by Tara Brown
“Of course.” She smiles sweetly, making my heart rate speed up. I missed Lydia. I take her hand in mine and wink, not even considering the fact she isn’t used to it anymore. She heaves and glares. “No. We can use the stairs from now on.”
“Sorry. Can you use magic and see if you can pick up on something being wrong with this room, like someone trying to keep Ari here and sleeping?”
“I suppose.” She drops my hand and enters the room without knocking. She gasps as she enters.
“What is it?”
“You’re right, something’s wrong.” She reaches for Lucas, touching his forehead. “Wink him outside.”
I grab him and wink him to the grass.
He pants for his breath, startled and confused. “What happened?”
“You were asleep but like dead asleep.”
“What?” He growls and glances up at the window where Ari is. “Why are we outside? Where’s Ari?”
“With Lydia.”
“What? What are you saying?” He grabs my arms, shaking me.
“Lydia’s with Ari. She’s in the room. She’s safe.”
“I can’t leave her, Aimes.” He winks us back to the room.
Lydia is on the bed next to Ari, sitting and rubbing her stomach.
“Don't touch her.” Luke tries to rush forward but Lydia lifts a hand, blocking him with magic. Annabelle enters the room, grasping Lucas by the arm. She blows something in his ear, dropping him to the ground in a heap.
“What are you doing?” I panic.
“Ari’s been spelled. He can’t stay in here with her. Someone has spelled this room.” Lydia stands, staring at Annabelle. They do their witchy-talk thing where they don't say anything aloud.
Annabelle glances at me. “It’s not Anna or Lorelei. They don't have this kind of magic. It’s pure. There’s no humanity in it.”
“Henry?”
Lydia nods. “I think so. Has he been here?”
“Not in ages.”
Her eyes dart to mine. “But the land is protected by an old shaman.” Her eyes leave mine and focus on Annabelle’s again.
“Of course.” Annabelle sighs.
“What?” I shout.
“It’s not Henry. It’s the fae protecting Ari.”
“Why?” My stomach tightens.
“The baby is fae. Lucas is fae. They’re claiming it. They’ve slowed down time so much that the baby won’t be born until they mean for it to be.”
“Are you joking?” I shout at Lydia.
“No. She will be under this spell until it’s time, protected and frozen. It might be why the time is so strange here; you can’t tell what’s really happening, you don't recall everything or know how long it’s been since you did something. I sense it, I’m lost a little. And you all seem very lost.”
“Yeah, this is gonna be a problem until they take the spell off.” Annabelle nods along, like this is just how it is.
“What if the baby dies or they starve to death?” I can’t be the only one thinking it.
They both laugh, giving me a slap on the arm. “Baby girl, that spell has Ari frozen. Even if she wakes for a second every now and then, the time she has spent in this room to her and her body is hours. At most.”
“It’s probably been a year though.”
“Years,” Lydia agrees, still smiling. “It’s been years. Time isn’t passing for Ari. It’s hardly passing for you all. The spell is washing out into the rest of the house.”
“I’ll go make us all some tea and see if Lorelei can figure out how long this has been going on. Lorri’s gonna want exact timelines.” Annabelle sighs and leaves us.
Lydia sits again, glancing down at Lucas. “And that poor boy, he’s been coming and going from this. He must be half crazy from it.”
“He doesn’t leave her much. They sleep a lot.”
“And you never noticed it?”
“Not till now.” I can’t believe we didn't properly notice.
Lorelei enters the room as I turn to leave. “She’s spelled?” Her face is pale as she reads Lydia’s mind.
“She is.” Lydia’s eyes narrow. “You never noticed either?”
“No. I did. I thought it was the baby. I noticed she doesn't eat or wake often, and she doesn't need anything. The baby hasn't grown in a while. Her stomach is the same size it’s been for”—a perplexed look crosses her face—“since I don't know how long.”
“The spell is in this room, but it’s drifting and affecting the rest of the house. It’s messing with time. Years have passed and to you all it’s been months at the most.”
