Page 57 of Ruthless Fae
“Tally, wait!”
Vaughn pushed past the line of immobile mutant soldiers, running towards me.
He was here?! Was I seeing things?
I blinked, making sure that he was indeed back on the island. Adding to my surprise, Sinasre, Kiana, Bael, Ronnie, and Becca followed behind. They’d come back.
I landed abruptly, just as Vaughn crashed into me and gathered me into his arms.
“Tally, how could you?!” he demanded, squeezing me so hard I could hardly breathe. “Why did you do that?” He pushed me to arms’ length and scanned me up and down as if to make sure all my limbs were in place. “Answer me,” he demanded, shaking me and then crushing me against his chest once more, making it impossible for me to form an answer.
He finally let me go, and the expression on his face told me everything. He didn’t really want an explanation. He understood my reasons well, and all that remained was his relief to find me unharmed.
“I’m sorry,” I muttered, caressing his face. “I never wanted to leave you.”
“Then don’t, please. Never again.” He stroked my face as if he might never let me leave his side.
I glanced at the others. “What are you doing back?” I dared ask.
“You didn’t think we would abandon you, did you?” Becca asked with a raised eyebrow. “By the way,” she glanced over at Vaughn, “when Ronnie delivered your message, Vaughn was furious and said he would never forgive you for leaving the boat, but clearly he was lying.”
A dark shadow passed over Vaughn’s features, revealing a flash of his previous anger and making me very glad that his relief had won out. One thing that puzzled me, though… how had they all gotten here at the same time? There was no way Vaughn would have waited for the others. Knowing him as I did, I imagined he would have shifted into his wolf form and galloped through the jungle to get here.
The answer came to me as if I’d asked my question out loud. “Guess what, Tally?” Ronnie stepped forward, flashing a big, proud smile. “Becca taught me how to teleport, and she and I got us all here on the first try.”
I ruffled his dark hair. “You’re a wonderful warlock, Ronnie. I’ve always told you that.”
“Hey, what about me?!” Becca demanded.
Bael chuckled and gave me one of his gentle smiles. “I’m glad you’re well, Tally.”
Sinasre and my aunt stepped forward. “We are, too,” Kiana said. “I have much to learn from you.”
Her admission shocked me, and I didn’t know what to say, but my cousin saved me by hugging me against his too-thin chest. “Melthelel, we owe you everything.”
Awkwardly, I pushed away from him and took a step back. “I’m glad you’re all here, but there’s one last thing I must do.” I walked backward toward the building.
“I’m coming with you,” Vaughn said, understanding my purpose right away.
“Me, too.” Sinasre, Kiana, and Bael stepped forward, determination shaping their expressions. We all had a personal bone to pick with the Habermanns.
“You two,” Vaughn turned to Becca and Ronnie, “find the dean and stay safe.”
They nodded obediently, stepping closer to each other and interlacing their fingers. They walked away in unison as the five of us marched into the building.
Inside the large garage, we found that the dean’s witches had subdued the Habermanns’ human army. They had relieved them of their weapons and immobilized them. My eyes roved around, searching for a familiar face, and found Charlie Rivera. I ran toward her, the others following.
“Charlie,” I said, “the Habermanns, have you found them?”
Her head jerked in my direction, and she blinked in surprise. “Tally… glad to see you’re all right.”
“You, too,” I replied and waited for her answer.
She shook her head, considering my question. “The Habermanns, um, I don’t know. This place is a labyrinth. But we’ll get them.”
I exchanged a worried glance with Vaughn. The Habermanns were resourceful, and above all, cowardly and accustomed to letting others do their dirty work.
“We have to find them,” Vaughn said. “If I know those two, I bet they have an escape plan.”
