“I knew you wouldn’t let him win.” Malach murmurs the words in ourthatshadialect, only switching to English to say, “When do we leave?”
“After we go over the plan. Several times.” Alistair rises from the couch. His blue eyes dart to Ciprian then away, and the tension between them makes me squirm. They give off so much heat, especially when they refuse to look at each other.
“Food first,” Luca says. “I’ll order some pizzas, then we can hear what Celine’s thinking.”
I nod, doing my best to remain confident as all four of them focus on me.
Gods. This is happening.
I’m going home.
Grim determination fills me as we drive into the desert.
Squashed in the backseat between Luca and Ciprian, I refuse to panic.
We’ve gone over the plan. Several times, per Alistair’s demands, and all of them refused to be left behind. It’s reckless tobring them near my father, I know that, but if they’re with me, I can at least try to protect them. All night, I tossed and turned, imagining the faceless assassin killing them while I was gone.
The illegal gateway I arrived through is camouflaged and located a few miles outside of Vegas. It can only be activated by someone with celestial magic, and as we get closer, I can’t help remembering the last time I was here.
Scared, heartbroken, hopeful... My new life started that day, but it wasn’t easy.
Luca squeezes my knee, and I realize I’ve been bouncing it up and down, my nerves finding an outlet while I was distracted.
“It’s just ahead,” Malach says to Alistair, directing him toward a large formation of rocks.
Alistair grunts and parks in the shadow of the largest boulder. He borrowed this Jeep from someone who owed him a favor. Since we’re almost ten miles off-road and deep in the desert, I highly doubt anyone will spot it while we’re gone.
Even with the doors closed, the celestial magic hums against my skin. It calls to me, and from the goosebumps on Malach’s neck, he feels it too.
“Remember.” I clear my throat. “Keep a hand on Malach or me at all times. The gateway doesn’t work like the portals you’re used to. It will only recognize our signatures and let you pass if you’re with us. I don’t want someone to get cut in half.”
“Or be spat into the eternal beyond,” Malach adds.
“Please don’t explain where or what that is,” Ciprian mutters. “I’ll be glued to your ass, hot wings. I promise.”
We get out of the Jeep, slide into our backpacks, then shut the doors. I watch the gateway shimmer, its delicate runic patterns clustered in the shape of a wheel against the rough rock face.
This is it. We’re really doing this.
I roll my shoulders back. Luca laces his fingers with mine, and Ciprian wraps his arms around my waist, scooting flush againstmy ass. Alistair steps into my chest, dipping his thumbs beneath the waist of jeans.
I shiver and tell myself it’s because of the enormity of what we’re about to do.
With my free hand, I reach for the portal to activate it, then pause.
Malach is standing to the side, and it doesn’t feel right. Going with my gut, I lace our fingers together. “You unlock it,” I whisper before shifting into our language. “I don’t think I can do this without you.”
His beautiful green eyes dig into the side of my face.
They see too much. They always have.
“I’m by your side now, forever, and always. As long as my heart beats, you’ll never be alone.” Malach’s vow is a punch to my gut, but before I can react, he slams his palm into the shimmering edge of the gateway.
It begins to purr.
Unlike the fae portal Ciprian and I used to get to Vegas, the gate is thirty feet tall and wide enough for a dozen people to walk through at the same time. It’s a massive piece of magically engineered technology, and the most highly protected mode of transportation in our realm.
The purring gets louder, more of a whine now.
