by G. Bailey
I’m so focused on what I’m doing that I don’t even hear the tentative footsteps outside my door, and when it swings open to reveal Seth, I nearly jump out of my skin. “Karma,” he says, his voice quiet. “What’s wrong?”
“I… Nothing.”
Closing the door behind him, he takes a step into the room. Seth’s a sharp guy, and one glance at my bag tells him everything he needs to know. “Karma, where are you going?” he demands. “What are you planning?”
I stare at him for a long moment. “I’m leaving,” I reply, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’m going to go after Neritous. I’m going to end this.”
“Karma, that’s…” He shakes his head. “You can’t do that. It’s too dangerous.”
“So, what?” I demand, rounding on him, and I hate the fact that tears are welling up in my eyes. “What are we supposed to do? Keep waiting around here, sitting on our hands until another city gets destroyed? Until someone else I care about gets killed?”
“I thought we were in this together,” he protests, the confusion clear in his eyes. It breaks my heart, but I force myself to dig in my heels, wiping aggressively at my tears with my sleeve. “I thought we were going to figure out a plan, go after him as a group.”
“There’s been a change of plans,” I reply bluntly, crossing my arms.
“Why?” he asks.
“Seth,” I protest, “please just leave it alone. You need to just—”
“Like hell,” he says. “What made you change your mind about this? Was it something I said?”
“No,” I reply. “What you said just made it all clear to me. I can’t let you guys come with me because it will put you all in danger, too.”
He stares at me like he’s never seen me before in his life. “That’s the point of this,” he insists. “We’re in this together.”
“No,” I say, my desperation creeping into my tone. “We’re not. Not anymore. Don’t you understand, Seth?” My voice has started to waver, and I fear more tears are on the way. “I can’t put anyone else in danger! This whole thing started with me, and I’m not about to let anyone else die because they ended up in the line of fire!”
“Karma, you can’t shut us out like this,” Seth argues, taking a step forward. His proximity to me is making my heart beat faster, but I shut those feelings down. Now isn’t the time.
“How many people have died because of me?” I protest, the tears overflowing once more. “How many more will die because of me? I can’t watch you guys die, too. I just…can’t.”
“And I’m not about to watch you die, either,” Seth insists, putting his hands on my shoulders.
“Why not?” I ask bitterly. “It’s the least I deserve.”
“Because I love you, that’s why!” Seth exclaims, and all I can do is stare up at him. “I love you, and I didn’t even think that was possible. After my wife died… Karma, I…” He runs a hand through his hair. “You brought me back to life,” he tells me, staring into my eyes. “I’m not going to let Neritous snuff you out.”
“Please,” I whisper as he slides his hand up to cup my cheek. “Please, Seth. You’re only making this harder.”
“I know,” he murmurs, his eyes blazing with a love so strong that it scares me. And then his lips are on mine. I want to shove him off, but I can’t bring myself to. Instead, my traitorous arms come up to encircle his neck, drawing him closer as his kisses become more passionate, and when his lips move to my neck, I don’t protest, letting out a small whimper as I feel his hands roaming my body. He seems hesitant, almost fearful, and it dawns on me that this is probably the first time he’s touched a woman since before his wife died. His movements are rusty, almost clumsy, but the passion is obvious, and somehow we manage to fumble off our clothes, so desperate to touch one another that everything else seems to fall by the wayside. Seth nudges me forward before pushing me back onto the bed, his touch warm and soothing.
“I love you,” he repeats, sounding almost disbelieving to hear the words coming out of his own mouth.
“I…love you too,” I reply, and with a growl he presses his lips to mine once more, his hands already moving to part my legs. I hate how wet I’ve already become, and when he glances down, Seth seems surprised, his breath hitching in his throat as he allows his hand to pass over the junction of my thighs. Positioning himself over me, I feel him nudging me open, but there’s a hesitation, and I realise that he’s waiting for my go-ahead.
