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“Stay safe,” she whispered to him. “I love you.”
“Love you too.” He could barely reply.
Croygen broke away, clasping Cooper’s hand, saying goodbye while AB and I embraced. Her strength had tripled from when I first met her, and I sensed the magic billowing off her, probably exploding emotion and energy through her.
“You are our family now, Katrina. So I need both of you to come home safe. Okay?” She squeezed my hand in sincerity, including me as one of their own without hesitation. I knew Lexie would always be here, a part of both AB and Croygen, but I no longer saw her as a threat. She was a comrade. Someone else who fell in love with Croygen, most likely wanting to kill and love him at the same time. And that I could relate to.
“Sprig?” Croygen peered around.
“Probably passed out somewhere.” Cooper shrugged. “Face down, letting himself drown in an inch of honey.”
“Wouldn’t be the first time,” Croygen scoffed.
Saying goodbye to the rest of the crew, Croygen grabbed my hand, pulling me down the ramp toward Haoyu. I glanced back one more time to see everyone lined up at the railing, my heart squeezing before we cut through the foliage growing up rampantly.
I hoped I would see them all again. Somewhere along the way, all of those people had become my family.
“Right up here.” Haoyu motioned in the dark. Once again, I saw the wavy air, popping and fizzing with magic.
“Don’t let go, Kitty-Kat.” Croygen’s hand gripped mine harder, clutching onto our leader as we stepped in.
Twisting. Turning. Darting through a rainforest, farmland, going out in a smelly alley with people having sex on a dumpster. Faster than I could blink, my stomach knotted, my lids closing, letting Croygen pull me through. Fuck, I hated fae doors.
Ramming through another one, we came to a halt, stepping out into humid air, dawn just a breath on the horizon. My head swam as I gripped Croygen’s hand and took in the scenery, realizing I was high above, overlooking Singapore.
“Holy shit,” I gasped, taking in how high up we were. We were close to the now closed Skypark observation deck, the one famously resembling a ship on three towers sailing through the air. A sky pirate ship. “I’ve never been up here before.” I went to the railing, looking down at the boat dock across the bay. Croygen came up beside me, both of us taking a moment.
It was too dark to see the cracks of the crumbling city, too far up to see the poor and hungry. Up here, the elites would drink their champagne and eat their appetizers while those below suffered. It had always been like this, but now it was magnified by a thousand.
“I think Pam might have vomited in your coat again.” A voice jerked both me and Croygen to his pocket.
Sprig popped out, his nose wrinkling. “No, shedefinitelydid.”
“No.” Croygen shook his head, staring at the sprite. “Nononono.”
“I know you hear that a lot from ladies, pirate.”
“You can’t be here.” He yanked Sprig out of his pocket. “You should be with AB. Heading home to Zoey and Ryker.”
“Think you would make it without me, boothumper?” Sprig let out a hearty, forced laugh. “You wouldn’t survive a day without me.” He jumped on Croygen’s arm. “I am the feared and magical Monkey-Sprite God King!” He raised his hands up. “With mystic hands and a beautiful and stunning Goat God Queen at his side!” He motioned to Pam in his backpack. “Though she smells a little like puke right now.”
“Sprig.” Croygen pinched his brow. “Annabeth is going to be freaking out.”
“Yeah.” He sighed, his voice going softer. “But you need me more.”
I went still. For once, there was nothing but sincerity in Sprig’s expression, his enormous eyes wide, staring at his “big brother.” Then in a flash, he swished his hand, rolling his eyes. “You would die without me, butt-raider, admit it.”
“Actually, we do need you, Sprig.” I grinned at him, causing Croygen to groan. He had gotten us out of a lot of tight spots, and I had no idea what was ahead of us. Probably a lot of locks and chains. “We need our magnificent Monkey God King.” I feigned a bow, smirking at Croygen.
“She is theonlyreason anyone can tolerate you.” Sprig spoke to Croygen, gesturing at me.
“You are so gonna pay for that, Kitten,” Croygen muttered to me, turning to Haoyu with a resolved exhale. “Please let Annabeth know we have him when you return.”
He dipped his head.
“Thank you, Haoyu.” I stepped closer to him. “For all you’ve done. I hope our paths will cross again someday.”
Tugging out my father’s dagger, he placed it in his palms, offering it back to me.
