Neither am I.
The idea of Sorcha letting him walk away seemed ludicrous. He was hers as much as Gabriel belonged to the Dark King.
Could I convince her to let me come and go in Faerie?
What happened next was dependent on so many things beyond their control and so many answers they didn’t know.
Like why she wanted me dead.
She reached out and took Devlin’s hand again.
He turned his head and opened his eyes. “I’m sorry I can’t set this aside, but after—”
“Duty isn’t something to apologize for.” She held his gaze. “I’m glad you aren’t afraid of me. I’m glad you found me, and”—she smiled—“didn’t kill me.”
His emotions vanished as he asked, “Which time?”
“Any of them.”
“And I am glad you didn’t kill me”—his emotional guard slipped only long enough for her to glimpse how worried he was—“and that you kissed me.”
She brushed her lips over his. “Which time?”
“All of them.”
They went back to silence as the landscape blurred around them.
With her free hand, Ani dialed Tish—and was dumped into voice mail instantly.
“Call me,” she said.
She was about to call Pins and Needles when the phone rang. home was on the caller ID. “Hey.”
It wasn’t Tish or Rabbit. Irial was calling from the shop number. “I need to you to come home,” he said.
Her hand tightened on her cell at his emotionless tone. “On the way already.”
“With Devlin?” Irial prompted.
“Yeah.” She glanced at Devlin. “He’s here. Did you need to talk to him?”
“Not yet,” Irial said. “Stay with him until you get here. Promise.”
“What’s going on? Iri?” Ani felt her hands start to sweat. “Talk to me.”
“I will. I’ll meet you here… at the studio.” His voice was gentle, but there was no doubt as to his lack of malleability. “Come home, Ani.”
“Is everything okay? Where are Tish and Rabbit? Are they with you?”
Irial’s pause was almost too long. “Rabbit’s here, and Tish is at my house.”
She disconnected and told her steed, Barry, I need you to go faster. Can you?
Maybe a little. Barry had already covered almost all of the distance they’d crossed, but holding two passengers and traveling at its fastest pace wasn’t easy.
Nothing in this world can move as fast as you, she told the steed.
In this world or in Faerie, Ani, Barry added. I would be even faster there.