Page 14 of White Little Lies (Four Ways to Fate #3)

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“This is where you'll want to start.” Seraphina pointed to a spot on her hand-drawn map. “You can’t bypass the main entrance, but as long as you don’t go near the well, you shouldn't have trouble with any of the protectors.”

I looked across the coffee table at her. “Protectors?”

“They watch the well at all times. But if you go straight to Aaliyah’s chamber, you can find her before anyone finds you.”

I drummed my fingers on the table, not liking the sound of anyone finding me. Of course, I had to make it into their realm first.

“And she will know how to show us out?” Gabriel sat beside me. He had refused to leave for the entire discussion.

Seraphina nodded along with his words. “She will show you to the nearest portal. The one that lets out near the lake. ”

I barely heard her because I was looking at Gabriel. “What do you mean us?”

“You'll be using my magic to jump. I know you can take me with you. Plus, it will be good practice traveling with another.”

“You sound like Sebastian,” I muttered.

He frowned, but didn't take back what he’d said.

I returned my attention to Seraphina’s map. The entire plan was utterly insane. My realm jumping was sketchy at best. I had proven as much just a few hours ago.

But... I couldn't just let Aaliyah get killed. It wasn’t any of my business, but she was still just an innocent girl. And my long-time client’s little sister.

I sat up a little straighter. I could do this. I had brought Gabriel to Mistral before, beyond a boundary. This time, I would just bring him to Aaliyah instead.

Gabriel glared before I realized someone was standing right behind me. I slowly looked over my shoulder, feeling like I was in a horror movie.

Sebastian stood behind me with his arms crossed, looking down at the map. “What exactly do you think you’re doing?”

Braxton took that as his cue to get up from the couch. “I'm going to order us something to eat.” He didn’t so much as look at the devil as he walked past them.

I got up from the floor then moved to take Braxton’s seat next to Seraphina. “ Aaliyah is in danger. We’re going to rescue her.”

“We already wasted a full night on that nymph.” Before I could argue, he stepped forward and looked down at the map. “And how exactly do you intend to rescue her?”

“Eva is the only one who can reach her in my realm.” Seraphina lifted her chin and eyed him defiantly. “I am exiled. I no longer have access. And whoever poisoned her will surely try again.”

Sebastian studied the map like he would commit every line to memory. I shuddered to think what he would do if given free rein in the nymph realm. And with the Realm Breaker, he could make it there all on his own. “The bounty has been increased.”

Braxton came back into the living room, an open beer in one hand. “What?”

I stared up at Sebastian, though he was still just calmly studying the map. “Yeah, what?”

“Whoever can deliver your mother will receive not only the Realm Breaker, but $500,000.”

My jaw fell open.

Seraphina looked back and forth between us. “What are you talking about?”

Sebastian waved his hand, and I felt a magical bubble slide into place around just him and me. Seraphina’s mouth was still moving, but I couldn’t hear a word .

I looked at Sebastian. “Why add the cash? The Realm Breaker is valuable enough.”

“Many would not know the true value of the blade. This will add more players to the game.”

Gabriel was glaring at the invisible bubble like he wanted to punch through it. I gave him a look that said be patient , then turned my attention back to Sebastian again. “It doesn't really change anything.”

He lowered his chin, fire flashing in his eyes. “It changes much. Word of the monetary reward will spread, and many involved already understand your connection. Soon every amateur in the city will be after you.”

My gut churned. It was bad enough having vampires and fae after me. If human criminals were added to the list, I wouldn't be able to even walk the city streets without a disguise. And if they found out where I lived...

“I see you understand.” Sebastian closely watched my expression. “That being said, I believe you should go forward with this rescue. The nymph realm is parallel to ours, extremely close. It will be a good test of your skills, and a test of the conclusions we reached this morning.”

I glanced at Gabriel, who was still watching us, but was unable to hear us.

“But you will not use his magic. You will use mine.”

My jaw fell open yet again. Once I regained control of my face, I asked, “Why? ”

“Because you have already tested Gabriel’s power in such a way. As we have established, your reaction to me is far different. It should be tested.”

