I didn’t have time to really enjoy Light Fey City. Walsh drove fast but not fast enough to draw attention to us, just enough to get us through the territory quickly. It looked like a mini–New York City: high-rise building and clusters of nice houses, all with modern touches; fancy cars blasted past us as we raced to the edge of the city. My parents and Raven, Sawyer said, were all waiting for me just a few miles away. I could finally put this nightmare behind me. But mostly I just wanted to be in Sawyer’s arms. It had been too long without him. I missed his touch, his smell, his kisses.
“Almost there.” Walsh gunned the gas as the wrought iron gates that marked the Witch Lands rose in the distance. There were two guards at either end of the open gates. Both wore long black cloaks.
Warlocks.
‘Sawyer!’I shouted, wondering if I was louder, if that would help.
“Sawyer still isn’t responding. What could have happened?” I asked Sage, the need to talk to someone about this was too strong.
Sage frowned, looking back at me from her spot in the front seat. “He could have been arrested and taken to Magic City Jail. Kidnapped by vampires or light fey in retaliation for killing Locke. His—”
“OhmyGod, stop.” I covered my ears, rushing the words together. “I didn’tactuallywant to know all the bad things that could have happened.”
Sage winced. “Sorry.” She reached back and clasped my hand. “Hey, I’m worried too, but my cousin has been training with Eugene for decades. No one is going to get the drop on him.”
But they did. They had to have, unless this was another magic spell thing put over our bond so that we couldn’t communicate.
My eyes widened. “Stop the car!” I yelled to Walsh, and the tires skidded to a halt, a black plume of smoke coming up behind us. We were twenty feet from the gate, and the two warlocks’ hooded heads turned our way.
It’s a trap…
It had to be. Only a witch would be able to keep Sawyer and I from speaking, like the magic in Troll Village.
Had the witches turned against us too?
“Go right, drive away from the gate. Now,” I told Walsh as the two warlocks raised a gnarled wooden staff, each with a crystal ball on top.
Walsh did as I asked, and when we were a few blocks away, I released a shaky breath.
“What’s up?” Walsh’s gaze flicked to mine in the mirror.
“I… think maybe the witches are against us too. Or some of them at least. My bond with Sawyer is being blocked.”
Probably in part because I’d torn it to pieces after he chose Meredith.Oops.
Walsh frowned. “You think everyone is against us now?”
Now I felt stupid and paranoid. “I don’t know… can we cut through the Wild Lands now? We’re so close.”
The Witch Lands and Werewolf City touched, so if we drove to the edge of the Wild Lands it would be a short trek through to the very edge of Wolf City.
“I dunno, Sage and I had a lot of Ithaki gunning for us—”
“Yes. I will get you safely across,” Astra spoke from the back seat.
Walsh and Sage shared a look. “The Ithaki—”
“I’ll get you safely across,” she pressed, and it was the sternest I’d ever heard her.
“If she says she can, she can,” I told them.
Astra and I were connected, and I could feel her genuineness. She wouldn’t lead us astray. Walsh took a side road that ran the length of the wrought iron gate and headed for the Wild Lands. We passed a few openings with warlocks positioned at the entrance about every mile or so. It was the most guarded territory of them all; they really didn’t want anyone going in… or out. After an hour and nearly running out of gas, we reached the back fence of Light Fey City, and there was only one sign.
Wild Lands. Enter at your own risk.
Walsh slowed the car to a crawl before pulling over and putting it into park. We all unclipped our belts and stepped out of the car, slinging backpacks over our shoulders and preparing for the final stretch back to Wolf City.
Walsh stepped toward a gap in the Wild Lands gate, but Astra clicked her tongue. “That’s Ithaki land. This way.” She walked along the rough, piled stone, vines creeping over the top.
