Page 13 of Deadly Little Games (Four Ways to Fate #2)

13

I held the crumpled paper up in front of my face, comparing the address with the small diner across the street from me. The curtains were all drawn in the windows to block out the unusually sunny day, but I had watched several people coming and going, and a neon Open sign glowed on one side of the glass doors.

It seemed safe enough, and if it wasn’t, I had back up. Not only was Ringo in my messenger bag, but Gabriel was loitering further down the street. He looked far too good leaning against the brick wall, white button up undone at the top just so, contrasting with his brown skin. Sunglasses shielded his eyes, the lenses as dark as his hair, which was currently tied back away from his face.

“You’re staring, Eva,” a small voice whispered below me.

I glanced down at Ringo peeking out of my bag, lifting a brow at him. “Can you really blame me?” My eyes shifted in Gabriel’s direction.

Ringo simply stared back at me. He picked up on banter at the strangest of times, but apparently now was not one of those times.

Shaking my head, I crossed the street. There were a few other goblins loitering about, including Gladiola, the woman who had rescued me from the Circus. I spotted her at the next crosswalk, and gave her a subtle nod as I approached the diner.

I opened the door, pulling against the slight suction from the air conditioner inside. There was an open expanse of bar-style seating, the long counter rimmed with several strips of vibrant color. A few people sat there on tall stools, none of them glancing my way. Observing the seat yourself sign, I went for a vinyl booth along the wall near the door.

Not long after I sat, a waiter took my coffee order then hurried away. I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans, then straightened my loose green flannel over my tank-top, anxious to get the meeting over with. I was supposed to return to Emerald Heights today, but whoever had left the note didn’t think I should trust the elves. I needed to learn exactly why that was. And I needed to learn it before Sebastian found me. I had left his calling card in my apartment when Gabriel took me home to change, but I had a feeling that even without it, it wouldn’t be long before he strode through the diner doors.

The waiter returned with my coffee, giving me a tired look when I said I would wait on ordering food. As soon as he turned away, I slipped a sugar packet into my messenger bag for Ringo. I was pretty sure by now that the little guy could subsist entirely on potatoes and sweets.

I glanced around the diner, growing more anxious by the moment. When my watch buzzed on my wrist, I jumped. I looked down at it, seeing Braxton’s number, then pushed a button to answer the call.

“Hey Eva, sorry it took me so long to check in.”

“I was beginning to wonder if you’d thought better of having such a risky roommate and decided to live in the country.”

Braxton laughed. “Not quite, but speaking of your issues , that’s why I’m calling. I think you might want to come out here.”

I turned the volume down on my watch and held it closer to my face. “What? Why? Not that I couldn’t use a vacation, but—”

“I know I wasn’t supposed to tell anyone what’s going on with you, but you know how my mom is.”

I pinched my brow and shook my head. “Braxton—”

“She told me some stuff, Eva. Stuff your dad told her right before he died.”

My stomach fell to my feet. “What kind of stuff?”

“I think you should just come out here and talk to her in person. You should be safe with the pack around. Plus, she misses you.”

I looked up as the diner door opened and I recognized a familiar petite form. “I have to go, Braxton. But I’ll think about it, okay?”

“Do more than think about it. I’ll get the guest room ready for you.” He hung up before I could.

I lowered my wrist to my lap as the woman who had entered the diner approached me. I recognized her instantly. I had committed her appearance to memory, even though we’d only had one conversation.

The celestial woman from the Circus smiled down at me. “I wasn’t sure that you’d come. The devil seems to have you completely wrapped up in his scheme.”

“Well, I’m here. Although I’m confused at what point you slipped me those two different notes.”

Her wide mouth curled into a charming smile, crinkling the skin around her large dark eyes. Her brown hair was so thick it was like a pelt falling all the way down to her waist, blanketing her diaphanous purple blouse. “Yes, I’m rather adept at slipping about unnoticed.” She used her body to shield her hand as she wiggled her fingers, sending off a few tiny stars. “I’m Marcie, by the way. We were interrupted the other night before I could introduce myself.”