“What if I don’t want to test my magic with you!”

He waited for me to calm down. I had a feeling he was counting to ten in his mind. “You plan on entering a foreign realm—a potentially hostile foreign realm—with no weapons or escape plan?”

“We’re going to be sneaky,” I argued. “I have no intention of going in there and attacking the nymphs.”

“And what if you come into contact with the poisoner?“

He had a point, but— “Gabriel can protect me.“

“While he is impressive,” he said it like he didn’t really think so at all, “my magic will be of greater use to you.”

Dammit, too many good points. “Why are you doing this? You don’t care about Aaliyah.“

“That is correct, but if you can do this,” he twirled one hand in the air, “it is proof that you can do more. Proof that we can finally move forward.”

He was right. About everything. Double dammit. I glanced at Gabriel, though he still couldn’t see us. He was not going to be happy about Sebastian going with me instead. “Fine. But no hurting anyone if we can help it.“

“Of course.“ He gave me a truly devilish smile.

I narrowed my eyes. “Why don’t I believe you? “

“I believe your roommate is in his bedroom ordering food. You may eat, if you wish, then we will get started.”

I glared at him, not sure if I could eat a single bite even though I had been starving just a little while ago. Even after everything, I found that I still didn’t fully trust Sebastian. I trusted him to keep me alive, sure, but just because I was useful to him. I didn’t trust him to not get anyone else hurt. And that was a problem.

I almost found myself wishing I had tested things further with Crispin earlier. Surely an elven wizard would be just as good as a devil in a realm of nymphs?

I looked at Gabriel as Sebastian’s bubble dissipated. Either way, Sebastian was right. Gabriel was an excellent protector, but his inherent magic was more in his physicality. This was a mission of stealth. Sebastian’s shadowy magic made far more sense.

Now to explain that to the brooding goblin looking at Sebastian like he wanted to snap him in half.

“This really is not ideal.“ Crispin spun a slow circle, taking in the dark surrounding trees. Clouds blocked out most of the moon, and the city lights seemed far away in the center of the wooded park.

We were in the park where we had dropped Aaliyah off, reasoning that the closer we were to the portal, the easier it would be to end up in the right place. If only the nymphs lived behind a normal boundary. If there was a boundary I could actually see, I could easily cross it. But the portal was only visible to anyone with nymph blood.

Which was why Seraphina was with us, her eyes wary like she might be attacked at any moment. She turned those wary eyes toward Crispin. “Do not worry. There is no reason for anyone to protect this side of the portal. No one unwanted ever comes through.“

Crispin stroked his chin, looking at the area Seraphina had defined as the portal. “Yes, that’s not actually what I’m worried about. Our Eva usually jumps to another person. When she tries to jump to an area, things tend to go wrong.“

“Can she not then just focus on my sister?” Seraphina asked.

Crispin’s eyes slid toward me. “It is not just any person who can lure her.”

“Stop talking about me like I’m not here,“ I huffed. I looked at Sebastian and Gabriel. “Can we just get this over with?“

“Gladly,“ Sebastian said with a smooth smile.

Gabriel glared at him while Crispin hopped into motion. I would attempt to just use Sebastian‘s power to guide me, bringing only him along. But this was all too new to dismiss the possible need for more of a… charge. Hence, Gabriel. And Crispin had come along to observe, and maybe to guide. Maybe he could figure something out to make this all a little easier.

As we all moved together, Ringo hopped down from my shoulder and scampered over to Crispin, as planned. He hadn’t wanted to stay behind, but there was no way I was going to risk losing him in the nymph realm. Crispin knelt, offering Ringo his hand, then lifted the little goblin onto his shoulder. The elf seemed perfectly fine with the little goblin being so close to him, which I appreciated.

Crispin pressed his palms together in front of his face, taking a moment to study each of us, including Seraphina. “Well, shall we?“

“We shall,” I said, impatient to get moving. It had taken time to reach Crispin in Emerald Heights, time that Aaliyah might not have. I just hoped we weren’t too late.

