Danny gulped something down. “That’s the last of the potion that protects me from the sun. I don’t have another batch on me, so we’d better move quickly. We don’t have all day.”
It was evening here in Ilamanthe, but the sun would be shining where we were headed, because Kinpago was on the other side of the world.
“Are you sure this is going to work?” Kallie asked.
“I’m fast enough. They’ll never see me coming nor going.” Danny crouched down. “Hop on.”
Kallie was first, thank the gods. She ordered Alette to get in her pocket. Danny lifted her onto his back, and Marcus gave a few discontented grumbles under his breath.
“Oh, Marcus, quit being jealous,” Kallie said, and a burst of wind blew my hair back as Danny took off.
I wasn’t expecting him to return, because I was convinced he’d get his ass caught, but he was back in a little over ten seconds without Kallie.
“Nobody saw. Let’s get the rest of you down there. Ladies first.” Danny crouched to lift Ava out of her chair, and I swear to the ancestors, I nearly lost it.
I knew I had no claim to Ava anymore, but the thought of this guy laying his hands on her made me irate. Ava didn’t object, just looped her arms around his neck like he was carrying her down the aisle.
“Don’t drop me, Casanova,” Ava quipped. “I’m sure I’m not the first woman you’ve carried off.”
“That just means I have experience,” Danny said, and Ava laughed as he bounced her up and down in his arms.
Ava thought I didn’t notice these two getting all cozy. She thought she could hide it just because I couldn’t see, but I heard the brush of fabric and the sound of their breaths growing closer. She thought I didn’t know how she ran her fingers through his hair backstage, but I could perceive far more than she realized.
I had no right to be so upset. I knew Danny wouldn’t hurt her, but the fact that he was in such close proximity to her turned my stomach. He was receiving the affection that was once reserved solely for me, and it was hard to imagine someone taking my place and caring for her the way I used to. I wanted so badly to touch Ava again, but outside our one-time performance, she wouldn’t let me.
It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to be happy without me. The fact was, it tore me apart to think I’d been easily replaced by the next demigod who’d waltzed into the room… like the caresses we’d once reserved for each other never mattered.
“I’ve got your chair,” Marcus said as it disappeared into his stash. “I’ll meet you down there with it.”
Danny took off so fast I staggered back, but he was back a few moments later without Ava. “You’re next, warlock.”
Danny crouched down again. Marcus fumbled to get on his back.
“Marcus, I swear to—” Danny’s words were full of frustration. “You’re so clumsy. I’m going to drop ye if ye don’t hold on!”
“Where do I put my legs?” Marcus yelped.
“Around my waist, ye ass!”
Were these two having sex or getting this done? I couldn’t tell. Wind ruffled my clothes again, and I impatiently paced as I waited for Danny to show back up. He was taking longer than he had with the girls.
He returned after a moment and said, “I had to wait for a patrol to go by. He might’ve tumbled off at the end, there.”
“As long as he made it.”
Danny stooped down and picked up Oberi, while Rishi jumped into his hoodie pocket. “Right, now for all the pets.”
Wee! I get to run with a vampire! Oberi’s cheers of glee echoed in my head as Danny carried him off. He was the quickest this time, racing from the palace to the beach and back in a moment.
“Your dog’s heavier than I expected, you know that?”
“Maybe you’re just slow.” This was already taking longer than I wanted it to.
Danny gave a great sigh. “All right, ye big lug, hop on.”
I wrinkled my nose. I really didn’t want to.
“Well, come on! We don’t have all day.” Danny grabbed my wrist and yanked me toward him. “Hellfire, you’re so difficult. I don’t know how Ava puts up with ye arse.”
