"Wow," she said, exaggerating the lip movements to draw it out. "You have been busy, haven't you. "
"Yup. What do you think? I mean, am I doing the right thing?"
She laughed and opened her eyes, her nearly colorless gray eyes meeting my own. "You're really going to ask me that? My moral compass isn't exactly known for its accuracy. " Her face softened. "Seriously, Ev, I think if anyone can make the right choices in all this mess, you can. Me, I'd just try to kill all of them. Did try to kill all of them, actually. But your way seems better. And less work in the end, because you get rid of them all in one fell swoop. "
I nodded, biting my lip. "It'll work, right?"
She shrugged. "You're the only one of us who's ever made a gate. But sure. I think it'll work. It's why we're here, right? At least one of us can fulfill her destiny. "
"Destiny totally sucks. "
"Don't I know it. "
I stood up, pacing. I'd been debating what to do with her. I wanted to take her home to David's, but putting her around that many paranormal creatures didn't seem like a good idea. Best to ease her back into soul temptation. Because I couldn't deny that even I was drawn to the souls of the paranormals around me, knowing how they'd feel, how they'd fill me. How much worse would it be for Vivian, who had once carried so many?
Yeah. Far away for now. Tonight I'd make sure Raquel was in charge of her. And that Raquel had Tasey. "Reth, are there any faeries with the people we saved?"
"No," he said, his eyes closed, his thick eyelashes the same crescent as the dark circles beneath his eyes. "They are safe there alone, and all the Seelie faeries have gathered with the queen. "
"And what about that meadow where we have them? Is it going to, I don't know, poof out of existence as soon as the faeries leave?"
He frowned thoughtfully. "I suppose it will remain as it is. All this will. We created it, but the matter from which it was formed was never ours. I can't see why it would cease to be since we don't do anything to keep the things we make here. Once made, they simply are. "
"Are you sure?"
He opened his eyes. "Of course not. "
I glared. "Well, thank you. "
"Part of my queen's preparations have been gathering food, ensuring there will be enough to sustain the duration of the lives of every mortal tied to this Realm. "
"Assuming this doesn't all just wink out of existence. "
"Yes, assuming that. "
"Well, it's something. " I'd have Jack bring over as much food as he possibly could, but I had no idea how long faerie food would stay good in the normal world. We'd have to make sure everyone was in the mortal realm tonight and hope that all this would still be here after.
"Okay. " I grabbed Vivian's hand and pulled her up off the couch. "You get to go hang out with a bunch of weird, seriously screwed up humans. "
"I'll fit right in, then. "
"My thoughts exactly! I've got some things to do with the faeries, including somehow convincing the Dark Court to join us. You'll be safe in the meadow. " And so will all the paranormals I loved. But I didn't say that part out loud.
"As long as there's a place to lie down I'm good. "
We each took one of Reth's hands, Vivian sliding hers down his arm before wrapping her fingers through his. "I forgot how pretty you are," she purred.
"Have you also forgotten trying to make Evelyn drain my soul?" he asked, raising his eyebrows in a way I'd swear was flirty if Reth were the flirting type.
Vivian laughed. "Nope, I remember that part. "
"And this is awkward. Let's go. " I tugged on Reth's hand, and that horrible twisting thing happened, dumping us in the orange grass. Jack ran immediately over to us.
"I took Lend back home along with a ton of food and most of the calmer people. Where were you?"
I sat heavily on the ground to make everything stop spinning, hugely disappointed that Lend wasn't here to help me not freak out. I gestured to Vivian, who was already lying on her back next to me.