Trying to endear yourself to her, I almost say, but I halt the words before they come out of me. He’s the only one with enough luck to walk us through the gate, and Arden is shivering and exhausted. I take a deep breath and blow it out, stuffing the memories of what he did to me in a dark closet at the back of my brain. I place my hand on Arden’s shoulder. “We’ve been traveling all night. Please show us through.”
His eyes crinkle at the corners. “Of course. You haven’t changed a bit, Sophia. All business.”
“I’ve changed,” I snap, then narrow my eyes. “I’m far less naive.”
Our eyes lock, and challenge sparks between us.
“Take my hand,” he commands, holding one out to each of us. “I’ll walk you through.”
The last thing I want to do is to touch him, but there’s no other way.Imight be able to get through the gate without him, but I’d risk being separated from Arden. Reluctantly I slip my fingers into his. My stomach gives an annoying flutter at his touch, my internal workings betraying a lingering desire for this man. I grind my teeth and thank the stars that my will and my mind are stronger than my libido. It’s times like these that having a poker face comes in handy.
Arden takes his other hand and smiles warmly up at him, her eyes filled with stars.Fuck. We’re overdue for a long talk.
Seven faces the moon gate and takes a deep breath. The fireflies glow again, lighting up the night. I notice the strain on his face as beneath our feet, the ground begins to rumble. What is he doing? He couldn’t be… My eyes widen.
Luck is different than magic. A creature with magic can create something out of nothing and command the elements to do their bidding. True magic users are rare. Seven isn’t a magic user, but the luck he’s wielding is more powerful than any I’ve known before. Luck can’t create something out of nothing, but it can influence the world around it to make something that could happen on its own happen right then.
The wards protecting Dragonfly are grounded in earth. Seven is disrupting their anchor, causing slabs of rock to shift deep beneath our feet. It’s a natural phenomenon, but its occurrence now, at this moment, is all his doing. The amount of luck it takes to cause a minor earthquake like this is staggering, and I can’t help but gape in awe of his abilities. This level of control could stop a beating heart. It could cause a bird to fall from the sky beak first and kill an enemy.
He’s stronger now than when I left. Stronger, and far more dangerous.
“Now,” he says and ushers us both forward. Arden and I shuffle through the moon gate at his side. I feel the wards nipping at my heels as they close again behind me. I breathe a sigh of relief when Seven releases my fingers, and I rub the tingle from my palm that lingers after his touch.
Seven cracks his neck, then his knuckles, the tension in his body relaxing once more.
I set my bag down and orient myself. We’re near the back of Wonderland, one of five theme parks that make up the Dragonfly Hollow world. My parents live two blocks from here. This subdivision is called Enchantment and is one of three residential areas within Dragonfly Hollow and the only one inside Wonderland.
“Thanks for your help,” I say to Seven, anxious to leave his presence. “We can make it from here.”
“I’d better escort you.” He starts walking toward my old place, gesturing for us to follow.
“Really, it’s not necessary,” I insist.
He doesn’t acknowledge my protest. I grumble as Arden falls into step behind him and I’m forced to follow along. Arden’s gaze drifts to the colorful mushroom-shaped houses that line the streets. Crimson, emerald, and royal purple caps top homes with matching shutters and circular doors. It’s as if we’ve all been shrunk down into a cartoon village, a fantastical neighborhood designed to play into human misconceptions.
“Wow, this is wild,” Arden says, spinning in place to take it all in.
“Fairies don’t actually live in mushrooms,” I tell her. “Outside the Dragonfly theme park, our residences look exactly like human houses—better in most cases because our engineering is superior—but inside the parks, this facade sells tickets. Some of these homes are rented to humans, which is why my parents can live here inexpensively. It’s convenient for them because they own a store here, and it’s lucrative to play into the fantasy.”
“Oh,” she says. “So some fairies do live here.”
“Well, yes. Quite a few actually.”
“Then some fairiesdolive in mushrooms.” She giggles.
I bristle. “Not naturally. Only for show.”
She shrugs. “Humans didn’t naturally live in two-bedroom condominiums either, but the cave got old after a while.”
“Arden! You know very well what I mean.”
She starts walking again, seeming to take in every detail of the street. “Yeah… it’s still cool.”
While she’s distracted, Seven drifts to my side. “How did FIRE finally catch up to you?”
“None of your business.”
“Just wondering how the feds found you after all this time. Once Arden called your parents, my people looked into your case. You supported yourself playing poker. Did you get greedy? Use too much luck?”
