“I only mentioned your father’s greed to remind you that it’s not all about you. It’s never been about you.” I grip her shoulders, resisting the urge to shake some sense into her. “Wake up, darling. A whole world exists beyond the scope of your truth. Lies, deceit, and cunning—you need all of them to kill a monster, and if you can’t accept that, you’ll never be strong enough to destroy him.”
Her eyes shutter. She’s not ready to hear this.
I drop my hands.
Her body brushes mine from hip to shoulder as she storms from the room. I fall back on the bed and groan. She invaded my space, bathed everything in her scent, and now there’s no escape for me.
I didn’t give Celine what she wanted, but I don’t regret it. They’re the answers she needed, and the only ones I’m willing to give her right now. She’s as infectious as her father, and for a monster like me, there’s nothing more dangerous.
FORTY
Monster Realm Survival Tip #47:
Damned water kills, and danger
thrives in the shallows.
CIPRIAN
I wrap the nightmare around Luca, Malach, and Alistair, squeezing it tighter than a tourniquet until there’s no room for error.
It would be easier if they moved in sync, but that’s wishful thinking on my part.
Luca walks near the ground, barely lifting his feet at all. Alistair glides like smoke, drifting in patterns that seem aimless, but are anything but. And Malach marches. There’s no other word for it. He might as well turn and salute, because he’s never looked more like a soldier.
Since I’m the best, I accommodate them all. My nightmare stretches to account for their uneven progress, reflecting our surroundings back into the eyes and minds of anyone who might be watching.
This is our final patrol. Tomorrow, we either make it home or die trying. They’re almost certainly annoyed with me at the compound by now. I told Sheena I was going to the celestial realm with Celine for a quick trip, but it’s been weeks.
She’ll care if I die, but not knowing will be worse for her. I wince. I don’t want Sheena to spend the rest of her life with a Ciprian-shaped cloud hanging over her head.
Alistair veers sharply right, and I bite back a curse. He’s the poster boy for going rogue. I’ve never seen anyone less suited for teamwork. If we make it home, I’m signing him up for a community kickball league whether he likes it or not.
Shaking my head, I force my nightmare to stretch and cover him without breaking.
When he pokes a strangely shaped rock with the toe of his boot, I nearly groan.
The rock—which I think we can safely say isn’t a fucking rock at all—explodes. Alistair darts out of the way a split second before the thick, gray mushroom cloud reaches his face. As the tiny particles fall to the ground, the ice sizzles.
Alistair tosses me a sheepish look, then winks as I shake my head.
Besides the mushroom, there’s nothing here but us. I huff a relieved sigh. The valley is supposed to be empty. It’s what our research predicted, and it marks the fifth day in a row we’ve been right about timing.
Freedom is so close I can almost taste it. A bite of meat lovers’ pizza careening toward my mouth, carefully balanced to ensure no bacon bits even think about falling off and leaving grease stains on my pants.
Malach and Luca give the valley one more glance, then turn and nod.
Somewhere deep in the woods, Celine and Riven are visiting his super-special secret knothole to give Hyacinth, the teenagewitch, our rendezvous instructions. It’s the only thing he’s insisted on: that we take the kid with us and help her create a new life for herself.
We’ll do it, but I’m not sure exactly what it will look like.
I know the witches in our territory. They’ll take one peek at the feathers and twigs in her hair and make her a pariah. Then again, I’m not a witch. I could be wrong. Life on Earth will at least give her more opportunities than she has here.
“Let’s go check the other side.” Luca nudges my shoulder.
I nod, chafing my hands against my upper arms. “I can’t wait to be warm again.”
“Keep quiet,” Malach whispers, his green eyes scanning the horizon warily. “We’re not safe yet.”
