He nodded. “You can drop me off down the street and then you will answer honestly when he asks if you came alone.”
Freaking fae. They could all tell when I was lying? Or maybe just powerful ones like Novus. To be fully honest, I was scared. Scared of Novus killing me in front of my mother and then killing her for fun. Brayden would never even allow me to go, but it seemed like Artemis knew I had to and only wanted to tag along.
So long as he didn’t stop me, it would be nice to have someone else to brainstorm this with.
I nodded, and he got in the passenger seat of Leah’s car.Sorry, Leah.
My hand was on the door handle when I sensed someone behind me.
“Traipsing off into the night alone?” Morgana asked.
Crap.
Why was she awake? She’d slept through the afternoon and probably just finally woke up refreshed after pulling her all-nighter.
“Going to get donuts for everyone,” I lied, hoping she couldn’t tell either.
She snort-laughed. “Oh, honey, I was sitting on the living room couch. I heard everything.”
Damn. I hadn’t even noticed her.
Artemis went very still then, before turning to face Morgana. “You are to go with us.”
She placed a hand on her chest. “I have been given protection by King Greywolf from Novus. I’m not going to go running to him with the likes of you two.”
“You have to come or you die in the Ether,” he said plainly.
Morgana froze and I could see the chills raise on her arms. “And if I go?”
“You live,” he confirmed.
How did he know this stuff? Clearly he was more than just a fleeting hunch kind of psychic.
“I guess we’re off to save mommy,” she exclaimed, and joined us in the car.
As I drove out onto the highway, all I could think about was my poor mother. If a hair on her head was harmed, I would dismember Novus.
ELEVEN
I dropped Morgana and Artemis off in the parking lot of Bonner General Hospital and then sped in Leah’s car to my front door. We didn’t talk too much about a plan, as Artemis didn’t want Novus to question me and learn anything. I just had to trust that those two were hatching something great that included not allowing me or my mom to die.
If not, then I was literally walking into my death.
Brayden was going to straight-up kill me if I did survive this, and I felt so guilty for running off. Maybe he would have come too… maybe I should have involved him.
On a whim, I sent him a text.
Me: Novus has my mom. I’m sorry but I had to go, took Artemis and Morgana. PS if I survive this, we should totally elope. I love you.
After sending the message, I turned off my phone, slipping it into my back pocket.
God help me,I thought. It felt like walking into certain death as I made my way to the porch.
The front door was unlocked. I let myself in.
“Mom!” I called into the seemingly empty house and clicked the door shut behind me.
It had been a year since I’d stepped foot in this house and the nostalgia was hitting me hard. Mom’s favorite grey chair, the floral rug—I missed every inch of this place.
