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“If we don’t show up in formal attire, we’ll offend him.” Levi has his foot on a chair to tie his laces. “It’s one of the rules. Remember, our primary goal is to keep Cirrus talking. The longer we can give the others to search for the prophecy, the better.”
“What if I mess up?” My plan is to let Levi do the talking.
He crosses the room and lifts the Kindred Few necklace I’ve left on the table. “I’ve added a magical element to your locket. Besides the yarrow, it contains a spell which will draw you back to this spot if you clasp it in your hand.” When he snaps the locket open, the herb glimmers with the supernatural element.
“And you added this to yours?” I nod at his locket.
“Of course,” he says, turning to lift his other shoe to the chair.
With our bags slung over our shoulders, we leave the room and head out the front door of the inn, Katiana’s voice calling out to Grayson behind us.
“I looked for you last night,” she calls from the open door. “You must have missed me. I wore my pink floral.”
“I bet you looked ravishing.” Grayson tips his hat at her but doesn’t slow his steps. “Next time, my love.”
Katiana’s face flames a color that is probably similar to the color of the dress she wore.
Bastian falls into step beside me, behind the others. It seems like a betrayal, not telling him about my conversation with Grayson. He slips a piece of paper into my hand, which I quickly crumple and stuff between my cleavage. I’ll read it when it’s not as obvious to the others.
“If anything happens, use Levi’s locket.” He’s tied his hair back in a knot, and his black fighting gear is loaded with weapons. Very different from the man who made love to me last night, but still just as handsome. “We’ll meet you in Tenny Rocks.”
“Do you know where to find the prophecy?” From what I imagine about the Unseelie Court, it is a vast system of underground tunnels and caverns, easy to lose yourself in.
“Levi says Cirrus will keep it close—his throne room, his sleeping quarters, or where he stores his gold. While we search, Levi will poke around with his questioning, trying to get a clue from the king himself.” He reaches into his pocket and removes a black box. “This is a communication device we swiped from two of Avren’s soldiers. We’ll have them both turned on so we can hear what’s happening in the throne room.”
I take it from his hand, inspecting the familiar equipment. “It’s called a radio. It’s part of a soldier’s standard gear. They need to communicate with each other in the wilderness.”
He stops, taking my arms in his hands. “Do not take any chances. We need you alive more than we need the prophecy. The other savior will reveal him or herself, eventually. But if you haven’t noticed, I’m not very patient.”
“I’ll do my part for our family,” I say, slipping the dress from my shoulder and tapping my tattoo with my fingernail.
He glances ahead before kissing my shoulder, sending all kinds of warmth through me. “I know you will, but we need the two of you alive.”
I don’t know what this evening will hold, but I will make sure everyone else makes it out before me. They are my world, and I can’t imagine life without any of them.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN
The landscape changes as the afternoon wears on, casting shadows among the ferns and flowers. The forest isn’t as heavy here as we push closer to the mountains. It’s hard to believe that Frostacre is nestled in the unforgiving world of the tundra high above us. As we start on the trail into the foothills, I throw my cloak over my shoulders, feeling the chilling effects of the altitude and the setting sun.
“We don’t have to worry about other Supes up here.” Evie walks beside me, a red scarf tied loosely around her neck.
“Do you really think he knows we’re coming?” I look up at the snow-covered mountains, trying to make out where Frostacre is located.
“There’s no doubt he senses you. We deal with your magnetic attraction crap all the time.” She gives me a sideways glance and a smirk. “Grayson’s taken to spending the nights in my bed to deal with it. I’m surprised Bastian held off for so long. And Levi...?” She sighs, glancing behind us at the others. “I’m afraid that boy would do anything for you.”
“But if we can break the magnetic connection, everything will be better, right?” There’s nothing I want more than to know for sure what Bastian feels for me is real.
“It’s not something we can break, Mari.” She bends to pick a flower from the ground. “It’s like this flower. You can remove the flowering bud, but it will grow back. It’s part of the natural cycle. You need to pick the plant from the roots—or kill the savior—to break the connection.”
All my hopes of freeing myself from magical shackles are lost. It’s something I’ll have to live with until I die. I look over my shoulder at Bastian. He’s listening intently to Grayson talk as Levi moves silently beside them with a tall walking stick in his hand. From this distance, I can almost make out his fae features—his slender build, green eyes, and beautifully angled jaw. He wears a wide-brimmed hat, pitched to the side, and an oversized poncho-like coat.
He lifts his face and smiles, as if sensing my stare.
I don’t want him to suffer because of my stupid magnetism. If the fae king can tell me how to break it besides dying, I’ll find a way.
The higher we climb, more and more of the trees disappear, replaced by bushes. Every couple hundred feet, I stop to catch my breath. The air is not only cold but thinner, making it difficult for my struggling lungs to keep up. I rest my hands on my knees and draw in shallow breaths. “Are we almost there?”
“It’s not long now, Windsong.” Bastian taps me twice on the back as he passes. “We’ll separate at Fox Glove Crossing. An interception by Cirrus’s guards is imminent after that point.”
