Page 72 of Wrongfully Magicked
I worry about the trail we’re leaving, but the battle has trampled the area pretty well, and it goes a long way to cover our tracks. Before we left, Soren and Cassius tromped off in different directions, laying dozens of false trails before they returned sweaty and out of sorts.
The farther we travel, the wilder the woodlands become without human interference. Trees are bigger and stronger, soaring into the air. The bases of the trunks are twice the size of an SUV. Insects seem larger, and I swear the mosquitoes are the size of birds. The vegetation is overgrown, and the ferns could easily be mistaken for regular trees.
It’s like falling back in time to a prehistoric era.
It is beautiful in a brutal sort of way that would kill you if you stepped wrong.
After what feels like hours, we come upon an abandoned area where vegetation has overtaken everything, like the forest decided to take back what belongs to it. The sun is setting, and there is no way in hell that I want to be caught out in the forest after dark, especially when a few of the smaller predators followed us, looking for an opportunity to attack.
Thankfully, the guys are a big enough deterrent that they kept their distance.
After nightfall, all bets will be off, and I don’t doubt the larger predators will come out and play.
Gwen doesn’t hesitate to wiggle through the tangle of vines and foliage, then she glances back at us when we don’t follow. “Well, come on, the place is this way.”
Then she is gone.
Porter hesitates, looks back at me for a long moment, then ducks into the vegetation as well. One by one, we follow…and end up in wonderland.
After slipping between a crack of a massive tree, I’m shocked to find the insides hollow. Gwen has somehow managed to convert the interior into a surprisingly modern and well-stocked home.
The whole place is made of wood, the tones a rich honey color. A staircase sweeps around the outside of the room and spirals up to the next level. Bright green vines and leaves decorate the walls, giving it a homey appearance.
The wooden counters are so smooth and slick that they appear shiny. Wooden shelves punch out of the walls and look so natural that I can’t see any whittling marks. Inhaling deeply is like drinking down spring, and it’s relaxing.
We’re in the kitchen area, but there are three doors heading off in opposite directions, and I’m actually excited to explore more. It’s nicer and larger than my small apartment. If something like this was in town, it would be worth millions. “How?”
Gwen smiles at my awe, her chin lifting proudly. “Magic, of course. The woods are full of magic if you know where to look and how to ask for its assistance.”
I touch the wall, then gasp when I feel a hum of magic vibrating in the wood. “It’s alive.”
“Well, duh.” Gwen rolls her eyes, then her shoulders twitch and her wings unfurl from her back. They flutter free until she’s hovering a few inches off the ground, a smirk playing on her face. “I’ll let you and your men get comfortable.”
Without waiting for a response, she shoots straight into the air before disappearing. A blush heats my cheeks at her comment, but warmth fills my chest at the thought of claiming the guys for my own.
I’ve been so focused on survival the last few years that I’ve never been tempted to take a relationship beyond a quick fuck.
I’ve never dated.
Never slept over.
Never held hands or received flowers.
I never wanted any of that until the guys.
They make me want more.
They make me want the impossible.
If I were a better woman, I would give them up, but the very thought feels like someone carved my chest out with a poisoned hydra claw. I just couldn’t do it, which means I need to be smart and figure out a way to keep them safe. I turn toward Darby and nibble on my bottom lip. “Do you have access to your servers, even all the way out here?”
“Yes, but the connection is weak,” Darby answers, strolling closer with a curious expression, not stopping until he reaches my side. “What do you need?”
The rest of the guys gather around us until it feels like I’m in the center of a huddle. Soren hovers so close that his warmth is like a furnace at my back, and I barely resist leaning into him. “My guess is my family must have put a bounty on my head, one that these beastlings were determined to collect. You should be able to go online and confirm it.”
Porter narrows his eyes, not blinking as he gazes down at me. “We already suspected that. Why do you need it confirmed?”
Darby’s eyes take on a particular glow, which means he’s already working in the information highway, searching for my bounty. I know the instant he locates it, because the corners of his eyes tighten and his mouth hardens. “I got it. Give me a second to bring the request down.”
