green. The color for stress. It wasn’t a great sign, but it wasn’t red. Or gray.
Green meant there was hope. We had time. I just had to get there.
Tennessee was right, and even though it hurt to be prevented to follow Riah, it was still the right call. We could not walk into Seelie and expect to survive.
Something scratched at my leg. I jumped and looked down…and found Olli sitting there, looking up at me with those adorable big brown eyes. He punched his fat wrinkly paw at my leg and whined. My eyes teared up. I sat down in the grass and he instantly jumped in my lap. There were pink and yellow flowers in the grass beneath me and I knew I’d done it. Fairyflies rested on my shoulders and on Olli’s back as I hugged him tight.
Braison and Albert came over and sat beside us. We didn’t say anything but I knew we were feeling the same thing. They weren’t marked as soulmates but they’d chosen each other as soulmates and that was even more beautiful in my opinion.
I knew I needed to speak…to ask questions…to voice concerns…but I felt hollowed out. I was a fighter. I was tough. I’d been through hell the last three and a half centuries. I wasn’t going to give up on my happiness once I finally found it. But right now I just wanted to cry.
I glanced around, hoping to distract myself somehow, but my gaze landed on Kessler, Hunter, and Cooper Bishop sitting on the wall a few feet back. They were almost carbon copies of each other with their broad shoulders, big arm muscles, and devastated expressions. They looked as defeated as I felt.
Everyone else was staring at Tegan with worried eyes.
It was only then I realized she hadn’t answered Timothy’s question.
Bettina slammed her foot into the ground.
Tegan jumped and spun around with wide eyes.
“Bro, we need you to stay with us…out loud.” Bettina gestured around to everyone. “We’re all freaking out here. So, does it not say anywhere in the Book of Shadows how to get to Seelie?”
Tegan sighed and threw her hands up. “Yes, and no.”
Tennessee frowned and nodded. “Can you explain the yes and the no?”
Tegan grimaced and squeezed her crystal necklace in her hand. “Althea knew how. She figured it out. But her note in the book says that it’s a suicide mission. No one who goes there uninvited will ever return. And because of that, she refused to write it in the Book of Shadows.”
Easton’s eyes widened. “Althea wrote that?”
Tegan narrowed her pale eyes at him. “Yes, Althea. She was brilliant. Now is hardly the time for me to remind you that she wasn’t evil, dark, or power hungry. The point is, she knew and she knew it was dangerous.”
Emersyn twirled a single flame around her fingers. “But Althea was a lot like you, Tegan.”
Jackson raised his hand. “Sorry, not familiar with this Althea as much…what do you mean by that exactly?”
“It means if Tegan figured something this huge out she would never have let that information die with her, dangerous or not.” Bettina arched one black eyebrow at her best friend. “Tegan would have told someone.”
I gasped as hope flared in my chest. “Tegan? Do you know?”
Tegan groaned. “I don’t know the answer. I did not look for the answer because I never fathomed it would be needed, that it would come to this…but you’re right. I would have made the note somewhere…And so did Althea.”
My pulse skipped. “Where is the note? Tegan, this is my soulmate…what would you do if it was Tennessee they—
“I would burn the world to the ground until I got him back,” she growled and her eyes flashed.
Emersyn nodded and the flame in her hand grew bigger. “I think every soulmate here understands how you’re feeling, Saffie. I promise you none of us are taking this well. I almost lost mine and it’s because of you I didn’t. I will gladly burn whatever I have to to get Riah back for you…and the others.”
Koth folded his arms over his big chest. “I’m in for the burning plan if it gets Landy back.”
“I will razzle dazzle anything to get Amelia back.” Deacon rocked back on his heels.
Tegan pinched the bridge of her nose. “Y’all, my own baby brother is in there too. I’m not being coy here.”
Hunter and Cooper groaned. They looked absolutely wrecked.
Devon walked up to her daughter who looked so much like her and put her hand