She slid into the other side of the booth, looking harmless. Yeah right . She was a pure blooded celestial working with my mom. I wanted to trust her, but she was also connected to Lucas, who had been ordered to kill night runners. I couldn’t trust anyone who would murder strangers so blatantly.

The waiter returned, and Marcie ordered a hot green tea.

Figured. “Why did you ask me here?”

“I wanted to warn you to stop searching for your mother.”

I narrowed my eyes. “And what makes you think I’m still searching for her?”

“Let’s see,” she tilted her head, draping that long hair all around her, “a powerful devil haunts your every step, you have the protection of the elf king himself, and you have been spending quite a bit of time in the Bogs.” She gave me a knowing look.

“None of that means anything.”

“Eva, if you find your mother, you’re going to get her killed. Don’t you realize that all of these men around you just want to turn her in for the bounty? I know she left you, but do you really want to see her dead?”

“That depends. Does she want to see me dead?”

She rolled her eyes. “I thought you understood that was an accident. Your mother believed you were already dead.”

I stiffened, my mouth going dry. “What?”

I had to wait on an answer as the waiter returned with her tea, then looked expectantly at us for a food order. Marcie stared back at him, deadpan, until he lifted his hands and strode away.

She turned her attention back to me. “Your mother thought you were dead, Evelyn.”

“It’s Eva,” I snapped.

“Yes,” she sighed. “Your name change did add to the illusion that you were deceased. She is, of course, thrilled that you are still alive, but you understand why she cannot meet with you.”

“No, actually I don’t.”

She put her hands flat on the table, leaning forward. “These men are using you, Eva. Especially the devil, but the goblins and the elves too. They will see your mother dead.”

“They will not,” I snapped. “Well, at least not the goblins. I’m pretty sure. And probably not the elves either.”

She shook her head. “You cannot trust them. They only want the blade.”

“The elves don’t even believe that it exists. The king doesn’t care about me. His daughter asked him to protect me, and he agreed.”

She slumped back against her seat. “Oh, you are so very young. Don’t you know that everyone involved in the game was shown the blade? The elf king saw it himself. He knows it exists, and he wants it.”

Bile crept up my throat. Could it be true? Was everything Elena had told me a lie? I had to clear my throat before I could speak. “Fine, maybe I can’t trust the elves. And I’m not stupid enough to ever trust Sebastian. But I can trust Mistral.”

She lifted a brow. “Can you? You seem quite different now, practically shining with celestial magic. Was he the one to bring it out in you?”

My pulse kicked up a notch. “What do you know about it?”

She leaned forward again. “I know that you’re a celestial. And I know that these men will drain your magic dry.”

“That’s not true.”

“Then why are you still searching, Evelyn?” Her words were clipped. “Or do you suddenly have an unquenchable thirst for power?”

I shifted uncomfortably in my seat. “Everyone only came after me because of the bounty. As long as that exists, I’ll never be safe. I don’t want to get my mom killed. In fact, as pissed as I am, I want to help her. I want to find whoever offered the bounty.”

She pursed her lips, studying me for a moment, then she shook her head. “You’ll never manage it. Take the elf king’s protection for what it is, and let the rest go. Eventually they’ll see that you cannot find your mother, and they’ll leave you alone.” She leaned forward even further, lowering her voice to a whisper. “But if you start hopping around other realms, they are all just going to want you more .”

I tried to think of how I could explain things to her. To tell her why I couldn’t let it go, especially now that I knew the extent of Mistral’s problems.

But I had no good answer. Even before the bounty, I was hell-bent on finding my mom. “Why did she take my memories?” I asked abruptly.

“For your own safety. The only reason the people after her aren’t after you too is because she left you behind.”

“But—”

Suddenly Gabriel was standing over us. I had been so caught up in our conversation, I hadn’t been paying attention to who came and left the diner.

Marcie looked up at him. If she was intimidated by his size, she didn’t show it.

Ignoring her, he looked at me. “We need to go. There are several fairies waiting outside. Gladiola overheard their intent to ambush you.”

