Newton paused and turned back to us, scowling at Schwint. “Actually, I wasn’t speaking to you. She said to tell the warlock.”
“I don’t think Finn is under any illusions either. He knows that—” The implied message behind Sonia’s warning must have dawned on him. Schwint’s face fell as he looked over at me. “Oh. Right.”
I flushed. “I got it. Every extra second we take is more time that Cynthia stays prisoner. I don’t need any reminders. From either you or Sonia.”
Newton shrugged and turned back around.
I kept my eyes trained on his ornate wings as he hovered a few inches above ground. I could feel Schwint’s gaze. His worry and jealousy over me seeing my ex-boyfriend at a time like this was irritating. My increasing heart rate as each step brought me closer to Brett made me even angrier.
Newton paused at the edge of the speedboat. “Okay, guys. Hurry up.”
Caitlin was the first to slip out from underneath the vinyl covering protecting the boat’s surface. She allowed Newton to take her hand as she stepped onto the stone walkway.
Immediately after her, a huge man pulled the covering farther back and followed Caitlin off the boat.
He had werewolf written all over him. “Caitlin!”
She rolled her eyes as she hissed at me. “Shut up, Finn. You think I didn’t notice a werewolf was hiding in the damned boat with me?”
Schwint stepped up beside me. “Why are you all hiding, anyway? It’s not like the vampires couldn’t smell you in there. Especially if you brought a wolf with you.”
My heart clenched, and maybe broke, at the next voice. A sound I’d dreamed of for months, then gave up hope of ever hearing again.
“Actually, Sonia says a vampire’s sense of smell is like a shark’s. They smell blood. If there’s no fresh blood, not much to smell.”
He straightened as he exited the boat. He was unchanged, except for some new scars across his chest, and suddenly the past year hadn’t happened, and he’d just exited my truck and left me sobbing in the driveway.
His blue eyes met mine. “Hey, Finn.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but my voice caught.
The next second lasted an eternity. The silence deafening. My emotions on display for everyone to the point they might as well have been projected over the smooth walls of the cave.
For once, I was almost thankful for Caitlin’s cutting tone. “Oh for fuck sake. We don’t have time for this.”
Newton stepped closer to me, momentarily blocking my view of Brett. “This is what I was talking about. You’ve gotta get him to the mers. Now, and we’ve got to go. Quickly.”
Again, I couldn’t force out any sound.
Schwint cleared his throat, his own voice sounding strained. “You guys are just leaving? I thought you were going to come in and get ready to take on Gwala.”
“It’s what we should be doing.”
Newton glared at Caitlin before turning back to Schwint. “We’re not having this debate again. Brett needs time to figure out things with the mers. We are to rescue Cynthiaand the mers. Both. That was part of the queen’s deal. In order to help, we had to get the mers out of the Cathedral.”
“Why would she want that?”
Newton sighed in exasperation. “I didn’t ask her, Schwint. Nor does it matter. With her help, we actually have a chance. And it was what we were wanting anyway.”
Caitlin snorted behind him, but Newton ignored her.
I glanced past Newton and found Brett’s gaze still trained on me. I looked away, instead coming to focus on the werewolf. He was gorgeous. I hated myself both for noticing and for the surge of jealousy. At least it helped me find my voice. “Then why did you all risk coming, if you’re only going to leave again?”
“We needed to know the way for when the time comes. It will be soon. When we hear from either of you, this is the way we’ll come in. We won’t be staying at the cave. It’s too risky. Sonia showed us another hiding place nearby.”
I glanced at Caitlin, my priorities starting to return. “That’s too dangerous. The vampires will know where you are. We all know they’ve been watching you.”
“Actually, Sonia said it was only the redhead. I guess he was the low man on the totem pole. Go figure. The one that tries to destroy our family is nothing more than an errand boy.” She gave me a genuine smile, or at least half of one. “We’ll be fine. You gotta go. No more explaining. Quick.”
