“Where to then?” I ask as Marshall and I hover over the island, floating facedown, our spirits in a prone position, stalled as if curious as to which direction to head in. A single electric blue butterfly flutters on by like a sign, an omen, an otherworldly hint. Heated memories of Logan and me wrapped in one another’s arms while up in the butterfly room come back to me. That dark attic room back at the Landon house is rife with paper butterflies that Gage and his nefarious powers gave life to. And now they flutter for me—for Logan and me and our eternal love. “Logan! I know his body inside and out. Well, actually, I don’t know it inside, per se, that would be weird, but I kinda do and I know for a fact Logan won’t mind me running his show for a time as long as I can boot Rory to the celestial curb and get back into my own corporal groove.”
“I’m afraid Logan is deposed at the moment.”
A prickling of fear ripples through me. “Marshall.” I groan. “Whatever it is, spill it.”
He takes a breath as he levitates to a standing position and I do the same.
“It seems the Pretty One has been detained for questioning.”
“For questioning?” I blink back. “Don’t tell me Tad’s scuffle with the FTC has bled over to Logan.”
“More like the Federal Jock Strap Commission.”
“Gage?” Every last inch of my being seizes with terror. “Marshall, I demand you take me to Logan,now.”
“I’m afraid I cannot. He’s being held against his will in a realm I am not welcome to enter.”
“Eversor?” My voice shrieks to the heavenlies. “Marshall, when did this happen? And who the hell cares whether or not Gage will roll out the welcome mat for us? We’re storming that hellhole, and I’m taking what’s mine—namely Logan.”
He shakes his head ever so slightly. “I’m afraid that’s not how it works. He was detained the night of the party. I don’t know the details. That will be for him to fill you in on when the time comes. There is a protective hedge over the entire realm. I’m unable to aid you in the endeavor of retrieving him.”
“Are you certain he’s there?”
His lips pull into a line. “As his supervising spirit, I’m ashamed to admit I cannot be certain.”
“Oh dear God.” A shrill cry of frustration cuts through me. “Then get me to Ezrina. Surely I can hang out in her body until we straighten this mess out. Besides, I should really be with her in that lab. We’re this close to not needing a booster to hide the markers. Let’s get to Whitehorse.”
How I long to see that gorgeous mini mansion Logan built for me all those years ago. He passed away before we could enjoy it properly for ourselves, no thanks to Chloe lopping his head off. And then I lost my own proverbial head and married Gage. We spent the entire duration of our marriage living in my bedroom at the Landon house—sans the one night we spent at the old Walsh house we bought and renovated. The very next day, Gage got his head lopped off, too—a running theme among us—and the world effectively fell to shit right after.
I give Marshall’s hand a squeeze and those feel-good vibrations pulse right through me.
“Take me to Ezrina, please.” I nod in the direction of Ezrina’s lab, which just so happens to be located in the Wonderground, literally underneath Whitehorse. Logan excavated half of Paragon for her to use as she pleases, and it certainly pleased her to turn it into a virtual state-of-the-art laboratory worthy of resurrecting the dead, biologically reengineering Spectators by the dozen, and it also happens to be where she lives with her husband, Nevermore—Heathcliffif you want to get formal—and their sweet toddler, Alice.
Marshall takes a breath, his chest filling like a solid wall. “I’m afraid Ezrina has been deposed herself—along with Heathcliff and little Alice as well.”
“What in the fresh hell?” My voice rises into the night like a supernatural siren. “Do not tell me they’ve landed in Eversor, too, or I will—”
Marshall lifts a brow. “You will what, Ms. Messenger? I’m most interested in what you propose will occur when you discover that not only did your once betrothed slaughter you in cold blood, but took those closest to you, the most powerful weapons in your arsenal, and chained them away in his den of wickedness. What will you do?” His voice booms over me like a gong the size of the planet. I can feel the vibrations from his every angry syllable, and my soul resonates in anger right along with it.
“Oh my God.” I close my eyes. “I honestly don’t know how to hate him more.” A hard groan evicts from me. “Not Ezrina.”
“Might I note, you didn’t say that about Master Logan.”
“Because Master Logan doesn’t hold the equivalent of nuclear codes when it comes to saving my people.”
“Nonsense. He’s the key reason you have an equivalent code to begin with.”
Everything in me stills. My lips part as I examine the saucy Sector before me.
“You’re defending Logan. You never defend Logan. Is there a reason for this about-face?” A thought hits me and I gasp with delight. “Logan is your descendant; therefore, you are the secret to the so-called nuclear code. Oh my ever loving goodness!” I pick up his hands and dance us in a circle—although Marshall is a rather nonparticipant in the revelry at the moment. “Is that why she did it? Is that why Candace allowed a Sector into the game? Because she knew we’d need your salty semen, and I mean that in the proverbial way, sort of. You are the key to my success. You are an all-important factor in the success of this formula, but sinceyouare a Sector, you were not allowed to play in our celestial reindeer games, she had to delude your genes just enough so that she, or you, orIwould not be dragged before the Justice Alliance.”
He takes a slow breath and closes his eyes. “Perhaps there is a modicum of truth buried in your jumble of words somewhere. But no. Good theory. However, there are more moving parts than you even know to count.”
“Than I even know to count…” I pause to ponder his words for a moment.
“Ms. Messenger, why do you regard me as if I’m speaking in riddles?”
“Have you met yourself? Besides, the gloves are off. I’m dead as a doornail, and there’s a witch parading around Paragon as me.” I suck in another quick breath. “Hey? Do you think Gage kidnapped Logan so that Rory wouldn’t defile him, too?”
