Everyone inhaled sharply as the light flared.
I held perfectly still. “What do I—”
Mistral reached out for the vortex, but it flared again, then flattened out before absorbing into my hands.
I stared at my empty palms in disbelief. “What the hells just happened!”
I looked up at Mistral, who winced at my shriek. He stepped around the table, then took my hands into his, examining them. “I’m not sure. I don’t sense it now.” His eyes lifted to mine. “Do you feel any different?”
I didn’t take the time to think about his question. There was only one question on my mind. “Why did that happen to me and not you!”
Crispin moved closer, taking one of my hands from Mistral. He ran his palm over my own, then I yanked both my hands away from them. The green glow was gone, and I didn’t feel much different, but I wasn’t taking any chances. What if I touched one of the guys and the vortex sucked away their magic?
“This is a disaster.“ Marcie groaned.
Still looking at me instead of my aunt, an infuriating smile curled Crispin’s lips. “I wouldn’t jump to such a conclusion. The Bogs gave the vortex to Eva. Perhaps this is what it intended. If she would have lifted it when it first appeared—”
I started to step toward him, then remembering my hands, stopped moving and extended them at my sides. “So we’re blindly trusting in the wild magic—magic that might just as soon kill us as help us?”
“Well it’s been rather helpful as of late.” Crispin winked at me and I blushed.
We had given Marcie the PG version of what had happened in the meadow, and I certainly wasn’t going to explain it in any more detail now. I flexed my hands, still not feeling any different. Maybe it really was okay. “Alright, say the Bogs wanted this to happen. What do we do about it now?”
Marcie was glaring at Mistral, clearly blaming him for the whole debacle. “I need to leave. While I doubt grandfather will take his eyes off Helena, it’s not worth the risk. Especially with our whole plan now shot to hell.”
Before anyone could argue, she flung open the cottage door and marched outside. She was gone before anyone could shut it.
“It will be alright.” Crispin’s hand on my shoulder made me jump.
I wiggled away from him. “Don’t touch me!“
He blinked at me, jaw slightly agape and hand still in the air. “Eva, nothing will happen. Magic is about intent. I’m sure you won’t hurt any of us.“
I held my hands in front of me again, observing my palms. Maybe he was right. Maybe the vortex had actually done us a favor, because now it wasn’t like anyone could steal it from us. But I would also need to test it before we faced my grandfather.
Hesitantly, Crispin placed his hand on my shoulder again, and when I didn’t move away, he gave it a squeeze. “Maybe we can test it on Lucas.“
Gabriel huffed. “I knew having her touch it was a bad idea.“
I was still looking at my hands like I didn’t quite trust them.
Mistral was brave enough to take one of them, lifting my knuckles to his lips. “Dear Eva, time is short. Whether this will work or not, only fate can know.”
“But what if I don’t trust fate?” I asked.
“You must.” He smiled. “It brought you to me.”
I supposed he had a point. Only something as strong as fate could have brought me together with four such different men. Only fate could have led me to answers, and to binding myself with Mistral and the Bogs.
It definitely seemed like we were entirely at fate’s mercy now. Here was hoping she wouldn’t be a cruel mistress.
3
Iwore black jeans, my best kick-butt boots, and my favorite leather jacket. Angelics, werewolves, fairies, and elves milled around the large fountain at the center of the Silver Quarter.
The Silver Quarter itself was smaller than the other lands beyond their boundaries, but there were also far fewer angelics and gargoyles in the city than there were goblins, fairies, or elves. I was pretty sure goblins outnumbered everyone put together, but they did more often breed with humans.
Gabriel stood with me, unwilling to leave my side while Sebastian, Mistral, and Crispin strategized with Charla, our lead angelic ally. Since I had already endured enough strategy talks to last a lifetime, I had opted to remain outside.