“The baby must be special for the fae to care this much. I went to Henry and asked him if the baby could come to the garden, and he said he would allow it. He acted as though he was doing me a favor.”
Lorelei’s words jolt to life a memory in my mind. “Henry was stunned when I showed him my memory of the baby. He said ‘impossible’ and then he told me he would help us under the condition that I bring the mother of the baby when it’s time.”
“Dear God.” Lydia lifts a hand to her mouth.
Lorelei’s eyes widen. “No.”
“What?” I hate witch talk.
“Ari’s carrying the savior. The fae magic is keeping her in this spell, not Henry. The child will be born the moment the world is balanced again, and she will usher in the time of the fae and rule the fae. There’s a—”
“Prophecy,” I interrupt with a dread-filled voice. “Shit.” I wink to the bathroom where Ben is standing naked, shaving. He jumps and cuts his cheek, sending black blood down his face. “Jesus, Aimes. Knock!”
“There’s a baby prophecy. Lydia says the baby is being protected by the fae. Ari’s spelled to stay in her Sleeping Beauty curse until the Earth’s conflict is over and then the baby will be the new fae ruler during the time of the fae on Earth.”
His eyes widen and he drops the razor, leaving his face half shaved. “Oh my God. Why didn’t I think of it. Of course.”
“You knew this prophecy?”
“Everyone knows this prophecy. She’s born and becomes the queen of the fae. We learned about this when I was a kid. The time of man would end and the time of the fae would come. We joked about it, sort of wishing for it. All the humans would leave, and we’d have the world to ourselves, and we could have their shit.”
“Well, you’re about to get your wish and be the uncle to the new queen.”
“Shit,” he whispers and sits on the edge of the tub, still very naked.
“Bro.” I hand him a towel to cover himself.
“Luke’s gonna freak.”
“Yeah, he’s already sort of freaked.” I wince.
“Let me get dressed and then we’ll figure this out.”
“I’ll be in Ari’s time-warp room.” I wink back.
Lucas sits on the bed eating a cookie, staring at the floor. I assume he’s just heard the same story Ben did.
His eyes meet mine, pleading with me for something, but I don't know what.
I don't know how to help in this moment.
Chapter 9
The bad-luck lottery
“You have got to be friggin’ kidding me!” Lorri stomps back and forth across the kitchen. Blake steps back, moving out of her way as he grabs a drink. “You kids have been the biggest nightmare I've ever dealt with. You make Jonathan and Lillith look like a goddamned cakewalk!” Her rage-filled eyes drift to Lucas who has been forbidden to stay in Ari’s room, at all. “You honestly couldn't keep it in your pants after the last fiasco?”
He swallows whatever his response is. I suspect he contemplated arguing with her for half a second and then chose life.
“So, who wants to wager Sam knows all about the legendary baby and plans on stealing her?” Lorri scans our faces.
I nod, biting my lip to hold back my words.
“Guess the bait just switched.” Lorri glowers at Lucas again.
“Lorri, come on. You can’t use a pregnant woman as bait.” L
ucas jumps up. His skin shivers like it used to when he was a wolf.
“I can and I bloody well will!” She steps into his face, daring him to make a move.
“This is bullshit!”
“The world is worth everyone, Lucas. Everyone. No one is worth more than this mission. I will kill every single friggin’ one of you to make this end. Don't think I won’t. I have never been on your team, you’ve always been on mine.” Her skin ripples too.
“Okay, everyone, take a moment.” Lydia steps into the middle of the room. “This isn’t the worst plan.” Her eyes soften as they hit Luke. “It’s simple, actually, and Ari won’t be in any danger. We’ll cast glamour, making it appear Ari is being watched by a single person—Hanna. He’ll think he can overpower her, but we’ll all be here, hiding. We have the new haven set up. We’ll create the illusion that everyone’s there with glamour. We’ll leave the kids and Ari here with Hanna and make it seem like everyone else is at the new haven getting it ready for the kids to come there. It’ll be the most tempting pot he can imagine.”
“And when he steps into the trap?” I ask, not sure how we’ll overpower Sam with all his magic and everything else.
