Page 10 of White Little Lies (Four Ways to Fate #3)

10

“Are you sure you’ll be okay here?” I asked, squinting against the early morning light.

Aaliyah huddled in my hooded sweatshirt, her shoulders hunched as she looked at the gates to the small park. We were several blocks from the lake, and I couldn’t even imagine her walking there herself at night. But she had, with poison in her system no less. And now Gabriel and I were dropping her off, since Sebastian hadn’t returned from his talk with King Francis.

“I’ll be safe once I’m inside.” Her eyes darted toward me, avoiding Gabriel standing at my side.

“But you were probably poisoned by someone in there,” I whispered.

Nymph families were usually large, even when they broke off to live within cities. They would take over parks, but you would never actually see their dwellings. Like night runners, they could shift just enough into another pocket realm where they actually lived.

She met my eyes, then gave a slight nod. “I will tell my parents. They’ll know what to do. Just please don’t tell anyone what I was doing in the park. They can’t know about the packages from Seraphina.”

My jaw fell open at her words. “Oh, wow, I actually forgot about the package.” I started to pull the small parcel out of my messenger bag.

She lifted a delicate, long-fingered hand. She looked so frail and vulnerable in her long white dress, my sweatshirt way too big for her. “Keep it. I can’t bring it back with me.”

“But—”

“It’s okay. My sister will understand.”

I doubted Seraphina would understand about anything that had transpired, but I didn’t argue.

Aaliyah had already turned her attention back to the park.

“Be safe,” I said.

“I will.” She smiled. “No one will ever believe that I met not only a celestial, but a devil and a goblin.” Her eyes lowered as Ringo popped his head out of my bag. “ Two goblins. Well meaning strangers who happened upon me entirely by chance.”

“Yep, we were just taking a nice moonlight stroll. Found an unconscious nymph and took her home.”

“Thank you,” she said again, then turned and walked toward the park .

Gabriel and I watched her until she was safe beyond the gates. Or as safe as she could be with a poisoner waiting somewhere inside.

Gabriel stood close enough for his chest to press against the back of my shoulder. “I have a bad feeling just letting her go like this.”

I shrugged. “So do I, but short of holding her hostage, there’s not a lot we can do. I’m going to call her sister though, see if she knows anything about what happened.”

But first, coffee. Then home to shower.

I glanced at Gabriel as we started walking. “What’s your opinion on the city bus?”

He placed his hand at the small of my back, pulling me closer as a bike messenger whizzed by. “Tedious, but useful.”

“Good, then let’s go.” I hesitated. “Unless you need to check back in with Mistral?”

“A messenger will be sent to your apartment if there are any issues.”

I shook my head, smiling as we reached the bus stop. “You know, phones are pretty useful.” I held up my watch, not exactly a phone, but close enough.

“They do not work in the Citadel. Too far from any phone towers.”

The shaded bench was full, so we both stood near everyone else waiting. “Yeah but you could have a phone, and so could Mistral. Then a messenger could venture far enough to get service to text you. ”

He humored me with a small smile. “We have never had much use for being out in the city, until now.”

“Until me, you mean?”

He continued smiling as the bus pulled up and opened its doors.

“So have I convinced you to get a phone?”

He waited for me to walk up the steps ahead of him. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Everyone already on the bus probably thought I was crazy for the way I was grinning. But it would be nice to be able to text. There would be no need for random late night apartment visits.

Of course, I didn’t particularly mind those, at least from Gabriel.

We walked toward the back of the bus, and I grabbed one of the loops dangling from the ceiling. Gabriel put an arm around my waist, glaring at anyone who came too near.

I heard paper tearing in my messenger bag and shook my head. “We’re giving the package back to Seraphina, Ringo.”

“But it smells good,” he whispered beneath the flap of my bag.

“I’ll get you a potato pastry on the way home if you stay out of it.”

All paper tearing ceased. I’ve got a few odd looks for talking to my bag, all short-lived with Gabriel glaring behind me. I checked my watch as the bus started moving. We should have time for a stop at my favorite cafe before we had to meet Sebastian in Emerald Heights. Maybe I’d even get an extra coffee to put in a thermos for the road. Because being in a room with Sebastian, Gabriel, and Crispin at the same time was definitely going to require extra caffeine.

Gabriel leaned near my shoulder as I pointed to different pastries behind the display case. “Why are you choosing so many?”

“—and two of those,” I finished, pointing to the spiced pumpkin croissants. Autumn was finally on its way, and I was all for it. I paid, then shuffled aside to wait for our coffees and pastries.

