Pinehurst

by Nicole Grane

  Chapter 18

  “You said you knew where my dad was?” I tried to get us back on track.

  “Yes. Chaos said your dad is being guarded by the Daimonas. And that guy Roland, your boyfriend, he’s there too.”

  I choked on my snack. “Roland? He’s dead! Antonio killed him!”

  I looked behind me. Antonio looked as confused as I was.

  “Oh, he’s not dead. The pixie’s are playing with him,” she spoke excitedly. “He’s not much fun though. Chaos says he cries a lot.”

  “No. I saw Roland turn into a gargoyle! Antonio stabbed him in the head!” The memory made my stomach churn all over again.

  “He killed a gargoyle, but not Roland,” Havoc reminded me.

  “The Daimonas do not keep survivors,” Antonio insisted. “The real Roland has to be dead.”

  Havoc shrugged her shoulders. “They took Roland in the hopes that the Child of Light would come looking for him. They thought he might be dear to her . . . that was, until they captured her father. Now Roland's of no use to them so the pixies—”

  “Wait a freaking minute!” I had to catch my breath. The real Roland is in Hell, waiting for me to rescue him?”

  “You really are slow, Child of Light. Haven’t I been telling you that? Now, enough free information; anymore will cost you.”

  I gnashed my teeth at her. If Roland had been captured by the Daimonas and switched with a gargoyle . . . “then who kissed me in The Kitchen?”

  “I don’t think that is relevant right now,” Antonio warned, clearly uncomfortable with the topic at hand.

  “The hell it isn’t!” That was my first kiss, and I had to know if it had been with a human or a beast from Hell! “Havoc?”

  She huffed. “How would I know who kissed you? Perhaps you should be pickier with whom you choose to lock lips with. Really Child of Light . . . gargoyles, Mageians, Guardians! Is there anyone you won’t kiss?”

  I gasped. “That’s it!” My patience snapped. I jumped up and ran the length of the branch. Antonio was on my heel. The branch protested as we neared its tip, cracking under our weight—and so did the base of the tree.

  Our tree toppled, crashing into Havoc’s. We literally jumped from our tree into hers, dangling our feet in the air, inches from sharp, snapping Borgon teeth.

  “Well, that’s just great! Now the little beasts will start gnawing on my tree!”

  “A little help here, Havoc?” I grunted, trying to swing my foot onto the branch.

  “Oh, you want some help do you? Just a moment ago you wanted to kill me. And don’t try to deny it!” She folded her arms and turned her back to me, sulking.

  “Fine, I won’t kill you! But you’d better help us or I’ll toss this gold bracelet to the Borgons!”

  “Gold? Real gold?” She licked her lips.

  “Of course it’s real gold.” Now I was offended. “Do you think I’d own—?”

  “Havoc!” Antonio grunted. He was struggling himself, burdened with our packs as well. How smart of him to grab them. He shot me an exasperated look.

  “Oh, all right. I suppose I could help,” Havoc admitted as a sly grin crossed her face. “It’s going to cost you though.”

  “Havoc, please!” My arms wouldn’t hold me much longer.

  “How about that ring too? I think it would look lovely around my wrist.”

  “Fine!” I shouted.

  “It’s a trade then.” She clapped her hands excitedly. “I should have done it sooner, but it was so much fun watching the two of you struggle.” She clapped her hands again in delight. “I don’t want to be accused of coddling you.”

  Two things crossed my mind: First, Kill Havoc. Second, Kill Havoc slowly.

  “I vote for slowly,” Antonio groaned, hooking his foot on the limb at last.

  “Hold on now!” Havoc pointed her hands toward the ground. “It’s going to get a little bumpy.” She parted them to her sides.

  The earth shook below us. A large crack broke through the soil a moment later, opening wider and wider. The Borgons were being swallowed up one by one, screeching in agony as they fell into the fiery chasm of . . . Hell? Oh crap!

  “Evie!” Antonio had my wrist and was pulling me up to safety.

  We held each other, looking down at the flames that licked the tree trunk, parts of it now catching on fire.

  “There,” Havoc announced. “I just shaved a day off your journey. No need to thank me, but I will take my trades now.”

  My eyes were wide. I’d heard stories of Hell. I’d even pictured the fires that must engulf it constantly. I just hadn’t dreamed that I’d been right. Pools of lava flowed below us. Tall flames jumped into the air, scorching anything that was unfortunate enough to be in its path. I cringed into Antonio, hiding my face from the heat. He gripped me tighter, as if his strength would shield me from what was to come.

  “How are we supposed to get through that?” I rasped. The smoke from the fire was burning my throat.

  “Silly me, I forgot the steps!” Havoc summoned the path, hissing words I couldn't understand. Large boulders staggered their way down into the flames, providing a “safe” entrance into Hell. She held her hand out to me—I dropped the promised trades into her palm.

  “Home sweet home,” she sighed. A fond expression hung heavy on her face. “Shall we?” She jumped out of the tree and onto a boulder below us. She continued on, going from one boulder to another, skipping as she went. I half expected her to be incinerated on the spot, but hindsight, it wasn’t getting into hell I figured we’d have a problem with; it was getting out.

  “I’ll go first.” Antonio held my face for a moment, his eyes, speaking words of caution, and worry, and . . . love? Maybe I was imagining that last part, but there was definitely something in his eyes—my luck it was probably smoke.

  He released me and dropped from the tree, also landing on the boulder Havoc had first occupied. His arms extended back up to me. “Jump! I’ll catch you.”

  This was it. There was no going back now.

  I called out to Havoc. “Havoc! My dad?”

  “He’s still alive, Child of Light. I’m not sure for how long. He’s growing weaker by the day.” Somehow I could feel that she was right. Havoc wasn’t joking now or being greedy. She asked for nothing in trade for that information. She was offering the truth, and I could hear the ring in her voice. I believed her.

  I jumped into Antonio’s waiting arms.