Page 96 of Princess Avenged

As the two of them get close, my nerves reignite. We’re attracting attention. Phil and Crusher are both very large and drop-dead gorgeous, so I can’t blame people for staring.

“How are you feeling?” Ember asks me.

“Ready.” I smile at Phil, and even through his clothes and his skin, it’s like I can see his heart beating under his chest.

“I’m ready to get this fucker out.” Phil winces in pain, and my heart breaks again.

Not only do I want to erase his pain, I know I’ll have to cause him more. To save Phil, I need to stab him.

Drawing deep breaths, I remind myself that Phil can survive a stab to the liver. And that he’s well equipped to face the pain.

“Why did the magic keepers put the portal here?” Crusher asks, staring at a group of approaching tourists. They quickly change direction and scatter.

“The portal was here eons before this tower,” Ember replies. “Not to mention this city.”

Crusher nods.

“Actually,” Ember continues, “I’m pretty sure the tower is here because of the portal.”

“Really?” I ask her. “Why?”

“Gustav Eiffel’s daughter, Claire, was a magic keeper.”

“Really?” I look up at the tower. “Did she…”

“No.” Ember laughs. “I don’t think that this tower, the Statue of Liberty, or any of her father’s feats of engineering involved any magic. In fact, I don’t think Gustav knew of his daughter’s talents. They came from her mother’s side of the family. Her mom died tragically when Claire was only fourteen.”

I nod, in genuine interest. This history lesson is helping to postpone the inevitable, and I’m keen to stall as long as I can.

“How do we get started?” Crusher’s body language indicates that stalling is the last thing on his mind.

Ember glances around. And then, in a flash of light, she turns to spread magic around us. I search for an opened portal but see none.

“Where is it?”

“I haven’t opened it yet.”

I cock my head to the side.

“One step at a time.” Ember nods stiffly. “With the spell I just cast, anyone who glances this direction won’t see the four of us standing here. Or the portal once it’s opened.”

“Wow.”

A group of drunken revelers approaches, but they stagger past us, laughing, as if we aren’t here.

“I put up a barrier,” Ember says.

“No kidding.” Her magic is impressive, as is her improvement since we first met. Back then, she’d only just become a vampire and barely knew she had magic. I’ve been through a lot, but Ember had so much to process all at once, and my admiration for my friend expands. “The barrier around us is invisible. Like on the plane.”

“I mean that barrier.” She points toward a waist high fence, blocking off access to the statue we’re near.

“It should drop the risk that someone will slam into the side of the actual illusion.”

“Smart.” I grin at her. But my face feels tight. Listening to all these details can’t take my mind off what I must face.

“So. You going to open it?” Crusher asks.

“First,” she turns toward Phil. “Are you in control right now?”

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