“Please, I need you,” I manage to whisper. He thrusts into me, eliciting a low groan from me before he begins to move in earnest. It quickly becomes clear that, even though it’s been a while, he’s still as skilled as ever, responding to every subtle movement of my body with a level of attentiveness that I’ve never witnessed before. Waves of pleasure begin to wash over me, and it’s not long before I’m writhing beneath him, moaning his name over and over again like a mantra. I know I shouldn’t be doing this, but I can’t help it. The strength of my feelings is almost overwhelming, and one look at Seth’s expression tells me he’s going through the same thing.
When he comes, he lingers for a moment, just staring into my eyes as he brushes some hair out of my face. I shiver when he pulls out, putting his arms around me protectively as I rest my head against his chest. “Don’t shut me out,” he tells me, stroking my hair, and I feel myself starting to cry without meaning to.
“That’s the problem,” I murmur against his skin, resignation and relief overtaking me all at once. “I don’t think I can.”
Chapter 16
I wish I weren’t so selfish. I wish I had the ability to do what needs to be done, to buckle down and take one for the team the way the others always are, but I don’t. I’m underpowered compared to my father, and for better or worse, I can’t make myself follow through on my plans to leave in the aftermath of what happened with Seth. I know I should, and it still hurts to think about the possibility of any of them getting hurt because of me, but what little willpower I had left seemed to melt under his gentle touch, and now the thought of going head-to-head with Neritous fills me with dread instead of determination. This is going to end bloody—the only question is whose blood it will be.
The guys may have made the choice to fight with me, but there’s one person who didn’t choose to get involved in any of this. Like me, Ruby has been caught in the crossfire of her father’s madness for a good part of her life, without even realising it. She’s seen and experienced more than any kid her age should ever have to, and as resilient as she’s proven to be, I can tell she’s scared. Mum’s done a fine job of keeping her entertained, all things considered, but with Hugo gone, it’s clear that it’s taking a toll on her. I’m not about to let that little girl become another casualty.
Ruby is at the kitchen table when I come downstairs, drawing on a piece of paper with coloured pencils. She looks up when I arrive, smiling tentatively. “Hi, Karma,” she says, straightening up in her chair.
“Hi, Ruby,” I reply, coming to stand beside her. “What are you working on?”
I realise the minute the words are out of my mouth that it’s the wrong question to ask, and I see the grim flash in Ruby’s eyes when she holds up the piece of paper. On it is a drawing, rendered in the way only a child can: a large man dressed in black, with zig zags of red lightning coming out of his hands. Standing next to him is a figure that’s clearly supposed to be Ruby, tears falling down her face as she cowers from his wrath. She must see my reaction, as there’s a flicker of uncertainty on her face. “I didn’t mean to be disrespectful,” she says quietly. “I just…” She fidgets, clearly trying to find a way to explain herself. “I need to remind myself sometimes.”
“Remind yourself of what?” I ask her, lowering the drawing and putting a hand on her back.
“That he’s a bad man,” she whispers, and I don’t need to ask which “he” she’s referring to. “Sometimes I start to forget,” she explains, and the fear on her face makes me want to cry. “Sometimes I s
tart to think that he really did love us, and that he wanted us to be a family. But then I remember everything he did, and…” Her little hands clench into fists on the table. It occurs to me that she witnessed Hugo’s murder the same way the rest of us did, and my heart breaks. No child should have to see something like that, especially not when the perpetrator is her own father. The scars she’s going to have to deal with for the rest of her life are unthinkable, and yet she’s steadfastly taken everything in stride, quietly watching the rest of our family fall apart in the wake of Neritous’s destruction. Maybe, on some level, she senses that more stress just might push me past my breaking point. Or maybe she just doesn’t want to bother me. Either way, I feel a pang of sympathy for her.
“I miss my mum,” Ruby says after a long pause, and it’s not until she sniffs that I realise she’s struggling to fight off tears.
