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She pointed at the precariously placed rocks up ahead. Yeah, they should be on the ground even in a minor quake.
But this part of the country wasn’t known for the ground shaking. “Is it something that can only be felt underground?”
Evan shook her head. “I don’t think so. We’re down, but not that far down. I know there are levels that go much lower, but where our rooms are we’re pretty close to the surface. I suppose it could have been a localized event. Maybe something exploded.”
I didn’t have my damn cell phone. Not that it likely would have worked. I hadn’t exactly been prepared for anything but a tasty breakfast. Worry started to pulse through me. Eddie should have been back with the guys by now. Even if the guys were being all heroic and shit, Eddie should have come back with some more rescues.
“Something’s wrong.” Evan glanced around again. “Something was wrong with that quake. It’s too normal out here. Animals don’t go back to normal so quickly. They hide for a while. Those squirrels are acting like nothing happened at all.”
“Well, that’s because nothing happened to them, Princess,” a dark voice said. “They’re all perfectly happy and skittering around without a care in the world. You, on the other hand, shouldn’t do that.”
I moved fast to get Evan behind me as Liv stepped from behind a tree. She was dressed for a BDSM-themed party, or maybe some weird apocalyptic future where leather and spandex were the only fabrics left in existence. “What do you want?”
“Well, I was hoping we could have an in-person chat, bestie,” Liv said. “But I was hoping to do it on my home turf this time. I’ve got some friends I’d like for you to meet.”
“I think I’ve met all your friends. I’m good with never seeing them again.” I had to get Evan out of here. We didn’t have any weapons, and Liv had all that magic.
Magic can do terrible things. Magic can curse and hurt and make you hurt others. Make you hurt yourself and smile while you’re doing it.
“Hello, Princess Evangeline. Where’s that wolf of yours?” Liv seemed intent to play with her prey.
“Somewhere trying to find me, I promise you,” Evan vowed. “And if you harm me or his mom, he won’t stop until he takes you down.”
Liv snorted. “His mom? Like Kelsey is anyone’s mom. She spent what? A couple of months with him? And then she was a dumbass who fell into a painting and left Trent holding the bag. I know it was Trent because your demon boy signed another contract as soon as he could. He always wanted to go home, Kelsey. He lied to you. Deep down he’s a demon, and Hell is where he belongs.”
This was Liv ripped down to her basest instincts. I actually didn’t blame her. Everyone has a dark side. Everyone has moments where they’re mean and pointedly cruel on the inside. Most good beings can keep those instincts under control. Liv’s were off the leash because she’d lost the piece of her soul that controlled them. Had I thought mean stuff about her? Things I would never say to her face because I knew deep down they weren’t true? Yes. I’d had them a lot. They were me projecting my own fears. So I wasn’t going to be mad at her for saying some of my greatest fears out loud. “That’s not what he says, but that’s not meaningful now. Why do you want to take me to Myrddin?”
“Because he wants to talk to you.” Liv moved closer but stopped when I took a step back. “He only wants to talk.”
“Okay. Will you let Evan go if I come with you?” I couldn’t let Liv get her hands on Evan. If she did, she would have immediate access to the royals because the king would offer his immortal life for his daughter no question.
“No.” Evan tried to move from behind me. “I’m not going to let you take her. Myrddin will kill her.”
“I promise he won’t.” Liv suddenly looked fairly reasonable. “He doesn’t gain anything from Kelsey’s death.”
She was lying, or he gained something else by having me in custody. Probably access to the dark prophet. He wouldn’t need anything from Trent. Despite what Liv had said, Fenrir had shown every indication that he considered me his mother. If I was pack to him, he wouldn’t allow someone to take me. But I had to play this cool. “How did you find me?”
She crossed her arms over her chest like she knew I was trying to buy time, but she was willing to indulge me. For now. “I can always find you.”
I was going to do a few things to make it harder. There were tats I could get. I’d never had to protect myself from her before because I’d kind of liked having a witchy LoJack on me given my profession, but Liv was making that impossible. “Can they all find me? Did you share a nice ball of my hair with your friends?”
“I don’t have a ball of hair,” Liv said with a sigh. “And I keep what I do have for myself. I used a lot of it up in the beginning, you know. I did look for you. I didn’t understand that the Great One had to get rid of you. I thought you were gone, and I could find you.”
Evan was still behind me, but I could practically hear her brain working. She was a soldier, and she wouldn’t sit this one out. I had to pray that whatever Liv had done to keep us separated from Eddie would fail and that demon would show up with my hubbies who would likely want a word.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to leave you, and you have to know I didn’t mean to make you feel alone because you never let me feel alone for a second.” She’d been the best friend I’d ever had. I loved her. Sometimes in life you get these people who fill in spaces in your soul, and she’d been one of those for me. She was my sister in everything but blood. “Even when I was utterly unlovable, you never left me behind. Liv, I love you. I am so sorry for what happened. I need you to understand that no matter what you’ve done, I still love you. You are still my best friend.”
I saw the moment I got to her. Her jaw tensed and her eyes went slightly misty.
Liv’s magic required that a part of Liv was still there. Myrddin couldn’t pull her soul completely out of her body because a witch’s soul was the base of her magic. He could pull out most of her goodness, but not all of it, and I could appeal to that part.
She still felt for me, and that meant I could save her.
“And I can’t wait to listen to Casey’s album.” Sarcasm had been a language for us.
Her eyes widened as though that had been the absolute last thing she’d expected from me. And then she laughed and for a second she was my Liv. “It was…I can’t even. I can’t believe he did that. He has a song called ‘Liv and Let Love.’ He’s such a dork. I…”
She stopped as though she couldn’t quite say what she’d been planning to say. Her expression hardened and her eyes closed.
