Page 99 of Third Offense

Something I realized was even more imperative now as I glanced out the window.

Because now that I’d broken through the mirage, I could see our reality outside. And the very real portal shining in the middle of the ocean.

The portal that no one else seemed to notice.

The portal that was flickering to life.

Right. Fucking. Now.

CHAPTERTWENTY-FIVE

LAYLA

A FEW MINUTES EARLIER

I…I couldn’t move.

I could only stare, my heart beating so slowly that I felt dead. Alone.Cold. Except Novak stood right beside me, his wings curled around my shoulders in a protective shadow of lethality and grace.

I don’t… I don’t…I blinked, then swallowed, my gaze returning to Ketos.Dead…?

But that can’t… He can’t…

The world fell dark.

Then lit up again.

My eyes,I thought.My eyes closing and opening.

But it didn’t feel real. None of this felt real.

Ketos… is… They’re putting him in a body bag?

Because…

Because he’s dead.

No, my heart protested.No!

I could still smell him, his ambrosia fragrance taunting my nose and beckoning me to kneel, to creep closer to him, toaccepthim.

And Auric…

His wintergreen cologne colored the air, too, swirling heavily with Ketos, confusing me greatly. Because they werecomplimentingeach other, almost as though they had woven their essences together in some sort of magical embrace that none of us could see.

It made no fucking sense.

Just like the words coming out of Netiri’s mouth.

Something about Auric stabbing Ketos because he walked in on them.

“He was going to tell Layla,” Netiri whispered, sounding broken. “And Auric… Auric just…reacted.”

Novak grunted beside me, that sound telling me he didn’t believe a single line coming out of that woman’s mouth.

And neither did I.

But I had no explanation for what had happened here.