Ruthless Fae - Ingrid Seymour Page 0,59

leaving the boat, but clearly he was lying.”

A dark shadow passed over Vaughn’s features, revealing a flash of his previous anger and making me very glad that his relief had won out. One thing that puzzled me, though… how had they all gotten here at the same time? There was no way Vaughn would have waited for the others. Knowing him as I did, I imagined he would have shifted into his wolf form and galloped through the jungle to get here.

The answer came to me as if I’d asked my question out loud. “Guess what, Tally?” Ronnie stepped forward, flashing a big, proud smile. “Becca taught me how to teleport, and she and I got us all here on the first try.”

I ruffled his dark hair. “You’re a wonderful warlock, Ronnie. I’ve always told you that.”

“Hey, what about me?!” Becca demanded.

Bael chuckled and gave me one of his gentle smiles. “I’m glad you’re well, Tally.”

Sinasre and my aunt stepped forward. “We are, too,” Kiana said. “I have much to learn from you.”

Her admission shocked me, and I didn’t know what to say, but my cousin saved me by hugging me against his too-thin chest. “Melthelel, we owe you everything.”

Awkwardly, I pushed away from him and took a step back. “I’m glad you’re all here, but there’s one last thing I must do.” I walked backward toward the building.

“I’m coming with you,” Vaughn said, understanding my purpose right away.

“Me, too.” Sinasre, Kiana, and Bael stepped forward, determination shaping their expressions. We all had a personal bone to pick with the Habermanns.

“You two,” Vaughn turned to Becca and Ronnie, “find the dean and stay safe.”

They nodded obediently, stepping closer to each other and interlacing their fingers. They walked away in unison as the five of us marched into the building.

Inside the large garage, we found that the dean’s witches had subdued the Habermanns’ human army. They had relieved them of their weapons and immobilized them. My eyes roved around, searching for a familiar face, and found Charlie Rivera. I ran toward her, the others following.

“Charlie,” I said, “the Habermanns, have you found them?”

Her head jerked in my direction, and she blinked in surprise. “Tally… glad to see you’re all right.”

“You, too,” I replied and waited for her answer.

She shook her head, considering my question. “The Habermanns, um, I don’t know. This place is a labyrinth. But we’ll get them.”

I exchanged a worried glance with Vaughn. The Habermanns were resourceful, and above all, cowardly and accustomed to letting others do their dirty work.

“We have to find them,” Vaughn said. “If I know those two, I bet they have an escape plan.”

“I bet they do,” Kiana echoed.

“We should split up and search for them,” Sinasre suggested.

I nodded, my mind racing with possibilities as Bael, Sinasre, and his mother took off in different directions.

“What are you thinking?” Vaughn placed a hand on my shoulder, pulling me back into the moment.

“I think I know where to find them,” I said.

“Let’s go, then.”

I turned and jumped into the air, my wings beating as fast as they would go. Behind me, I heard the tear of fabric as Vaughn shifted, and a moment later he was trotting by me, his furry ears pointed forward. As we passed the elevators, I ignored them and went through the staircase instead. I flew downward, while Vaughn took the steps in one huge leap.

Once at the bottom floor, we veered right and ran toward the warehouse, the same area from where Meadow Song had teleported the children out of this nightmarish place.

When we got there, the large door laid open, revealing wooden crates lined in straight rows that filled the space from one end to the other. I flew over a tall stack of them, while Vaughn ran around the long line, falling behind. As soon as I reached the other side, I saw that I’d been right: the Habermanns stood in the same corner where I’d last seen Wren, Bor, and the other children, the one spot in the building where teleportation would work.

Alexander had a large device pressed to his ear and was frantically speaking into it. “Evacuation required immediately. I repeat. Evacuation required immediately.” There was a crackling and pop as he released a button and listened for an answer.

The whirring of my wings caught the twins’ attention, and they cowed together, peering up at my approach with pale faces and wide blue eyes. I kept flying straight for them, intent on taking Alexander’s communication device, and too