“Skyla, darling,” my mother trills as she opens her arms momentarily. I’ve heard of air kisses, but I think my mother just invented the air hug. “Such a grand delight. When Demetri invited the celestial gentry to the Bastard’s Ball, we did hesitate to come. But it’s all worked out for the greatergood.”
“Excuse me? Did you sayBastard’sBall?” I shake my head, incredulous. “I’ve put up with a lot of things, but having my children disrespected so greatly and on their birthday. No, I’m not having any ofit.”
“Gage is the bastard.” She cups my cheek, and that beautiful strumming sensation streams right down to my toes. “Of course, you already knew that. You’re married tothe—”
“I get it.” Wow, just when I had a smidge of respect for Demetri, he reminds me of why I hate him so. How dare he! And onGage’sbirthday! “So, I hear you’re taking the dead to their final resting places tonight.” I glint to the crowd in search of Kate. If she’s about to be snatched from reality, I need to be sure to solve that Emma mystery before she trots off and leaves me hanging with the anemic info I alreadyknow.
Emerson hits bone with those claws she’s molesting mewith.
My mother glowers at Emerson a moment, and her grip relents. “Our precious Pierce and that Kate girl you killed are the only two I’ll be returning to paradise this evening.” I give a few rapid blinks at the thought of Pierce asprecious.
“Technically, I landed them both there to begin with.” I give a little odd curtsey and immediately feel like an ass. “Anyway, Holden and Serena are excited to get their plume on—but Emerson here”—I make a face at the Kragger currently cutting off the blood supply to my left arm—“she sort of wants to stick around. I mean, I know that it would totally be putting you out andthat—”
“Sure.” My mother claps her hands, and a pink fog surrounds themmomentarily.
“Sure?” both Emerson and I balk inunison.
“Yes, I’ll simply take Giselle back with me tonight. We can’t have two Emerson Kraggers running around on the islandforever.”
“No!” both Giselle and I scream in unison. I’d shoutjinx!but this entire night is starting to feel like it’s exactly that,jinxed.
“Goodness, make up your mind.” My mother narrows her gaze my way. “Which is it youwant?”
“Both.”
“Both.” She tosses Marshall a look that could slice his balls off before twitching into a sly smile. “I suppose I could grant you one wish on, this, the day after your own birthday.” Her teeth graze her bottom lip, and her eyes sparkle with a certain kind of venom. I’ve seen that look before on my own face, and she’s up to no good. “How about you either spare these two featherheads from the great beyond—or anyone else of your own choosing? Your girls are off-limits. So is anyone in a Treble. You’ll have until midnight todecide.”
“My father.” And just like that, I’ve thrown both of the featherheads next to me under the sarcophagus bus and into a squawkingtizzy.
Candace offers a tired smile as if she feels pity for me, and she’s simultaneously had it with me at the same time. “He’s raising Sage, Skyla. He can’t bebothered.”
“Then I want these two.” I knew my father wouldn’t do it, and for exactly that reason, but hey, a girl has got to try. Although, I feel copious amounts of guilt over risking Giselle’s second life at themoment.
“Skyla.” Marshall comes shy of winking. “Perhaps you should tarry till thedeadline.”
“No. I’m emphatic about it. Giselle and Emerson live. I’m thrilled with my decision.” Besides, I know my mother. This is just another mind game she threw in at the last second because she can’t seem to come right out and say yes tome.
“Yes to you,” she muses. “Emerson, behave.” She turns to Giselle. “And you. I did not return you from paradise only to have you turn your brain cells into a hallucinogenic playground. Be mindful of what you do. Actions bearconsequences.”
“That they do.” Marshall looks to the woods with that angry suspicious gaze of his. I bet it’s the Grim Reaper slinking off in disappointment because he lost one of his prospects for thenight.
My mother lifts a finger at someone in this sea of celestial socialites, and I stop her before she takes off. “Can I talk to you for a minute?” I pull her to the side, away from prying ears. “I sort of had a brainstorm the other day. When you get around to doing that whole hocus-pocus thing, would you mind taking them to Raven’s Eye first? Maybe catch the attention of a guard or two before zapping Pierce and Kate off the planet? Oh, I know! Make sure Kate’s head rolls off first! Better yet, leave the bodies behind and let them evaporate slowly—that will totally set them on edge.” Brilliant, if I do say somyself.
“No.” She frowns in direct rebuttal to my enthusiasm. “It will lead them back to the Kraggers. Is that what you want? And haven’t the Winstons been throughenough?”
“Totally.” I shake the thought out of my head. “But Holden and Serena could simply fly away.” Raven’s Eye and Host are just a stone’s throw if they wanted to stop off somewhere quasi-exotic for the night. That is if you consider a college town exotic. Face it, the only things exotic about Host are the sexually transmitted diseases itbreeds.
She gives a slow blink as if my genius is trying her patience. “I’ll considerit.”
“Good. One more thing. That seventeenth-century tramp that’s haunting this island? Why don’t you spring her and her demonic mother back, too? Better yet, send them to Raven’s Eye! I mean, what’s the point of allowing them to breach contract with the ages and show up on Paragon after all theseyears?”
“What is the point, indeed?” She leans in. “That’s for you to figure out. What they believe they’re doing here is an entire other nefarious matter. Do keep tabs on those ninnies.” She takes up my hand and runs her finger over the blue stone that once belonged to the throne of God. “Keep an eye on this as well.” She reaches over and runs a finger along my bare neck. “Is the Eye of Refuse of no use to you, Skyla?” Her lips twitch like a threat. “Wear it in good health. You’ll needit.”
“I didn’t think it went with thedress.”
“Death lurks in the shadows, hungry for souls. Don’t feed the machine, Skyla.” She gives a little wink and laughs as if she very much planned on feeding themachine.
A familiar face pops up over her shoulder. “Is this a privateparty?”
