A Battle of Blood and Stone (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 4)

Ultimately, I had to admit the potential loss of human life was too much to bear and we had to leave.

When breakfast is done, we all congregate in the living area. Our bags were packed last night before we went to bed. I immediately go to Rainey and Myles, wrapping my arms around both their necks as one of each of their arms go around my waist and we have an intimate but silent group hug. None of us want to say words that could be interpreted as a final goodbye, so I merely say, “I’ll see you on the flip side.”

“We’ll have a huge party,” Rainey says with a watery smile.

“And a wedding,” Myles reminds us.

Rainey laughs, pressing her face to my shoulder to dry her tears as she mumbles, “I really do have an amazing dress.”

I pull back because this could go on a lot longer, but it’s only dragging out the inevitable. I look to Rainey, then Myles. “Take good care of each other. We’ll contact you as soon as we’re able to.”

Both nod, prepared not to hear from any of us for a long time.

At least not until after the new moon.

I pull away as I know they won’t be the first to do it, then give them my back, walking to stand beside Carrick. Any more time near Rainey and Myles and I’m afraid copious tears would be involved.

“All right,” Maddox says, gallantly taking Rainey’s suitcase. He does it only to annoy Myles, but Myles is too distracted and worried to be bothered. Maddox has no bag, but I expect he’ll pop back in here at some point to grab a few things. He’s not in the same type of danger we are. “Let’s get going.”

They move into the elevator, then turn around to face us. Rainey and Myles’ eyes are pinned on me. I give a tiny wave as the doors slide closed, and then my friends are gone.

Taking a deep breath, I try to seem in control. I look up at Carrick. “Everything taken care of with the condo?”

“It’s in the morning paper and on the news channels as we speak,” he replies smoothly.

There are certain perks to being the richest man in the city, but Carrick’s money and prestige came through for us. Our big problem in leaving was to make sure Kymaris knew we were. We didn’t want her storming the place and killing people only to find the condo empty.

Carrick had reached out to all the news outlets to advise them that he was moving out of The Prestige and into an Elliott Bay home in Magnolia. The news also reported that the condo was placed for sale at an even thirteen million and that appointments for private viewings were being accepted immediately.

The hope was that word would get to Kymaris and she’d either accept we were gone or she’d send someone to check the place out. Since Carrick was opening it for showings, that wouldn’t be hard and would prove we were indeed gone.

Obviously, Carrick had no intention of moving to Magnolia, but that might thin Kymaris’ resources even more if she started looking for him there.

Regardless, we had to minimize the risk she’d bring her fight to this building, and this was the best way to do it.

“Then let’s do this,” I say, my gaze moving from Carrick to Zaid, who nods that he is ready.

Zaid and I have one large camping backpack with all our essentials—clothes, freeze-dried food, and filtered water bottles. While electronics won’t work in Faere, we still brought ours with chargers in case we hopped around the Earth realm later. Zaid, being a million times stronger than me, insisted on carrying it.

Past that, we’re traveling light.

The only other bag is a cushioned satchel holding the Blood Stone, which I’m carrying cross-body. The weight is nominal, and I feel weird without my regular backpack that holds my weapons. I left it behind, choosing to openly wear my whip at my hip. I know weapons are forbidden for humans in Faere, but our hope is that no one will see us as removed as Arwen’s hut is, and Carrick agrees I need to be well-armed. I also have a dagger on my other hip and throwing knives strapped to my ankles.

Like Maddox, Carrick would worry about clothing for himself after he took care of the Dark Fae and we decided where we were going.

His job being to open the veil into Faere, Carrick reaches a hand out and makes a slicing motion downward. A seam opens and he uses his hand to peel one side back, using his other to motion us forward.

I can see the brightly colored grass and purple-leafed trees in the distance. To the left, Arwen’s hut looks the exact way it did the last time we were here.