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David had his phone out; he'd been texting furiously for the last hour. "I've got some other contacts coming in. Defectors from IPCA-people are tampering with the trackers and leaving in droves now that they've gone completely mad there; everything is shutting down without the faeries Raquel freed. We'll have all the human, werewolf, and vampire manpower we'll need. "
"Awesome. And I'm assuming you'll have whatever supernatural aid you need?"
"Only a few types are up for land travel, but, yes. It won't be easy, but I think we can crack this last reserve. "
I nodded. "Good. Because I'm going to the Faerie Realms, and I'm not coming back until I have Carlee and every other human with me. " Reth looked up and locked eyes with me, then nodded. His eyes had dark circles under them, but he seemed a bit more energetic than he had when he collapsed earlier.
"Evie, that's much too dangerous," Raquel said. "The Seelie Court needs to be in charge of that. "
"I don't trust them to be in charge of it. They don't see people as individuals. We're like sheep. There's no way I'd trust them with Carlee's life. "
"I'll go with you," Lend said.
David shook his head. "You two will do no such thing. "
"I know you want to keep us safe. " I smiled. "But fact of the matter is we're both in this deeper than you and Raquel ever can be. That whole we're-the-adults-and-this-isn't-your-problem speech you pulled out when Vivian was rampaging doesn't apply anymore. It didn't even back then, much as I wanted it to. This needs fixing, and I am the one who is going to fix it. I'm okay with that. "
Arianna nodded. "But how? What are you going to do?"
"I have some ideas. But first I need something in my stomach before I fall over. So let's go eat and plot and then save the world. "
David sighed, looking thoughtful.
"What's up, Dad?" Lend asked.
"I'm trying to figure out if there's any way I can lock you two in your rooms. I don't think a simple grounding will do it. "
Raquel laughed. "Good luck trying to force Evie to do anything else once she has made up her mind. She is the definition of a stubborn, headstrong teenager. "
"And you love me for it. "
"I do. " She hugged me, the spontaneity of the gesture surprising me. Even Lend's expression softened slightly toward her.
Back at the house, David and Raquel disappeared into the office to plan. Lend watched them go, holding hands, with a troubled look on his face.
"You okay with that?" I asked.
"No. But. . . he's walking different. Springier, you know?"
I nodded, squeezing Lend's arm. "They both seem really happy. "
Lend sighed heavily
. Maybe he and Raquel had more in common than he thought. I slumped at the counter, exhausted after my crazy faerie dream sleep, too tired to talk more. My eyes were so dry I could hear myself blink. Click, click, click they went.
Lend stood staring blankly at the shelves of food. Arianna had sneaked upstairs to eat-or rather, drink-in private. "I have no idea what to make. I'm too exhausted to think. "
"You have no right to be tired. And I never want to see you asleep ever again. I had enough of that for a lifetime these past few days. "
"Allow me to take over," Jack said, striding into the kitchen. He nudged Lend out of the way and started pulling out a huge pile of ingredients.
"Can you even cook?"
"If Lend had let me make him an omelet earlier, that question would already be answered. "
Lend sat next to me, leaning over and putting his arm under my head as a pillow against the counter. "Remind me again why we trust him now?"
"Because we need all the help we can get. And I think he really is sorry. And a lot of people are going to depend on him if all the faeries leave. "
