Page 131 of Facade

“Going somewhere?” Laverna cackled, her ancient, cruel face appearing in front of me within a plume of shadows, her wispy white hair pulled tightly back. Only my eyes could move as I tried to see where the other three were. My pulse pounded in my ears. The orb. They can’t get it.

“She’ll be going with me.”

My eyes flicked to the spot where Evanee had been thrown through the doors. There, leaning casually against the broken frame, was Thaddeus in shining black fighting leathers, a golden emblem of a raven with a snake hanging from its mouth—the sigil of the Elementals—picking at his fingernails as if he hadn’t a care in the world. His lean, muscled body appeared relaxed but I knew better.

Nerissa hissed at him from somewhere behind me, “You should be dead!”

Those golden eyes flashed dangerously as they settled on her.

“Yes,” he crooned, pushing away from the frame, snow blowing in behind him. “I should be. Very foolish of you not to ensure the job had been done before hiding away at your Dead Isles.” He examined them, his demeanor dangerously calm. With a snap of his fingers, I was released, stumbling to his side.

Ondine bristled. “This is Council business. The bitch stole something of ours and—”

Thaddeus waved a hand in the air, brushing her off. “Yes, yes. She stole something, you want it back…. It’s an overplayed story. One I tire of.”

Nerissa screeched, moving her hands, a violent chant starting as black-tinted blue magic took form, to strike at Thaddeus and me. Thaddeus shouted words so fast, words I couldn’t even understand or comprehend, then stuck his hands toward the council, a blaring white light shooting out for them.

I shielded my eyes as it threw them back into the hall, the force of the blast so strong that stone and mortar rained down from the second floor, until the ceiling gave way and buried them.

Dust lodged in my throat making me fall into a coughing fit.

“Are they dead?” I rasped.

Thaddeus snorted. “If heavy objects could kill them, they’d have been dead long ago. Come, we must leave.” He grabbed my arm, pulling me away from the wreckage, but I yanked myself free.

“I can’t leave!” I exclaimed. “Evanee, Ryker... Malachai, they all need me.”

“My allies are on their way here now. My part of the bargain is complete.”

I found myself shaking my head. “No, you said you'd help me free Evanee. You haven’t upheld your end of the bargain—she’s still out there fighting—”

“But she had been freed.”

I froze, the blood draining from my face as a pit formed in my stomach.

His face hovered inches from mine as he hissed, “You freed her the other night. I gave you sanctuary. No one would have found you there. But you chose to return for the male Gargoyle, knowing Ryker and Evanee wouldn’t abandon you. So, I most certainly did uphold my end. Now, will you uphold yours? Because your death would be a terrible waste.” He held his hand out.

Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought of leaving and not knowing whether my friends would live or die. Knowing my year started now. But I wouldn’t know their fates if I were dead. So once more, I took his hand.

Evanee’s cry was the last thing I heard before golden smoke swallowed us whole.

39

Evanee

Aiden’s next dagger sank into my shoulder and I screamed, the sound swallowed by the enraging storm.

“You shouldn’t have come back.” He swept his tail out at me. I dodged it—barely. “Give up!” he hissed.

With a raw cry, I ripped the dagger free, raised my sword with my good arm, and charged.

Pointless.

Even in Ryker’s blizzard, Aiden owned the sky, giving him a considerable advantage over me. I fought to lift off the ground, but my wings were too heavy.

My leg was useless as I’d ripped that dagger out too, wielding it against him and had managed to get a few swipes in when he got close. But nothing I did slowed him. In fact, I’m the one who slowed, the blood loss catching up.

He vanished.