Page 33 of Vicious Little Vows
Lucas’ expression darkened with every word. “And what am I supposed to do? Wait out here for you both to be taken hostage?”
“I would never give away my sister’s location,” Marcie hissed.
Lucas flexed his hands. He always seemed on the verge of wanting to pummel someone. “No, but if Eva were taken, she would come for her. She would sacrifice herself, and then where would we be?”
“The Bogs is the best place to hide,” Marcie argued.
Lucas flicked his wings. “I cannot fulfill my oath were I cannot go.”
“We are wasting time,” Sebastian interrupted, his voice low. “We can continue this argument after Eva is safe.”
I raised my eyebrows at him, surprised he was all for the new plan even though he couldn’t come along.
“If he takes you,” he muttered, “none of us will be able to reach you.”
I wasn’t so sure Marcie couldn’t, but I also had a feeling she would be less willing to sacrifice herself than my mother. If I got taken, my mom was as good as dead, and the pathways would all be healed. Maybe my great grandfather would let me live, but I doubted it. I would probably never see any of the guys again. There were so many things I should have said at such a pivotal moment, but I couldn’t think of a damn one. “Okay.”
I sensed Gabriel before he appeared, like a pulse of golden light in my chest. Both Crispin and Sebastian turned in thedirection of the gates before any of us could have possibly seen him.
Once his broad shoulders came into view, something inside of me relaxed, ever so slightly. He still wore the same clothes I’d last seen him in, and I knew he and Mistral must have been busy keeping an eye on things in the Bogs. The bubble shifted again to include him as he approached.
He went to me first, putting a protective arm around my shoulders. “We came to the border for reception and got your text.” He looked at Sebastian. “You have been granted permission to enter our lands. If an ancient celestial might come for Eva, we cannot turn away someone who will defend her.”
Sebastian didn’t so much as blink in response. I, however, could barely keep up with all the new developments.
Marcie huffed. “Very well. Extra protection must not be turned away, even if it comes in an undesirable form.”
Lucas flicked his wings again. “If permission can so easily be granted, then I require it as well. Iwillfulfill my oath.”
Gabriel looked down at me, as if it was somehow my choice.
I gritted my teeth. I didn’t like Lucas at the best of times, but at the worst… Well, he could be handy. “We’ll ask Mistral, but you’ll have to wait out here until we do.”
“Fine,” Lucas grumbled.
“Then let us be off.” Marcie gestured in the direction of the gates, and we all started walking.
This was it. It was finally happening. All five points of our star would be in the same place at once.
I wasn’t sure what to expect, but with Marcie and potentially Lucas watching, hopefully it wouldn’t be anything too embarrassing.
Mistral awaitedus at the gates. He looked lonely standing in the moonlight just beyond the iron bars—or maybe it was simply my imagination. He couldn’t come out, and until now, half of us wouldn’t have been able to go in. Only me and Marcie could manage it on our own.
Oh, and Ringo, but he was a full blooded goblin.
“Looks like you won’t have to wait for your answer after all,” Marcie said tersely, her eyes drifting toward Lucas. I wondered if there was a reason she didn’t want him accompanying us.
I tried to relax as we reached the gates. Mistral was finally allowing Sebastian inside, but I knew it hadn’t been an easy decision, and it wasn’t one he would have made on his own. He was doing it for me. I felt both appreciative and guilty, and I hoped the decision wouldn’t come back to bite me.
“Now!” someone shouted behind us, the shout followed by a flash of blinding green light.
I didn’t even have time to turn because Gabriel was already shielding me with his body. I could only see Mistral shoving open one side of the gates. He reached out to grab my hand, then pulled me through. I shifted across the barrier out of reflex, barely noticing the change, clinging to my takeout boxes like they were a lifeline.
“Wait,” I huffed as Mistral’s arms wrapped around me. Gabriel had turned away, remaining outside the safety of the boundary. More green light flashed, making it difficult to see anything beyond the gates. Everyone else had been swallowed by the lights, though I could still hear them fighting. “What’s happening?” I gasped as Ringo hopped down from my shoulder, then climbed the bars of the gate for a better look.
“Another vortex,” Mistral said in my ear, holding me against his chest. “It must be the fairies.”
I realized I still hadn’t told him about the kidnapping—he didn’t know that yet another fairy was after me, but there was no time to explain it now. I could hear shouting, crunching gravel, and shadows swirled amongst the glowing green light. I tugged against Mistral’s hold on me. “I have to help them!”
