“Okay,” I said, jumping right down to business. “Now get us the crystal and show us how to use it.”
Nicholas considered this with a sly look on his face. “The thing is there’s a slight problem with your plan. Yeah, the Ira can take you into The Underworld, without having to go through the whole process of being dragged down into the lake by the Water Fey. However, it also takes a very strong Foreseer to channel enough energy to use the Ira crystal. And I’m not that powerful yet.”
“So where can we find a Foreseer who has enough power,” I asked, trying to stay calm, something which Alex wasn’t trying to do—I could tell by the look on his face.
“You can’t,” Nicholas said. “At least probably not one that will actually help you do it.” He paused. “See the thing with Foreseers is that not a whole lot of people like us because we can practically see anything—good or bad. We can go to places where most can’t go, like The Underworld. And so when we do show up in The Underworld unannounced, it pisses the Queen off. And no one likes being around a pissed off Queen, especially a Queen who likes to torture people so her Water Faeries can feed off of the fear. So most Foreseers are unwilling to help another Foreseer go there.”
I felt like I was being choked. “Are you sure there’s absolutely no one that will.”
He shook his head. “Nope. There’s not.”
Okay, now I was pissed. He just tricked me into believing there was a way just so I would kiss him. Stupid faerie. “You know what? I think I’ll let Alex and Laylen take over from where they left off before the kiss.”
“Great,” Alex said, looking a little too happy about it. He along with Laylen started to corner Nicholas again.
“Okay, Okay,” Nicholas said, surrendering with his hands out in front of him “There might be a way…but it will take some time.”
“How much time?” Alex asked, still moving for him.
“A few weeks, maybe a few months,” Nicholas said with his back up against the wall. “It really all depends on Gemma.”
“On me.” I pointed at myself. “Why would it depend on me?”
“Well, I think if there were two Foreseers, then we might have enough power to use an Ira to go into The Underworld.”
Alex and I exchanged a look, and then Alex said to Nicholas, “How sure are you that it’ll work.”
“If she trains enough and builds up her power, then it should work,” Nicholas said looking—for once—like he was telling the truth.
Alex glanced at Laylen and Laylen shrugged. “It’s your call.”
Alex looked back at Nicholas. “You’ll train her here.” It wasn’t a question.
He nodded. “I’ll bring the Ira ball back with me after I’ve dropped you off at the City of Crystal to make good on the promise you broke to Dyvinius—something I can’t get you out of, even if I wanted to. Which I don’t.”
“Fine,” Alex agreed. “Take me to the City of Crystal to pay my debt. And while I’m gone, you’ll get Gemma ready to use the Ira.”
“Alright,” Nicholas said and slipped from his pocket the ruby-filled crystal ball that would take Alex and him to the City of Crystal. “Let’s go then.” He balanced the ball in the palm of his hand and held it out in front of Alex.
“Just one second before we take off” Alex said to Nicholas. Then he turned to me, giving me this strangest look ever.
“What?” I asked, confused.
Still looking at me weirdly, he leaned in toward me.
I wasn’t sure what he was going to do at first—kiss me? Yeah, that thought flashed through my head until I realized that he was heading for my ear not my lips.
“Make sure and be careful around Nicholas.” His breath was electric against my ear, and I had to try very hard not to gasp. “Faeries are tricky. He’ll twist things around and try to confuse you if you’re not careful.”
So you’re a faerie, too, I thought, but aloud I said, “Okay, I will.”
“And whatever you do, don’t take the necklace off,” Alex added, before stepping away from me. He went back over to Nicholas, who was waiting impatiently with the ruby-filled crystal ball in his hand. “And Nicholas,” Alex said, his hand extended toward the ball, but not touching it yet.
What?” Nicholas’s tone was mildly tolerant.
“I want you to remember one thing,” Alex said, his voice sharper than I’d ever heard. “Try anything,