“Hey, hey,” I say, kneeling down and putting my arms around her. She buries her face in my chest, and it’s all I can do to stroke her hair and whisper soothingly to her. I’m barely keeping it together as it is, but now it’s my turn to do for my half-sister what the guys have been doing for me, and be there to comfort her. “It’s okay, Ruby. It’s okay.” Ruby doesn’t say anything, just continues to sniffle as she tightens her grip on me, almost to the point that it’s uncomfortable. I bite my lip, considering, and then ask her quietly, “How would you like to go home? Back to your mum?”
That’s enough to make her pull back, staring up at me with a mixture of hope and trepidation. “She’s far away,” she says, sounding uncertain.
“I know,” I tell her, “but we have ways of getting around. We could bring you back, if you wanted.” The truth is, it’s something I’ve been thinking about for a while, but I’ve been hesitant to bring up the possibility. Travelling when things are like this is risky, and there’s no guarantee that Neritous won’t come after her again, if only to give her the same powers that I gave to him and the twins. On the other hand, he had the opportunity when he broke into our home, and he didn’t. Maybe he didn’t see a use for her with the sphere activated, or hell, maybe he just didn’t care—he got what he was after, so screw everyone else. That seems to be his main mode of operating. Either way, I’ve been reluctant to travel, especially with Ruby, if it will just mean putting her in more danger. But now is the first time that I’m seeing the effect this has all had on the little girl, and it’s becoming clear that this isn’t sustainable. There’s also Emerald, her mother, to think about; she’s been driving herself insane searching for the truth about her daughter, and who am I to keep them away from each other?
“I do want to go back,” Ruby says. “I miss her.”
“Then it’s settled,” I say, forcing a cheery smile onto my face. There’s no need to trouble her with the danger of such a trip. “We’ll bring you back to your mum. We can even go today, if you want.”
“Really?” Her eyes just about light up, and now my smile grows a little more genuine. “You mean it?”
“Of course,” I say, ruffling her hair. “Your mum’s waited so very long to see you again.”
It’s like seeing a whole new kid: beaming from ear to ear, she bounces up from her seat. “I guess I should say goodbye to everyone, then,” she says, sounding a little bewildered. “Your mum has been really nice. Your brothers, too.” Her eyes go wide when she realises that’s a sore spot, and she opens her mouth to apologise, but I just pat her shoulder.
“It’s all right,” I tell her. “You go on and talk to whoever you want to. I’m going to go see about getting us a ride.”
Ruby nods, seemingly at ease, and bounds off to track down my other family members. I can’t help but feel a little twinge of regret that she’s going to be gone. I’ve never had a proper sister before. It’s been nice getting to be the big sis to a little sis for once, and to see that not all of Neritous’s children have been corrupted by his greed and lust for power.
It makes me feel a little better about my own future.
But now isn’t the time to wax philosophical. I know we have a battle ahead, but I need to set things right with Ruby, reunite her with her mum and fulfill my promise to Jade, and I’m damn well going to do it. Gods know, she’s experienced too much loss already in her short life, and if I don’t make it back…well, she needs to be away from here. Making my way up the stairs, I pass by Peyton’s room. He appears to be showing Mads how to keep control of her powers, the two of them so engrossed in their task that they don’t even catch me glancing at them. Continuing down the hall, I push open my door and look around my room, hands on my hips. “Kit?” I call. “Where’d you get off to?”
I take a few steps forward, and I’m met with a sudden sharp pain in my ankle. Hissing, I jerk backwards, staring down at the goblin, who’s just come skulking out from under the bed. I guess he’s returned to old habits since coming back here. “Why am I surprised, you little bastard?” I ask him, my tone affectionate as I stoop down to pick him up. He stares defiantly up at me, as if daring me to put my finger too close to his mouth. “I need your help,” I tell him. The goblin cocks his head to one side, still watching me. I’ve never really known how much of what I say he actually understands, but he seems to pick up on intention, at least, which is the important thing. “Can you make me a portal?” I ask him. “I need to get to the town where Ruby’s mum lives. Can you do that?” Kit just continues to look at me. “I’m going to be optimistic and take that as a yes,” I say, setting him down on my shoulder. He proceeds to hide under the curtain of my red tresses.
