“Yes.Bo will take you to that abysmal hellscape for a hat.”
“The mall,” Talia stage whispered to Aultyr and Harke.“He means the mall.”
Good.Declan needn’t seek an ally in a sea of faces and hope they could keep Antonio from harm.If Antonio agreed to go.
More likely, he would be at his garage.His solace.Away from the fucking fae.
“I would be grateful for your company, Talia.We have … I believe a week, by this world’s calendar.At least the assassination attempts came at a convenient time.”
“Planning to wear the hat?”Aultyr asked, still to Talia.“Gate’d be the strongest in the room.Can wear what you want.”
It was settled, then.Talia and Bo would terrorize the mall.Antonio would probably withdraw to his shop and family until then, so he’d not need to look at Declan.Perhaps he would come with them to the party.
Everything sorted.
“My thanks,” Declan said to Everil and meant it.
Chapter Nineteen
Antonio
Themetalofthefreezer door was cool against Antonio’s forehead, the hum of it a quiet counterpoint to his own forced-level breathing.Too familiar, this trapped, walls-closing-in spiral.A world beyond his understanding or control, and Antonio caught in the riptide.
Usually, he’d let it wash over him, take the time he needed.But that wasn’t an option anymore.He’d sworn to stand by Declan.Not freak the fuck out in the kitchen.Useless, batshit wreck.Declan deserved better than him.
Just, he hated it.Hated that Declan was a target.Hated that the answer to violence was violence.Hated the ready way everyone nodded along and agreed to a fucking murder.
One thing, when Declan had to defend himself.Different to talk about hunting some fucker down with a knife in your hand.Or maybe it wasn’t.No one else seemed to mind.Faerie was faerie.Fae were fae.All he could do was shut up, get over himself, and not drag Declan down.
The kitchen door opened, and Antonio flinched at the sound, panic kicking up another notch.
“Talia’s waffles’ll do that,” Bo said as he closed the door.“Fucking delicious, so you throw yourself in the other room to keep from eating them all.”
Bo was a friend.He’d offered shelter when Declan needed a place to hole up.Antonio wasn’tscaredof him.But looking at him just then, all Antonio could see was the way Bo’d stood there, watching, while the kelpie burned a curse onto Antonio’s soul.
“Sure,” he said, not mentioning the half-eaten waffle he'd scraped into the trash.“Declan need me?”
“Fuck if I know.I’m not his messenger boy.”Bo ran his hand through his hair, sounding tense and unhappy.He could join the damned club.“No, just… Look, I don't know how to fucking say, ‘Do you want to talk about the shit that just went down' without sounding like a condescending ass instead of your friend, but there we are.We can talk about whether there really is something haunting the place in Philly, instead, if you want.Make a list of shit you need to get done and game plan it.Sit in fucking silence if that'd be better.Something in between.Whatever.”
Watch your tongue or drown.
Antonio wasn’t the diplomatic type, never had been.Not good at thinking things out or keeping his thoughts to himself.Not good for much, really.Not even getting Declan on the Council.
He could hotwire a car.Fix an engine.Not skills that’d get him far in Faerie.He wasnothing, and that’s all he’d ever been.
Christ, had last night even happened?Laughing and bound and so fucking secure in it, everything made right by Declan’s touch.This morning?Declan’s rasping groan as he came down Antonio’s throat, nails biting in so right.
It’d been real.It wasreal.He wasn’t fucking crazy.He knew what was real.He and Declan were real.
Or they had been.
He blinked at Bo, hollow (Hollow) and blank and wordless.Only Declan was safe and he couldn’t go to him now.
“Look, Bo…”I don’t trust you.“You don’t gotta worry about it.I‘m not gonna try to talk Declan out of shit.He has my oath, alright?Swore to have his back.I’m not arguing.Didn’t argue.I’m just … doing the dishes.”
Or anyway, he should be.So he crossed over to the sink and picked up a plate.
“Dude, I don’t give a shit if you talk him out of it,” Bo answered.“Don't get me wrong, I'll be the first one to pour a drink in celebration if Nimai bites it, but I'm not going to throw a fit if it's not now.Declan doesn't do it, someone will down the line.Having his back doesn't mean doing everything he wants all the time.”
