“I’m here, Ali. Sorry, we slept in.”
There’s a pause on the other end of the line as he processes what I didn’t say. “You need to come back, Celine. Someone sent you something.”
I push a strand of hair out of my eyes. “What do you mean? Who sent me what?”
“Papers. A book. I don’t know, angel, I can’t bloody read it, but a care package shot through the gateway outside the Fringes. If it’s not for you, I don’t know who else it could be for.”
“The fucked-up gateway?Mygateway?”
“Yes, that gateway!”
His voice gets muffled, then I hear Ciprian loud and clear. “Hey, babe. Don’t mind Alistair, he thought you were dead for about ten minutes, so he’s coming down from a frenzy. I’m texting you an address. Idris visited a few months ago on a diplomatic trip or something and he can create a portal there.”
“Okay.” I jump out of bed, put the call on speaker, and set the phone down to free up both hands to toss things in my backpack. “Okay, Ciprian, we’ll be on our way in five minutes.”
“Perhaps you should dress yourself before you pack everything, darling.”
Heat floods my face, and I freeze, staring at the phone like it’s going to come to life.
Ciprian makes a strangled sound before sighing. “You better have blown her mind, dude.”
I bite my lip, unsure how to respond to that. Ciprian doesn’t sound mad, and I know we talked about this, but knowing something might happen and having it confirmed isn’t quite the same thing.
Riven’s face flickers, and he clears his throat. “Itried my best.”
“Fuck, that doesn’t sound promising. Did you make her come?”
I’m in the process of shoving one leg into yesterday’s jeans, and I miss the hole and nearly fall on my face. “Oh my gods,” I snap. “Is this the right time for this conversation?”
Ciprian groans and his voice gets fainter. “Dammit, Ali, I don’t think she got off.”
I snarl, grabbing the phone from the bed and holding it close to my mouth. “Not that it’s anyone’s business, but I did. Multiple times. I ‘got off’ so much we’re probably going to owe the hotel money.”
“Did you throw him around?” Alistair sounds torn between morbid curiosity and envy.
My scowls softens. “Please, Ali. You know I save that for you.”
He growls. “Enough of this. Get to the address. We’ll see you soon, angel.”
“Wait!” Ciprian’s voice is distant. “I want to know how big it—” The call ends, and I glance up at Riven, expecting... Shit, I have no idea what to expect, but it isn’t the wide grin covering the bottom half of his face.
A flicker of static rolls along the bridge of his nose, and—what is that? I lunge for the lamp and turn it on, but by the time I look again, his face is the same as usual, features buried beneath layers of smooth amber.Pull it together, Celine. Now isn’t the time for hallucinations.
Riven drops a shirt over my head.
It smells like him, and I inhale deeply, hoping he doesn’t notice.
My mind and heart are racing. If someone sent me something from the celestial realm, it has to be Malach or my father. Both options make me nervous.
What will I do if Malach tells me to stop trying? His words almost broke me in the monster realm, and he wasn’t even tryingto be cruel. If he doubles down... No. I can’t think that way. It would mean my efforts were for nothing.
“Answers, darling. No matter what this is, it could hold answers.” Riven’s voice is calm and assured. He’s not telling me how to feel, but he is separating the emotions. It’s exactly what I need. Now isn’t the time to create devastating hypotheticals. Fiction is for nighttime, and it’s—I glance at the time on the phone—fuck me, it’s noon. Noon is firmly for facts.
I lace up my combat boots and glance at the rumpled beds. The urge to strip the one we used last night, toss the sheets out the window, and run is hard to ignore.
My phone lights up as Ciprian sends the address he promised, and I push the sheet issue from my mind.
It’s time to go.
