book was the path and I would take my walk, would lead it to the next person who should hear her words. I could save the planes.
Confidence surged through me as I saw the pages begin to fill.
No man should fully know his destiny.
That was why Dean couldn’t read the book.
“I wish you hadn’t done that.”
I turned in time to see Erna raise her hands. Her face changed briefly, turning older and craggier, as though a mask had slipped slightly, giving me a glimpse of what was beneath. Something rough and evil.
I put a hand on my stomach as if I could protect the child growing there. Fear gripped me at the thought of this thing in front of me taking my boy from me.
I felt the start of my arm changing and then something tugged on my hair hard. Arwyna pulled my hair hard enough to get me to move. Power rushed by me, striking the wall behind.
But her second strike didn’t miss. Pain flashed through my left shoulder and I went down hard, cracking my head against the table. I saw stars, but mostly I saw the witch taking the book and holding it to her heart.
“I’ll find Summer myself. I don’t need that mewling boy anymore. I have everything I need now that you’ve primed the book again. Tell the king I’ll take his human life and ensure he cannot come back if any of you attempt to find me. Summer is mine now. She will stay that way.”
There was a flash of light and I heard a popping sound.
And the witch was gone.
And the book was gone.
Never leave The Path.
God, the book was gone and I’d let it slip through my fingers. I’d done it. I’d hesitated. I’d thought about my baby and I hadn’t been able to do what I should have.
Arwyna landed on my nose, her wings fluttering like a warning signal. Get up. Get up.
She’d saved me. That first blast of power would have taken out my head, or at the very least scrambled it.
I forced myself up. I could smell something—ozone maybe. Erna had disappeared in a snap, crackle, and pop, and taken my book with her.
I had to tell the queen how I’d fucked up.
I raced out the door.
I started across the lawn when I realized the royals and Dean were already looking my way. “She’s gone. And so is the book.”
Zoey met me halfway to where the barricade should have been, Dean hard on her heels. “Are you all right?”
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Dean asked.
“I mean she threw some lightning bolts or something my way and then disappeared,” I told him. “And she grabbed the book and took it with her, but not before I figured out how to make it work again. I touched it and it told me I was supposed to have it. The words started coming back, but the witch had figured out something was wrong. She’s going after Summer. She said she would get Summer herself and then she pulled the disappearing act.”
Daniel and Dev had joined us.
“She teleported somewhere?” Dev asked.
I nodded. “I think so. I don’t know what spell she used.” I looked to Dean. “She’s been teaching you, right? Is there any way to follow her?”
Dean looked so young, and I hated the fact that I was putting this on him, but I didn’t know who else to ask. “I can try a locator spell. I’ll need something of hers. I’ll go get it.”
Zoey put a hand on his shoulder. “I don’t want you to risk that. We know where she’s going. We’ll get our packs and head out. We need to make it to that door.”
“I’ve got something else I can try,” Dean said, standing up straighter. “I’ve got my tablet. I can make a call and ask my parents to put us in touch with Taggart-Lodge. They’re a rival corporation but they might listen.”
I nodded. “Go and do it. We’ll use all the help we can get.”
Dean took off for the house.
Arwyna had taken up perch on Dev’s shoulder. I looked to her. “Thank you. I know what you did. My scalp hurts but my whole soul thanks you, little queen.”
Arwyna climbed toward her priest’s ear, and he seemed to listen to her for a moment.
Dev frowned. “She’s telling me the magic left with the witch. She was attracted to that magic. It called to her. Somehow Erna was pulling from Fae magic. It might explain why the