My jaw fell open.

“I told you this would happen,” Marcie accused.

I glared at her. “No one else knew about this meeting. I’m not the one who led them here.”

Her breath hissed through her clenched teeth. “I’ll admit, I’ve drawn some unwanted attention. But it’s not me they’re after. It’s you. ” She gave me a dark look. “You share her blood, Evelyn. Without you, only another celestial could find her. But with you,” she stood, even with her less than impressive height managing to loom over me, “with you, they could bring her right back down to earth.”

“Hence our need to depart,” Gabriel growled.

Marcie sighed. “I will distract them as long as I can.” She shook her head. “But it’s obviously already worse than I thought. I hoped no one would figure it out.” She met my eyes. “You need to hide, Evelyn. Behind a boundary where no one can reach you. But not with the elves.”

“Wait—”

But she was already turning away.

Gabriel grabbed my arm, gently hauling me to my feet before grabbing Ringo in the messenger bag with his other hand. “The fae live beyond a boundary too. I will not let them take you where I cannot reach you.”

“What did she mean? How can they use me to bring my mother down to earth?”

“I do not know. We’ll figure it out once you’re safe.”

He tugged me toward the door, only to have the waiter block our path. He lifted his little order pad, waving it expectantly because we hadn’t paid for our drinks.

One glare from Gabriel though, and he was stepping out of our path. We went for the door, stepping out into the sun. And that was when all hell broke loose.

“This way.” Gladiola intercepted us as soon as we exited the diner.

Gabriel followed her, glancing around for the fae. But they could be anywhere. Fae could easily hide in plain sight. With their glamours they could be anyone or anything. They could be—

I tugged against Gabriel’s grip on my arm as Gladiola led us into an alleyway behind the diner.

Gladiola stopped ahead of us, her silver hair sweeping away from her purple tinted face as she looked back at us expectantly.

“Eva, we must—” Gabriel began.

“That’s not Gladiola.” I tugged back again. She looked exactly like her, but she felt wrong. I couldn’t sense her goblin magic. “It’s a glamour.”

Gabriel cursed under his breath, shoving me behind him as Gladiola’s face started to transform. In mere seconds another woman stood before us. She was smaller than Gladiola, with vibrant crimson hair. Her eyes were the same shocking red, the irises larger than a human’s. Some humans liked to wear lenses to make their eyes look more fae, but this woman was the real deal.

She smiled at us, but didn’t make a move, and a moment later we learned why.

Gabriel pulled me close, stepping against the wall as three more fae closed in behind us, two men and one woman, all in their true forms. They didn’t all have vibrant hair like the first woman, but the eyes, the eyes would always give them away unless they changed their shape.

The first woman gave me a brilliant smile, revealing slightly pointed teeth. “Ivan sends his regards.”

I inhaled sharply. I really should have tried pushing Ivan off the roof the night we rescued Braxton. “I have the protection of the elf king. Ivan would never go against Elizabeta.” Or at least that’s what Elena and Sebastian both thought.

“Of course not, that’s why we are here.” The fae closed in around us as the woman continued to speak. “We do not fear the elves. Their king stays locked away in his palace.”

Gabriel had slowly maneuvered me between his back and the wall, handing me my bag with Ringo huddled inside. “You need to shift, Eva. Don’t worry about me.”

“I’m not leaving you.” Where in the hells were the other goblins? It wasn’t like we had come without backup.

“It is not me they’re after.”

I held onto him. I didn’t need to sense magic to know the fae’s dark intent. Even if I managed to shift and leave him behind, I might not see Gabriel alive again.

The crimson-haired fae drew near, her stunning eyes on Gabriel. “Leave the girl to us, and you may still be able to help the one whose face I stole.” She flashed him a manic smile. “Or would you choose some half-blood celestial over one of your own people?”

My blood went cold. Gladiola. If they hurt her, it would be my fault. I had been an idiot to leave Sebastian’s calling card behind.

Gabriel flexed his large hands, but he didn’t move away from me. Things were about to get very ugly.