“I have a plan.” Lydia grins, her eyes doing that old-lady sparkle thing as she glances at Lorri.
Whatever it is, I’m scared.
Their plans always end in death, for everyone.
They’re the ultimate balls-to-the-walls extremists.
“Okay, we’ll break into teams and get this going. Each witch can project a set number of us. I wish we had more witches.” She glances at O.
“I don't have magic, but I might be able to get some.” Ophelia shrugs.
“You left magic in that tree, didn't you?” Lorelei narrows her gaze. “Grandmamma Holt and I both felt it there. It was the tree Lillith was using to run a spell.”
Ophelia nods. “If I go there, I can probably get the magic back. Unless you guys took it.”
“No, we used the tree to break a spell, but we didn't take the magic. The tree held something old in it. Grandmamma Holt could harness it, but not take it.”
“I’ll take her.” Oliver grabs O’s hand in his.
“You know the way?” Lorri scowls.
“I do.” He renders up a tiny mischievous smirk. “I showed her the tree.” He winks before an explanation is offered.
Lorri growls. “I don't like that.”
“The tree’s an old source of magic. Her soul’s linked to it. A type of magic I ain’t never seen before,” Lorelei explains. “I suspect he used it to harness her to the Earth, in case something went wrong.”
“I really don't like that.” Lorri folds her arms. “But we can worry about whatever Oliver’s done later. Let’s focus on the trap. No one speak of it after you’re given instructions, in case Sam’s lingering about. Just do as you’re told. Aimee, you go and get Sam to come for Hanna and the kids.” She’s gone a second later.
Lorelei nods at me and walks down the hall to the bathroom. I follow her as everyone starts figuring out groups and the details of the plan.
When I get to the bathroom, she closes the door. “What’s your plan for Marcus, once I’m sacrificed?” Her eyes are wide, scared.
“I don't know. I was gonna kill him, I guess.” The conversation with his girlfriend feels wrong.
“Maybe we should kill him first.” She whispers it so silently I barely hear it. “He won’t go lightly once he realizes I’m about to die.”
“I know. I already thought about the fact he’s going to fight it—try to save you.”
“I don't know what to tell ya. I don't even know how something like him dies. It’s fae magic, not normal vampirism.”
“Right.” I nod. “I’ll try giving him the kiss of death.”
“He ain’t gonna let something like you kiss him. He’s smarter than any of us. We need a firm plan.”
“Well, we could always just tell him that he can come to the garden with you.”
“Lie?” She blinks, contemplating. “Maybe. Okay.” She doesn't sound convinced. “Why would Henry let him in?”
“What if he thinks it’s a loophole and he’s getting in by mistake? Like he’s scamming the system?”
“That works, actually. What loophole?”
It takes me a second before the lightbulb clicks on. “What if because he’s cursed by the fae, like a werewolf, he can get in there? Like all fae magic can enter the garden?”
“Genius.” She hugs me. “That he will buy. But we have to talk about it like it doesn't apply to him, and he has to be the one to come to that conclusion on his own. If he even suspects there are breadcrumbs being left for him, he’ll figure it out. He’s not like Sam. He sets the traps.”
“I know.” I hug her back. “And you and I never had this conversation.” I step back and wink to the Tower of London.
The room has been destroyed. Sam has been here and destroyed it. Maybe to make it harder for me to see my memories. Wanting to ruin the world for me just as it’s been ruined for him.
“I got angry.”
I spin to find him in the window. “I see that.”
“I was hoping you’d come back again.”
“Why? You want to kill me, Sam?”
“Of course not.” He scoffs. “I fight her urges, Aimes. She isn’t in control the way you think she is. You and Ari and Ben and Luke are my family.”
“And Hanna and the kids, Lydia, and Annabelle—are they nothing to you now?”
“They’re dead. You think I don't know Lorelei is using glamour to lure me to the house so you guys can catch me?” He laughs bitterly, getting up from the broken windowsill.
“You think it’s glamour?” I crack a smug grin.
