This—Mac’s injury—made that clear enough. Getting close to me meant getting hurt. I needed to step back.
So I just nodded and bit out, “Thanks.”
Together, we made our way through the streets of Guild City. The all-supernatural town was hidden within London, a relic of the past inhabited by supernaturals of all types. Most of the streets were cobblestone and the buildings Tudor, with their distinctive dark beams and white plaster. Mullioned glass windows reflected the sunlight, hundreds of panes glinting in the sun.
The humans had no idea we existed here. No idea about any magic, in fact. Which meant that Guild City was a haven for our kind—a place where we could walk without fear. As we cut through the late morning crowd, we passed a Fae with her glittering wings on display and two vampires who didn’t bother to hide their fangs.
“Do you know where Eve is today?” I asked. “We should go to her. She’ll be able to sort you out right away.”
“I think she’s at our guild tower.” Mac stumbled, gasping.
I gripped her tight to keep her upright and looked at her, worry pulling at me. She was paler than she had been, her eyes duller. “How do you feel?”
“Fine.” She gave a wan smile.
“Liar.” I helped her forward. “Come on, we’re almost there.”
We passed in front of fabulous shops with displays designed to catch the eye. Glittering dresses twirled in a popular Fae boutique, a ghostly ball that invited the shopper in. Knives and swords clashed in a weapons shop, a mock battle.
Passersby parted for us, concern flickering in their eyes as they looked at Mac. I glanced over at her frequently, my heart dropping a little more every time I saw her. We could go to hospital, but this was magic that plagued her.
Eve, our Fae friend, and potion master, would be our best bet for a diagnosis.
“Almost there,” I murmured, turning down the narrow alley that led toward the city wall that surrounded the ancient town. Its magic hid our town from humans.
We exited the alley onto an open square. On the other side, the wall loomed. A tall stone tower was built right into it, one of thirteen in Guild City. Each guild had been established by one of the main magical species that lived there: Vampires, Werewolves, Seers, Mages, among many more.
Our tower, however, was for the misfits.
The Shadow Guild took in those who fit nowhere else, and that included me. Members of other guilds lived in their towers, but we used ours for meeting space.
Together, Mac and I stumbled across the clearing toward the tall stone tower. The door was swung open to the cool autumn day, welcoming us in.
“Eve,” I shouted as we neared.
Glass windows twinkled in the sunlight, and I imagined her hurrying toward one and seeing us staggering toward the tower. Every footstep was slower than the last as Mac’s strength leeched out of her.
Eve appeared in the doorway. “Mac! Seraphia!”
Her hair was brilliant pink today and flew wildly around her head. Concern flashed in her green eyes, and she looked pale in her long black dress. Her Fae wings were hidden away by magic.
Beatrix, our new friend, appeared at her side. She wore insane neon green leggings and a black tank top, despite the chill in the air. Her dark hair gleamed like bird feathers.
The two of them raced toward us.
“Here,” Eve said.
She slipped an arm around Mac to help me support her, and the scent of lavender and the taste of honey wrapped around us. A supernatural’s magic was represented by signatures that corresponded to the five senses. The most powerful supernaturals had signatures linked to all five.
Beatrix’s signature, in contrast, felt like bubbly water on the skin and smelled of a fresh breeze. “What happened?” she asked, hovering anxiously in front of us.
“A curse of some kind, I think.”
“I’m fine,” Mac slurred. “Right as rain. Fit as a fiddle. All that malarkey.”
“You are not fine,” Eve said. “Come on, we’re getting you upstairs.”
The four of us squeezed through the front door and into the large main room. A fireplace flickered with warm flame, but we moved past it, headed toward the spiral stairs that led up to Eve’s workshop.
By the time we reached the top, Mac was nearly unconscious.
“She’s gone downhill so fast.” Fear beat frantically inside my chest as we laid her down on a padded bench against the wall.
The entire room was full of tables and shelves, each stuffed full of