The fae woman took another step, then suddenly Gabriel was crushing me against the wall behind him. The woman cried out, and I managed to bend to one side enough to see an arrow now sticking out of her leg. My eyes followed the path the arrow would have needed to take to find Elena and two male elves standing atop of the nearest roof.

“You would dare defy a direct order of protection from the elf king?” She effortlessly hopped from the roof onto the closed lid of a dumpster, barely making a sound with her landing. She lifted her bow again, aiming it at the woman’s heart. “You do know this grants me permission to kill you?”

“Stay behind me,” Gabriel muttered.

As thrilled as I was to see Elena— and several more elves appearing on the nearest rooftops as others climbed down amongst us—I couldn’t forget what Marcie had told me. The elf king knew the Realm Breaker existed and was up for grabs. His order of protection had not simply been a favor to his daughter.

In an instant, the fae all looked exactly like the elves surrounding us. All except the one who had been shot. Her face now looked like Elena, but she seemed unable to glamour the arrow sticking out of her leg.

“You can still sense their magic!” I called out to Elena.

Elena stayed on the dumpster with her bow drawn. “Is that you back there, Eva? I can hardly see you behind that massive brute.” To her people, she called out, “Make sure you are close enough to sense their fairy magic before you make a kill!”

Her words made everyone move. The glamoured fae ran toward the elves, producing perfectly replicated elven blades. The clang of metal had me huddling back behind Gabriel. He started edging me along the wall toward the opening of the alley, but before we could retreat, Elena reached us.

With her back to the wall and her eyes on the fight, she spoke to me. “I have a car out front. Come with me, and we’ll keep you safe in Emerald Heights.”

Gabriel edged me further along. He lifted his hands as an attacker came near, then an elf darted between us, fending off the glamoured fae. “She will be coming back to the Bogs,” he said through gritted teeth.

Elena snorted. “We can argue about that in the car.”

We could argue, but I wasn’t going back to Emerald Heights without a pretty damn good explanation. Regardless, being in a moving vehicle away from the fae sounded like an excellent idea.

We reached the corner of the diner, then slipped out of the back alley. Gabriel shoved me ahead of him to start running, but someone else was standing right there to grab me.

“How many times do I have to tell you to stop leaving your card in your apartment?” Sebastian yanked me against his chest.

A few beaten and bruised goblins staggered into the side alley behind him, Gladiola amongst them. Something tight released in my chest upon seeing her, but my relief was short-lived.

Gabriel yanked me away from Sebastian. “Your help is not needed here, devil.”

Sebastian’s lip lifted in a snarl. “Is this the thanks that I get for rescuing your people?”

My jaw dropped, then I realized he had probably only rescued them to figure out where I was. How he’d known to come to the diner was another problem entirely. A problem for another time.

Not appreciating being yanked around, I pulled away from Gabriel, straightened the strap of my bag, then looked at Elena. “You said something about a car?”

She flashed me a grin, then gestured toward the street. “Right this way.”

Gabriel fell into step right behind me like a giant angry storm cloud. “Return to the Bogs,” he said to his people as we passed them. “Tell Mistral what has happened.”

The sounds of fighting were dying down behind us. I was pretty sure the elves had won—they outnumbered the fae three times over—but I wasn’t going to return to find out. I would probably see something that would give me nightmares, and I had enough of those already.

“There are other fae about.” Sebastian fell into step at my other side. “Be on your guard.”

Despite his words, we made it out to the street unhindered. A shiny black car waited with its engine running, parked amongst all the others along the street. I did a double take when I realized Crispin was in the driver’s seat.

He rolled down the window when he saw us. “Dear Eva, how lovely to see you again!” He didn’t seem put off by Gabriel and Sebastian both glaring at him in the slightest.

Elena opened the back door for me, and I had one last moment of hesitation before climbing into the car. Not because I was afraid she was going to kidnap me, not with both Gabriel and Sebastian around, but because Crispin was the one driving.

If he drove a car anything like he drove paths to other realms, we were all doomed.