“First of all,” I said to Gabriel as I pointed toward a freshly open table, “when one has a werewolf roommate, one must always order extra pastries.” I sat down, brushing aside a few crumbs as Gabriel took the chair right next to mine instead of across from me. “Second, I feel like our time in Emerald Heights is going to be incredibly awkward, and I would like sugar to stuff into my mouth at any opportune moments.”

Gabriel watched a couple half-elves hurrying past us toward another open table, their coffees already in hand. He turned his serious eyes back to me. “If Sebastian is actually going to convince the elf king to allow me into his realm, he has motivations of his own. He does nothing to simply accommodate. ”

“Obviously, but you do have a right to be there.” I had a thought. “And you might even be able to help me out with something.”

His brow furrowed.

“Oh don’t look so worried.” I waved him off. Glancing around, I leaned forward and lowered my voice. “My old boss is trying to get some information on my mom, but she has a crush on one of the elves. If you get a free pass into Emerald Heights, you might be able to ask around a bit. My lessons take hours. There should be time.”

“Cannot Elena do so?”

I started to shrug, then saw the barista holding up our coffee carrier and bag of pastries. Gabriel beat me to it, taking both in hand. Together we walked toward the door, which he opened with one elbow, holding it for me until I was outside. I took the pastry bag from him because I was a big girl. I could carry my own pastries.

I finished my shrug as we started walking. “To answer your question about Elena, I’m going to ask her too. But she’s young, and my boss thinks this elf is old school nobility. I don’t think Elena spends much time chatting up his type.”

He lifted a brow as we stopped at the crosswalk. “And I do?”

I cringed. “Good point. Sometimes I forget you haven’t been around as long as Mistral.” The light changed, and I glanced at him as we started walking. “ How did you come to be his…” I waved one hand in the air, searching for the right word.

“Vassal,” he finished for me. “I have been as such since I was a teenager. Our mothers were close friends, both having traveled from our home realm, but my mother passed away well before Mistral’s.”

We hit the sidewalk on the other side, and turned in the direction of my apartment. “Can I ask what happened?”

For a moment, I thought he might not answer, then he said, “The realm was unstable, even when Queen Maeve was alive. Wild goblin magic was never meant to be caged. My mother was caught in an incident not unlike the one you saved us from, only water was involved. She drowned.”

I gripped his arm, stopping him from walking so he looked at me. “I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to lose a parent.”

Pulling me away from the foot traffic, he lifted my hand and kissed my knuckles, sending a delightful shiver right between my legs. “It was a long time ago, there is nothing to be sorry about.”

He stared into my eyes long enough to make me blush, then kept my hand in his as we continued walking. “I have been by Mistral’s side ever since,” he finished.

“And now you’ve been by mine. Leaving him vulnerable.”

His fingers flexed around mine. “ He asked me to come. The older goblins are different. They have seen much in their long lives, and they do not tend to get attached as easily as some of us.” He glanced at me. “But it’s not just about your magic and what you represent to him. He has grown quite… fond of you.”

There was that damn blush again. “Well I’m quite fond of him.” I darted my eyes his way. “And that really doesn’t bother you?”

Gabriel kept his eyes on our surroundings as we neared my apartment. “It does not. His life has been one of great burden. I enjoy seeing how he is around you.”

We reached the exterior stairs leading up to my humble abode. I looked around for any neighbors, but we were alone, and inside Braxton would probably be there. I leaned close, well aware of Ringo in my satchel, but he had heard plenty already. “I’m nervous to be around both of you at the same time.”

“You’re embarrassed.” There was no accusation in his tone, just a simple statement.

I shrugged, crinkling the pastry bag. “I guess. It’s just never a situation I thought I’d end up in.”

“Is it a situation you want to be in?”

Blushing more furiously than ever, I nodded.

“And what of Sebastian?”

I looked down at my boots. I had no vow of truth with Gabriel, but as usual, I found myself not wanting to lie to him. “He’s a pain in the ass, but I can’t deny that my magic is drawn to him. ”

“Or maybe you’re drawn to him?”

I forced myself to meet his eyes, but I was unsure of what to say. Mostly because I didn’t know the truth myself.

He leaned forward, bringing himself down closer to my height. “Your secrets are yours to keep, Eva. The only person you owe your honesty to, is yourself.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “When did you become so wise?”

He chuckled. “I am younger than Mistral, but I’m not that young.”

He reclaimed my hand and led me up the stairs. I walked silently behind him, not for the first time realizing that I was completely out of my depth.