Brave (A Wicked Trilogy 3)

“We have a Plan B that involves your suitcase?” he asked.

“We do.” Tink launched off my shoulder and landed on the suitcase Fabian was not rolling out.

I stopped as Faye and Kalen headed outside. “Uh, maybe you should tell us what’s in the suitcase, Tink?”

“My stuff.” He held on to the handle as Fabian rolled him and the suitcase out the front door. Tink waved a little hand at me. “My friends.”

“What do you mean by your friends?” I hurried after them, into the bright sun. “Tink!”

“It’s okay.” He flew off the luggage, and the Prince lifted it, placing it into the back of the SUV. “Don’t worry about it, Ivy-divy.”

But I was worried, really worried, because I had no idea what in the hell he had in that suitcase. I started after him, but Faye stepped in front of me.

Her pale blue eyes were full of restrained worry. “I know you trust these people, but if we’re walking into a trap—”

“If we’re walking into a trap, then we fight. I hope that’s not the case, but we don’t have any other options. We need their help.”

Sighing, she looked away. “We do.”

I really hoped Ren and I were correct. That we weren’t going to regret this, but we were already in too deep and there was no stopping now.

Kalen got behind the wheel with Faye in the passenger seat. Ren and I took the middle row, and the Summer Prince took the back seat. Tink buzzed back and forth between our row and Fabian’s, serving as a complete distraction as we made our way toward the harbor and to the home.

“I think this is it,” Kalen announced. “But it’s not a house.”

I leaned over Ren to peer out the side window. Kalen was right. The address had led us to what was either a condo or an apartment building on Ocean Front Walk. The building was three stories tall.

“It’s the right place.” Ren tapped his finger off the window, pointing out what appeared to be a fenced patio around the lower level.

Several men were standing outside. They weren’t dressed like they were about to walk to the sandy dunes. Sunglasses shielded their eyes, and their jeans and loose shirts did nothing to hide the daggers I knew they were carrying.

I was willing to bet that railing and fence was all iron.

My heart rate sped up as I sat back. Was this whole apartment building Order controlled?

Ren reached over, squeezing my knee as Kalen pulled into one of the parking spots. “Let’s do this.”

I turned to where Tink was, which was now on the seat beside the Prince. “Is your backpack still in here? The Wonder Woman one?”

His little brow puckered. “Yes, actually. It’s in the back.”

“Okay. I want you to get into it.”

Tink’s nose wrinkled. “But I’ll suffocate!”

I rolled my eyes. “I’m not going to zip it all the way closed. I think it’s just smart if you stay unseen at first.”

“Fine. Whatever. But if I suffocate, I’ll come back and haunt you for the rest of your life.”

Ignoring that, I looked at Fabian. “Can you grab the backpack for me? Please?”

“Wow. You said please.” The Summer Prince twisted at the waist. “That must’ve hurt your soul.”

“It did,” I muttered and waited for Tink to get in the bag. He made a show of it, of course. Stomping the whole way and moaning as Fabian zipped it up, leaving a couple inch gap at the top.

I took the bag, surprised by how heavy it was.

“There’s Daniel.” Ren nodded toward the window. “We’ll get out first and then the rest of you, okay?”

They agreed, and when I looked back at Fabian, he nodded. Ren climbed out, and I followed, slipping out the same door. Once standing, I slipped the bag onto my back.

A second later a tiny fist landed in the center of my back. I grunted and turned my head, whispering, “Knock it off, Tink.”

“It’s hot in heeereee,” whined Tink.

“Shut up,” I hissed, wondering if we should’ve left him back at the house as Daniel stepped away from the glass patio doors.

Daniel nodded at Ren, but like the other Order members standing on the patio, they were still staring at the SUV. “Who’s in the car?” he asked.

“They are fae.” I ignored the swift kick in my kidney. “Our friends. They are taking a huge risk by coming here.”

“And we’re taking a huge risk by receiving them.”

I scanned the Order members, seeing the exact moment they realized my skin had a silvery tint to it. I ignored it.

Ren turned, motioning for the rest to join us. “This is Kalen and Faye, of the Summer Court. They helped us—have been helping us.”

A muscle thrummed along Daniel’s jaw as the two fae slowly approached us. He didn’t speak. They got a curt nod from him, which was returned by the two fae.

“Hol-lee shit,” another Order member whispered, and that was when I knew that Fabian was now visible.

Fabian strolled toward them like he was out for an early morning walk. The breeze lifted his blond hair as he stepped around the iron railing.

“This is Fabian,” I said. “Prince Fabian of the Summer Court.”

The audible gasp wasn’t lost on me. Neither was the stiffening of the Order members. Or the way some reached for their hidden daggers. Ren stepped closer to Fabian, but the Summer Prince simply smiled.

“You were not expecting royalty, were you?” Fabian tilted his head.

Daniel slid me a long look. “No, we were not.”

I lifted a shoulder in a shrug.

“You should understand one thing, and one thing only.” Fabian stepped closer, and I swore you couldn’t even hear the traffic in that moment. “If you threaten any of us, I can kill every single one of you before you even know what hit you. I do not want that to happen. I want us to work together, like we did before, but test me and you will not survive the consequences.”

Tink banged his fist off my back in what I guessed was agreement.

Well, that probably wasn’t what Daniel wanted to hear, but he clipped out, “Duly noted.” Daniel stepped forward, going toe to toe with the Summer Prince. “And if any of you harm any of our members, we will spend our dying breaths killing every single one of you.”

Fabian’s smile spread. “Duly noted.”

“All right then.” Ren clapped his hands together. “Now that we have that settled, can we get on with this?”

Daniel smirked. “Follow me.”

The Summer Prince arched a brow at the men and then trailed after Daniel, following him through the patio doors. Ren went next, and then Faye and Kalen. I took up the back.

“Nice backpack,” one of the Order members snorted as I walked by.

I turned. “It is, isn’t it?”

I got another kick in the back, and I swore when this was over, I was going to flush Tink down a toilet.

Stepping through the patio, I immediately realized this was no normal apartment building. It only looked that way from the outside.

A narrow hall led to a wide-open space that I assumed was a large meeting room, one that reminded me of the headquarters in the Quarter. A large map of what I was guessing was San Diego and the surrounding cities was on the wall. There were several cafeteria style tables with benches, and at least three dozen Order members.

All of them were standing, staring at the five of us.

Most of their stares showed open hostility. Only a few appeared curious. I saw Miles standing beside a tall, dark-skinned woman, whose expression was almost as unreadable as his.