Page 49 of Deadly Reckoning (Broken Ashes #7)
He nods, “I’m sorry I got it on you. I was so happy that you were found that I rushed back here, and it didn’t occur to me that I could get rid of the blood on me, or that I probably shouldn’t hug you.”
I chuckle, “That’s okay. Let’s go.”
We quickly grab our stuff and then head for the van. It’s not until we’re all inside that I realize something.
“Should we really be going to Sully’s, considering that guy who was under Casimir’s control found us there?” I ask.
Evander frowns and shakes his head, “Probably not, but we don’t really have a choice. We were told that we had to get to Ireland before tonight, and tonight is already here.”
“Fuck, yeah, you’re right.”
“We’ll stay alert,” Raiden says.
“I’m still all fired up, I could go for a few more rounds,” Ransom grins.
Coen chuckles, “Of course you could.”
It seems like I’m the only one who is surprised by just how much Ransom seems to like the fight. I had honestly thought that he was one of the calmer ones among the guys, but clearly not.
It intrigues me.
I absolutely want to know more about his trip to Luesidious, and it has occurred to me that the unknown supernatural that he fought alongside might be the same one that I saw as I dove through the portal with Asael.
I remember him as clear as day, even though I only caught a flash of him. Purple eyes, horns, and absolutely delicious.
Focus.
“We’re here,” Doc says. “I wish we had an actual time frame because by tomorrow evening is pretty vague.”
“It’s not too late,” Griff mutters as we gather our stuff and get out of the van. “Hopefully it wasn’t early evening.”
We all rush through the streets to Sully’s bar, thankfully, not running into anyone else, we don’t have time for the delay right now. I can literally feel time chasing us. We’re running out of it, but I don’t know why, and I don’t know what will happen if it catches up with us.
Fuck.
It can’t be good, whatever it is.
“You’re late,” Sully says gruffly as we tumble through the doors.
“There were complications,” I tell him.
He smirks, “Why am I not surprised?” He gestures for us to follow him, “Come on, I don’t know why, but I feel like I should be in a rush, and that’s never a good thing. Everything is ready to go.”
“We were told that we had to be in Ireland by this evening,” Evander tells him.
Sully stops and spins to face us, checking the time on his watch, “Damned kids, it is the evening. Hurry, hurry.”
We don’t argue, we all feel the need to rush, and we jog after him as he heads into the office.
“Thanks, Sully,” Coen says as we get to the room.
Sully nods and says the activation word, the portal quickly appearing as if it’s sensed our need to rush too, that can’t be a good thing surely.
“The only place that I can portal you to in Ireland is Niamh’s pub, so unfortunately, that’s where you’re heading,” Sully says.
“Why, unfortunately?” Raiden asks, with a confused frown.
“Because Niamh knows Murray and she will tell her of your arrival, I imagine that you want to keep your presence in Ireland under wraps until you have a lead,” Sully replies.
“Yes, we don’t want to tip her off and have her disappear on us again,” Doc replies.
“Exactly, but as I said. I am unable to portal you anywhere else in Ireland, Niamh’s place is the only point set up.
So I would suggest that you get in and out as quickly as possible.
I haven’t warned her that you’re coming, and hopefully, if she does tell Murray you’re there, Murray won't be suspicious as to why,” Sully adds.
“Yeah, hopefully. We need something to go right,” I mutter.
Sully nods, “Stay safe, and if you find Bhaltair, your father, tell him he owes me a fucking beer.”
“Got it, Sully,” I grin.
“I’ll go through first,” Reed says. “Everyone else, come behind me.”
“We need to go through as quickly as possible, no dawdling,” Griff says with warning in his tone, letting everyone know that he’s had one of his feelings.
With that in mind, and since the portal is quite wide anyway, we go through in small groups.
The familiar buzz of portal magic surrounds me, and I smile. I’m heading home.
“This isn’t Niamh’s place,” I say with a confused frown as I look at our surroundings. We’re definitely not in the pub, we’re outside and in some woods, dark woods, for one, and not surrounded by the gentle glowing lights of Niamh’s pub.
“Where the hell are we?” River asks.
“We forgot about the time difference,” Raiden mutters. “It’s late evening here.”
“For fuck sake,” Coen groans.
“We’re at House,” I exclaim, as my eyes adjust properly to the darkness and I recognize my surroundings. “How are we here? We need to move with caution, something isn’t right.”
“I feel it too,” Griff agrees.
I call Asael to me and have him split into his two-sword form.
A spark of magic catches my attention, and I smile in surprise as I see Ransom with two swords made completely out of magic. He dims their glow, so they don’t give away our position, but they still look so fucking cool.
“Well, that’s new,” River mutters, looking intrigued.
A loud boom rocks the ground, and we all have to freeze and plant our feet so that we don’t fall over. When it stops, we share a quick look before we all take off on swift and silent feet.
When we break through the trees, we all come to a screeching halt.
House is being attacked.