I squeezed Danny’s hand as Dev made sure each demon was taken up safely into the oak’s embrace. “We’re lucky you’re so brave here, Your Highness.”
He brought my hand up and kissed it before holding it to his heart. “Yes, well, I think you’ll discover I haven’t been that scared in a while. My human heart felt like it was going to explode. It’s odd to feel it beating like it is. And have I thanked you for being so patient with me? About the crap with Myrddin?”
Dev turned and he was in control once more. “Yes, my goddess. Now I understand how difficult it must have been for you. At the time it seemed like you were being unreasonable.”
We had talked a bit about how Myrddin had used the thrall stones to influence them as we’d lain in that tiny bed while Dev got back some of his strength. But I’d been careful not to throw blame around.
“I don’t even like tea.” Dean’s nose wrinkled. “My mother would make tea and I would tell her it was for snooty consorts. My dad would joke that milk was for real men. Not that he would drink it since he was a vamp and all. But I drink tea all the time now. That’s not right. When Summer makes it, I refuse. Does that mean Summer doesn’t know what Erna did?”
I needed to make this clear to our new friend. “I believe Erna is using you and Summer, and I intend to put a stop to it. I also intend to find out why she’s been doing it. There’s something about that woman I don’t like.” I looked to my faery prince. “Devinshea, I think Erna should meet some of your plant friends. We need to find Summer, but I want that witch waiting here for us when we return. I have questions.”
His expression turned distinctly feral. “I can do that.”
He started to bring up his hands and I felt the ground beneath me tremble.
That was the moment when I looked behind me and I could see the brugh. I wasn’t supposed to be able to see the brugh.
“What happened to the barricade?” Daniel asked, moving in front of me.
“It’s down.” Dean stepped up, too. “Why would she take the barriers down? The whole time we’ve been here they’ve been up. She said it was easier to hold them in place here. It’s precisely the reason we stayed.”
The door opened and Kelsey appeared, her head bleeding and her eyes wild.
“She’s gone,” Kelsey yelled. “And so is the book.”
* * * *
Kelsey
I watched as the queen, Donovan, Dev, and Dean walked out to meet the Planeswalkers, but I never lost track of where the witch was.
She stood beside me, a disapproving look on her face. It seemed to be her go-to expression, but then I didn’t blame her for that. I’ve been accused of resting bitch face.
What I did blame her for was shoving a thrall stone into a young man’s head and using it to manipulate him.
“The Planeswalkers are seldom violent,” she said quietly. “But if they decide your people are a threat, I assure you they can effectively kill. You’re risking a lot to talk to them when they can’t possibly get through my barriers.”
“I don’t think the king wants to hide from them,” I replied. “I think the king wants to figure out why they’re here. You yourself said they aren’t behaving normally.”
“And that’s his business? I also take the title king with a grain of salt. I don’t care what he says. The king of vampires should probably be a vampire.”
“He explained that. He’s under some kind of spell.” Or something had happened when he went through that painting. I’d been thinking about it the whole time we’d been here. Had it been a spell to strip the king of his power? Why hadn’t it done the same to Marcus? My ex-honey still had all his power. I still had my wolf.
She went silent as we watched the king stand before the tallest of the demons. After a moment she crossed her arms over her chest. “It would take a truly brilliant witch to do something like that. Despite what others might tell you, changing something from its natural state is a difficult thing to do. Especially over a long period of time and distance. It makes me wonder.”