“Good,” Asmo says before taking the knife from me and handing it to Ivan, barking at him to hurry.
I glance down at my clothing, but it’s the same. My hands look…smaller, more delicate. A pink birthmark graces my right thumb.
Ivan carves the mark into his skin and whispers the words silently. The transformation is eerie. His features slowly change to match the unconscious male’s in Asmo’s arms. Once the transformation is complete, Asmo grabs our hands and hurries us out of the alley, Ivan and Luca right behind us.
I twist around, but Asmo pulls me along. “Will they be okay?”
“They’ll be fine,” he says tersely. “Pull your hood over your head.” I do as he says. A ripple of fear runs through me at how risky this all is. And we still have to do it for him and Luca.
“What’s the plan, Az?” Ivan’s new voice asks behind us. Apparently, he’s on nickname basis with the Serpent Prince, too.
Asmo turns down another alley. Two more female deer hybrids walk just ahead of us, their steps wobbly. I groan at the thought of taking advantage of two drunk females.
Before I can object, he strikes again. But this time, he flings a hand out, turning the ground underneath the hybrids’ feet to quicksand. Their conversation is cut off as they panic, arms flailing and legs pumping as they try to escape. Asmo rushes to them and whispers something in their ears. They fall into his arms.
“Mae, keep watch,” he commands.
Luca glances at the fallen females, eyes wide. “You expect me to take the body of a female?”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Asmo mutters and carves the mark into his chiseled stomach, then hands the knife to Luca as his features change. His build shrinks considerably, his once-fitted clothes now baggy on his new frame, black hair replaced by brunette hair that brushes against his shoulders.
Luca grabs the knife, muttering curse words under his breath before he completes the spell. When it’s done, he’s approximately eight inches shorter and at least fifty pounds lighter.
Asmo takes off. We all keep our heads down as we follow him and make our way back to the portal location. My nerves are shot by the time we reach the top of the hill. I don’t breathe comfortably until we’re back at our temporary home, its worn exterior and smoking chimney stack a comforting sight.
The front door opens and Holly steps out. She eyes us dubiously.
“It’s us,” Luca’s now melodic voice says, then adds, “It worked. It’s me, Luca.”
Holly studies us for another moment, then bursts into laughter. I still at the sound. It’s the first time I’ve heard her laugh in weeks. I look at Asmo in surprise. Our gazes meet and send a spark through me. His now-blue eyes are crinkled, and he looks…lighter. Maybe we all do, now that we finally have a plan, and some kind of tool to help. Even if that tool is dark magic.
He turns back to Holly, who’s testing the strength of the disguise as she pokes and prods at Ivan. Even Luca’s antlers have disappeared, something glamours can’t hide properly. We spend the rest of the evening in these bodies, getting used to them and to each other. By the end of the night, my head has begun to throb and I’m eager for sleep.
Of course, it doesn’t come easy. I’m used to tossing and turning every night as memories of the past play like a loop in my head. But tonight, I can’t stop thinking about seeing Marik tomorrow. Will he see right through our disguises, and see us, too?
Chapter 5
MAE
The next morning,Ivan wakes us all before sunrise. We review the plan several times, nitpicking every detail and working out every possible risk for the third time.
We dress plainly to blend in with the crowd. I’m pulling my boots on when my bedroom door cracks open. A female stands in the doorway, and it takes me a second to remember who it is. Her blue eyes study me in only the way that Asmo’s black and fern-green eyes ever have.
“I’m almost ready,” I say, expecting him to leave at that, but he doesn’t. “What?”
“Mae,” Asmo’s now-feminine voice says quietly.
Glancing up, I see worry lining her—his?—features.
“What’s wrong?”
“If anything happens today, please just get out. Don’t worry about the rest of us. We can handle it.” Every word drips with consequence.
I roll my eyes. “I’m not going to just leave you,” I scoff.
“Promise me,” he says. It’s odd, hearing Asmo’s attitude and commanding voice coming from a much shorter, much prettier, much less threatening version of him. I can’t help it, but a corner of my mouth twitches.
“What?” he huffs.
