had both moved closer.
