Blackbird Crowned (The Witch King's Crown #3) - Keri Arthur Page 0,59
hit answer and said, “Is your gate spell being tested?”
“It certainly is. How did you know?”
“Something felt off with its rune.” I scrubbed a hand across my eyes. “Are you heading out there?”
“Yes.”
“I’ll meet you there.”
“I’m not sure—”
“Don’t fucking finish that sentence, Mo. Elysian is our one chance to put an end to Max’s nonsense. I need to do this.”
Had to do this. Had to ask him why.
She sighed. “Indeed, but be careful. Max is well aware I alarmed the gate, and this might be nothing more than another of their traps.”
“Meet you on the bridge?”
“Yes, if it’s safe. Otherwise, remain aloft until I arrive.”
“Will do.” I hung up, shoved my phone into my pocket, and then met Luc’s gaze. “I have to go.”
“This is definitely one of those times I wish I had wings.” Frustration and concern spun through our link, even though there was little evidence of it in his expression. “I’ll follow you up in the SUV, just in case.”
“Whatever is going on up there will probably be over by the time you arrive—”
“Then ring me and I’ll turn around,” he cut in. “Because I’ve got this bad feeling things will go very wrong if I’m not there.”
I frowned. “I can take care of myself—”
“I’m well aware of that, and that’s not what I meant.”
“I’ll be fine. I promise.” And hoped, even as I said it, that I hadn’t just tempted fate.
He gently touched my face, his thumb brushing my lips. “You’d better be. I have no desire to wait yet another lifetime to explore what might lie between us.”
I grinned. “You already know what lies between us, because Mo’s informed you often enough. It’s kids. Lots of kids.”
He laughed, though it failed to lift the worry in his eyes. “I think we’d better explore the sex thing for a few years first.”
“On that, we agree.”
I moved across to Elysian and slung her over my shoulder. But as I reached for Nex and Vita, I hesitated. If this was a trap and I did get caught, the knives would be taken from me and destroyed. Given I could use their power without holding them—even if at a greater cost—it would be wiser to leave them here. Especially since I’d probably need Vita’s healing help in the very near future.
It was an ominous thought. I undid the chain holding the coronation ring, hooked it onto the chair next to the crown, then turned and headed out. Once I’d reached the old chapel, I shifted shape and arrowed into the vent. The sword didn’t hit the sides, and I didn’t come to a crashing halt.
I flew toward Yorkshire as fast as I was physically capable. I had to get to the gate before Mo. If this was a trap, it was likely to be aimed at her more than me, given the number of attempts they’d already made on her life. Granted, they’d made just as many on me, but, as she’d already noted, Max knew she’d placed that block on the gate, so what better way to lure her back there than an attempt to smash it open?
Dawn was just beginning to creep golden fingers across the sky by the time I reached the gate, though the faint glimmers of light didn’t mean the demons wouldn’t be about. Until the sun actually crested the horizon, they were able to move around freely.
I circled the Gill, but couldn’t see Mo—or anyone else, for that matter. No cars were parked on the side of the nearby road, which meant Max had flown here. I continued to circle, but couldn’t see him. Either he was under the bridge or hiding elsewhere. After one more sweep, I dropped to the bridge spanning the small stream—or beck, as it was more commonly known around here—and shifted to human form.
The air was still, and cold enough for each breath to frost. I pulled out my phone, switched off the sound, and then sent a text to Mo, asking if she was here. There was no reply, which meant she was either still in the air or simply not in a position to answer.
I gnawed lightly on my bottom lip and fought the urge to fly into the Gill to see what was happening. But there wasn’t a whole lot of fighting room down there, as I’d discovered the hard way last time we were here. Until I knew for sure where Mo was, it was far better to remain in the open.