Page 34

“I could.” He lifted one hand to examine his nail beds. “But I imagine Crispin would not like to be left behind. I suggest you take your boost from him.”

My cheeks flushed at the very thought. “You have got to be kidding me.”

Crispin gave me his most charming smile and pressed his palms together in a silent prayer to not be left behind.

I looked back and forth between them. “This is ridiculous.”

“Progress takes effort, Eva,” Sebastian chided.

I furrowed my brow at Crispin, still hesitant to try. We had traveled together before—I knew it was possible—but why was Sebastian pushing for it? What did he hope to learn?

Crispin turned away at the sound of approaching hooves.

All tension left me as I followed his gaze, spotting Gabriel atop a mighty buck, another one tagging along behind him.

I ran to him as he slid down, throwing myself into his arms before I could think better of it. “How did you find me?”

His eyes darkened. “I will explain later.”

Okay, whatever. I glanced back at Sebastian and Crispin as they approached, though my words were for Gabriel. “We need to go. Seraphina is at my apartment bullying Braxton.”

Gabriel kept a protective arm around me. “She heard of her sister? How?”

“Apparently so, and I don’t know.” I looked back at the other two guys again. “Are you coming?”

Something shifted slightly in Crispin’s expression, but he bowed his head and approached the second buck.

Sebastian just looked irritated. “I will find you later.” He lowered his chin, silently reminding me that I now had to always keep the card on me. But did the card really matter? He had found me out here too. Just like Gabriel. Finding me in the castle was one thing. We were in the middle of nowhere now. Before I could ask, he poofed away.

Frowning, I turned to the remaining two guys.

“Who is Seraphina?” Crispin asked, his expression back to normal.

“It’s a long story. We’ll tell you on the way.”

Gabriel gripped my waist, helping me onto the larger buck before vaulting up behind me.

We had ridden together plenty of times now in the Bogs, but something felt different in the way he wrapped his arm around my waist. Something had changed today.

But what?

Gabriel

Truly,even as king Francis agreed to lend me mounts, and even as I rode into the forest, I didn’t believe I could find her.

But something tugged at me, guiding the way, like an invisible cord between us. Like we were connected by more than just mutual care.

And if I was a part of this, then so were the others. And so was Eva. Only she was being pulled in four different directions.

And there was no saying which path she would ultimately choose.

13

I pausedwith my hand on my apartment door. “You know, you really can go back to the Bogs. I’m home safe now, and I have Sebastian’s card.”

Gabriel’s smoldering dark eyes shifted from my hand on the doorknob to my face. “Nymphs can be dangerous.”

“How did you find me in the woods?”