“It is!” he snaps.
“Oh, Sam.” I chuckle and take a step back, nodding. “Okay. You believe the bullshit Lillith spins and I’ll be a liar who wants you dead. ‘Cause that makes more sense than everyone coming back to help you. It makes more sense than God loving you and caring for you. It makes more sense than Hanna coming back because she hates how things ended. You’re right. Lillith’s right, it’s glamour and no one loves you. No one cares if you’re destroying yourself. And Dorian didn’t trade his life to save yours.” I lift a middle finger. “Try being worthy of the sacrifices we’re all making.” I wink home before he can rage or catch me. I stalk up the grass to the back door, certain he’s followed and is watching me.
Aleks comes out onto the deck, offering a strange look. “You ready to go to the new place?” He’s a better actor than I am.
“Sure. I didn’t even try to convince, Sam. He won’t believe me, it’s no use. He thinks we all hate him and that Hanna would never come back for him.” My words sound wooden. I suck but it’s all I’ve got.
“All we can do is hope he’ll come to his senses and see that we’re all here for him.” He takes my hand in his and winks us. We go to the new place but enter a witch portal that pops us back in a closet of Shane’s house. Sarah is using her shield to make us all invisible. We stay at the house, sitting silently in the bedroom where Hanna and Ari are. Ari’s still asleep and Hanna’s pretending to do a crossword, like she’s on her watch. Sarah’s shield isn’t working on Ari’s room, just the rest of the house, revealing Hanna and Ari for Sam.
Ophelia flashes back into the house, looking very different. Her spark is back but there’s something else. She’s lit up, like fire radiates from inside her. She must have gotten some of the tree’s magic too.
She goes into the room where Hanna and Ari are, seeming to check on them and leaves like she’s doing watches. She goes back to a bedroom and pretends to pack bags for the big move. Lorelei is obviously using magic to project movements and actions to O, and using their annoying witch talk.
Annabelle is the only witch at the new haven. She’s the one creating the show of us all working and prepping our new home.
Lydia and Lorelei are with us, hiding.
We spend a long time this w
ay, I don't know how long. Not with time’s twisted fingers and all . . .
Just as I start to become sleepy, a sound I don't recall hearing in a long time blasts through the house. My eyes pop open, meeting Aleks’ alarmed gaze.
“What was that?” I ask.
“I don't know,” he whispers back. “Sounded like a goat.”
“It did. But why would there be a goat?”
The sound happens again. I jump up, waiting for Lorelei or Lydia’s words to sound in my head.
But no one speaks.
“That was a goat,” I whisper. Aleks nods but we don’t move.
Aleks and I stay hidden in the bedroom across the hall from Ari’s. I peek out the door but see nothing.
No one moves or speaks.
I slip from the room, completely defying orders of staying put. Aleks grabs my arm, dragging me back. I lift a finger to my lips and nod at the bedroom door that’s closed now.
He shakes his head.
The sound bursts from the room again just as Lydia screams in my mind. NOW!
Aleks moves faster than I do, ripping me into Ari’s bedroom as he flings back the door. A goat sits on the bed, tied to one of the posts. Ari and Hanna are gone.
I wink the same time Aleks does and we end up in the kitchen. I try to let go of him, but he winks again and we’re in the yard.
The yard is chaos.
Hanna fights and winks in and out with Sam, both screaming hateful things at each other, disappearing and reappearing.
Ari’s on the grass, clutching her belly, shrieking.
I wink to Ari, grab her, and wink to the secret beach, then to Aleks’ empty grave, and then to the one place no one else in the world knows about. The one place I never imagined I would go back to. It’s the harbor in Portland on the Willamette River, the one I crawled up out of a long time ago.
I wink to the shabby alley where I lived and glance up at the apartment building. I wink to the top floor, taking in the view of the debris-filled river and charred city. I realize it’s a hotel, not an apartment, but the room is huge, more like a condo than anything. The glasses are still wrapped in plastic and the bed’s fresh and clean. I place Ari on the bed, wiping sweat from her forehead. “You okay?”