man gave up easily,” Kaja allowed. “At least he knows I avenged his wife. He’s not as bad as they say. He was quite sweet with Dani.”
“Yeah, that was when he thought she was a puppy,” Dante argued. He swiped the screen again. “The offer still stands, Taggart. You know I’m good for the money, and I don’t think you’ve forgotten how to be a mercenary.”
Taggart slid back into the passenger seat. Now that I was looking closely, I could see the other male was driving. The one he’d called Adam.
“Fuck you, Dellacourt. This isn’t for you. This is for my Charlie,” a deep voice said over the line. “And Mrs. Dellacourt, you’re mean. I like you. Thanks for handling that bastard for me. Now follow me. You’re not going to make it to the other door. We’ve gotta go through that freaky Fae plane if we’re going to make it to Tír na nÓg without those witches finding us. They’ll be released soon, and they’ll come after Summer. And I’ll take the money, but it’s payment. I’m your bodyguard now.”
Dante frowned. “I don’t need a bodyguard.”
“Ever heard of a dude named Turi?” Taggart asked. “Because apparently he’s heard of you, thanks to my traitor, now-dead employee. He’s on his way, too.”
I gasped because I’d hoped at the very least I’d have a reprieve.
“We welcome Mr. Taggart’s services now that I don’t believe he’s going to put us in a cell,” Marcus said when I nodded his way. “On behalf of myself and my consort, we agree.”
“That’s easy for you to say. It isn’t your money,” Dante argued.
Kaja growled her husband’s way.
Dante sighed. “I’ll follow you.”
I held on tight to Marcus’s hand as we took off. At least I would be able to check in on Dean and Erna and make sure Kelsey and my Fae father were all right. They would be worried.
They had every right to be.
* * * *
Zoey
We stopped at the edge of a crystal blue pond so Daniel and I could take a moment. We were the only ones without supernatural strength and/or youth on our side. We might look like we were in our twenties, but I hadn’t had my usual dose of vamp blood and Dev had really long legs. He was all about the power walk.
“I’m going to take Dan down to the water and refill the canteens,” Dev explained. “He needs some time to settle his stomach.”
The eating experience wasn’t going great. Apparently whatever magic had caused Daniel’s body to revert to his prior human form hadn’t given him a cast-iron gut.
It was one more thing in a long list of worries.
“Can I help?” I asked, glancing to where Danny stood near a massive tree. Kelsey had found an overturned log she was using as a couch as she proved she didn’t have my husband’s issues with digestion. She was tearing through her second sandwich. I would have considered the thick ham and butter concoction a full meal, but it was merely a snack for our wolf, and that would be a problem if we didn’t find more food soon.
“I think he’ll be fine,” Dev assured me. “There’s some wild ginger around here. I’ll have him chew some and we’ll get him back on track. It won’t take long. Rest while you can, my goddess.”
I watched as he walked back to join his partner.
Worry ate through me. I could feel it in every part of my body. It was all threatening to fall apart. I was on a plane I didn’t understand, and my daughter was in trouble. We were all in trouble because Myrddin obviously had plans for us. Even when I somehow managed to find a way home, we would have to deal with the most powerful wizard to have walked the planes.
I had gotten used to safety, to normalcy. This whole event had been a brutal reminder that the world could change on a dime, and no matter how safe I feel, it is an illusion.
The fight, it seems, never ends.
I started to move toward where Kelsey sat, but I noticed Dean leaning against a tree, facing away. He’d been quiet while guiding us through the forest, only speaking to point out a danger here or there. I wanted to be thrilled with the adventure, but too many lives were on the line. I’d focused on putting one foot in front of the other rather than the miraculous forest around me.