“Point out the portal one last time?” Crispin asked Seraphina.

Still looking nervous, she nodded, then traced a large space with her hands in the air. “It’s here. I can still see it, even though its magic has been tuned against me.”

Crispin tilted his head. “The nymphs can tune a boundary against a single person?”

Seraphina hesitated, then answered, “It all has to do with our magical well. My family severed my connection to the well, therefore I can no longer use the portal.”

I was dying to know just what Seraphina had done to be exiled, but maybe if I saved her sister, she would finally tell me. I moved right in front of the space she had outlined, and Sebastian joined me.

I was suddenly finding it incredibly difficult to meet his eyes, so I turned to Crispin instead. “What now”“

“Just like last time,” he said, “but without Elena to go knocking things around.”

I placed one hand on Sebastian’s chest, still not meeting his eyes. I could feel the warmth of his skin, the beat of his heart, and underneath that, the dark pulse of his magic. But it didn’t call to mine. Not yet.

“Dear Eva,” Crispin tsked. “You know better than that.”

I sighed. I did know better. I was just hoping that for once, things could be easy and not horribly embarrassing. I lifted my eyes to Sebastian’s, my lips parting slightly at his expression. I had expected mocking, or irritation, but there was something else. Something that I didn’t understand at all, other than the fact that it made my cheeks burn, and made my core flare with a pulse of tingling warmth.

My hand on his chest began to glow dark red and purple.

“Very good.” Crispin beamed at us. “Now focus on the portal. See if you can sense it, and feel the energy of where it leads.”

“I don’t know how to do that.” The magical glow around my hand on Sebastian dimmed with my words.

Crispin stepped closer. Ringo watched us with wide shining eyes from his shoulder. “You know how to do this, Eva,” Crispin soothed. “It’s in your blood.”

Sebastian waited for me to meet his eyes again before he spoke, “It’s not much more than stepping across a barrier. Attune your energy to that of the adjacent realm.”

“That’s not what I do when I step across a barrier.”

“It is, you just don’t realize that’s what you’re doing.” I opened my mouth to argue, and he sighed, his familiar irritation returning. “Just try , Eva.”

“Fine.” I stepped closer, keeping my hand pressed against his chest.

I could sense Gabriel at my back, and Seraphina beyond him. And I could sense Crispin standing even closer. And… I inhaled sharply. Maybe I could sense the nearby portal. It felt similar to Seraphina’s energy, but undiluted.

I closed my eyes, trying to do what Sebastian had instructed. Trying to attune myself, though I still wasn’t sure exactly what that meant.

Everything else faded away, until all I could feel was the portal, and distantly Sebastian’s heartbeat beneath my palm. I wasn’t sure what I was doing, but my focus seemed to be increasing the magic, which had to be what we wanted.

I hoped.

The other option was that I was just going to alert every nymph beyond the portal that someone was trying to break in .

“Um, Eva?” Crispin’s tone gave me pause.

I started to pull my hand away from Sebastian, but he gripped my fingers, keeping me against him. “Just open your eyes.”

I did as he asked, though I felt strange and far away, and way too in tune with the energy of the portal. I realized the space Seraphina had outlined was now glowing blue. We were lucky it was after dark, and the only things that might be in the trees around us were other magical beings. Humans knew the danger and would only come during the day.

“Can we just step through now?” I gasped.

“I think so.” Crispin stepped a little closer, but didn’t touch us. He looked back at Seraphina, who gave him a hesitant nod, her features rimmed with a blue glow.

Keeping my hand pressed against him, Sebastian edged us toward the portal. The magic increased, and it felt as if the very blood in my veins was glowing that same blue, matching the magical energy. Maybe that really was how I crossed boundaries—matching my energy to the realm beyond.

“Does it seem to be getting brighter?” Crispin asked.

Before I could verify his concerns, the portal swelled outward in a bright flash of light, surrounding the three of us. On instinct I grabbed Crispin’s hand, then we all shifted together, leaving the park behind.