Goblin in hand, I leave my room and go back downstairs, stopping in the doorway to the backyard. Storm is talking to Michael, sounding surprisingly animated. It’s not until I’m almost to where he is that he even looks away, his face lighting up when he sees me. “Little one,” he says affectionately, planting a quick kiss on my forehead. Extending a hand to Michael, he goes on, “We were just having a fascinating conversation about your neighbourhood politics. I had no idea they were so high stakes.”
“Oh, you haven’t seen anything yet,” I tell him playfully. “Just wait until our next-door neighbour finds out there are gods here.”
Storm chuckles a little at that, his eyes landing on Kit. “What are you…?”
“I’m going to bring Ruby back to her mum,” I tell him.
Storm’s purple eyes widen. “Are you sure?”
“Yes,” I reply immediately. “She needs to be back with her mother, and it will be safer for her now if she isn’t around us. We’ve all got targets on our backs.”
Storm considers for a moment and then nods slowly. “All right,” he says, looking a little uncertain. “Do you want me to summon a tornado?”
“No,” I reply. “I mean, I hope you won’t have to. That’s why I grabbed this guy.” I nod in Kit’s direction. “I’m hoping he can port us there. He needs the practise, especially if he’s going to help us in the future. Besides,” I add dryly, “a tornado tearing through downtown Dublin is going to attract the bad kind of attention.”
Storm chuckles. “Fair enough, Karma.”
“I was wondering if you wanted to come with me,” I tell him. “You were there when we went to visit Emerald the last time. I thought you might like to tag along.”
Storm nods, turning to Michael. “I’m afraid we’ll have to continue this another time,” he says.
“No offense taken,” Michael replies before turning and going back to his personal space. The weather god and I are left to head back inside, where Ruby is just finishing saying goodbye to mum in the entryway.
“Karma,” mum says, her voice sounding a little watery, “Ruby says you’re taking her back to her mother.”
“That’s right,” I reply. “She’ll be safer there.
I can see that mum wants to cry, but she’s doing an admirable job of holding it in. “Be careful,” she tells me. “Take care of her. Take care—” Her voice cracks. “Take care of yourself. I can’t…”
“I know,
mum,” I tell her, pulling her in for a brief hug. “I will.”
She doesn’t need to finish the thought, and she doesn’t need to warn me, either. If something happens to my half-sister, I’m never going to recover. Taking Ruby by the hand, I lead her out the front door, with Storm following just behind. She doesn’t have any belongings other than her clothes, and she looks woefully small to my eyes, just another innocent caught up in a supernatural war. Almost as soon as we step outside, I’m struck by a wave of anxiety; this will mark the first time since Hugo’s funeral that we’re leaving the house, and we didn’t use magic to get to the service. If there are eyes on us right now, this will be like lighting a signal flare…but it has to be done.
“How are we getting there?” Ruby asks, eyes wide as we step down from the porch and onto the curb. She’s seemingly oblivious to my nerves, although I can feel Storm’s perceptive gaze on me, and I know he’s thinking the same thing I am.
“By goblin,” I reply.
Ruby gapes at me. “Goblin? You mean like your friend Kit?”
“Right,” I reply, parting my hair with one hand and retrieving the little creature. He lets out a yawn, blinking in the sunlight, and for a moment I wonder if he’ll even be able to teleport us; as powerful as goblins are, he’s still young and has yet to come into his full power. “All right, Kit, you’re up,” I tell him, extending my arms and allowing him to stand in the palms of my hands. “Take us to where Emerald is.”
Kit just stares at me uncertainly before moving forward and biting gently down on my thumb. I hiss in pain, struggling not to drop him, and shoot Storm a glare when I hear him stifle a peal of laughter. “Not funny,” I protest.
