Page 4 of Crown of Envy

Maggie smiled at Garrick, and tears welled in her eyes. “You’re here,” she whispered in a trembling voice. “I never meant…”

“Shhh.” He leaned over, gently pressing his lips against hers in a tender kiss. “You’re my queen.”

She cupped his cheek with her hand, her fingers tracing the contours of his face. “Please forgive me,” she pleaded.

He turned his head, pressing a soft kiss to her palm. “You were under a spell,” he reassured her. “There’s nothing to forgive.”

A tear escaped, trailing down her cheeks as she smiled. “I love you,” she murmured.

He laughed, the warm, rich sound filling the room. “I know,” he replied, his eyes sparkling with adoration.

Lisa flashed a satisfied smiled, her posture relaxing as she observed the couple. “She’ll need rest, but she should be fine now,” she remarked. “I think we should leave the two of them alone.”

Damon nodded with a hint of respect. “Nice work, Lisa. Guess we owe you one.” He glanced at Garrick and Maggie, who were embracing, their bodies molded together as if they never wanted to let go. “All right, lovebirds, you get your rest. We’ve got a world to save out here.”

I shot him a disapproving look. “Damon,” I warned, shaking my head.

He shrugged, turning to leave the room. “What? Let’s give them some privacy.” He paused at the doorway and glanced back, his tone softening with genuine concern. “Take care of her, your highness.”

Garrick pressed a gentle kiss to Maggie’s forehead. “I will,” he promised fiercely. “She’s mine.”

As we gathered in the common room, the sound of a vehicle pulling up outside McDuff Manor drew our attention. I glanced out the window and saw a familiar red jeep come to a stop, its engine rumbling before falling silent.

The jeep, belonging to Brady, Grady, and Scott, had clearly seen better days. A spider web of cracks marred the windshield, the fractures spreading across the glass like a network of tiny rivers. It looked as though it had been through a rough journey, possibly even a collision.

The vibrant red paint was barely visible beneath layers of caked-on mud and grime. Dirt and debris clung to its sides and wheels, telling a story of a harrowing escape or a desperate pursuit.

The jeep doors swung open, and our three comrades emerged, their movements stiff and pained. They looked like they’d been through a brutal fight, their faces bearing the marks of their ordeal.

As they headed toward the entrance, a sense of relief and concern pumped through me. I ran outside with Justice, Damon, and Lisa behind me.

Damon was the first to reach them, his brow furrowed with worry. “What happened out there?” he asked. “You guys look like you’ve been through the wringer.”

Brady grimaced, reaching for a particularly nasty cut on his forehead. He winced as his fingers brushed the wound. “We ran into some trouble,” he admitted. “We know what demon we’re facing—envy. These demons are powerful, and they plant envy so intense in people’s minds that they’re willing to kill.” He glanced over his shoulder, his eyes darkening. “They wanted our jeep.”

Scott, the quietest of the three, simply nodded, his gaze intense and focused. His jaw clenched, and tension radiated from his body.

“We barely made it out of Glenraith.” Grady wiped an arm across his forehead. “People were turning on each other, beating and killing each other for crazy, meaningless stuff. It was like we’d stepped into a Stephen King movie.” He shuddered.

Brody faced me with a weak smile. “I see you made it back.” He gestured toward my hand. “With the mirror.”

I nodded. “It wasn’t easy, but we managed to retrieve it.” I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease as I looked at the ancient artifact, knowing the power it held.

“That’s not the only thing we found,” Justice added.

Brody gave him a curious look.

“Garrick and Maggie came back from the Unseelie realm.” He tilted his head. “We need to talk inside.”

As we moved toward the house, a tremor ran up my arm. I glanced at the mirror, which seemed to pulse in my hand, drawing my gaze toward the jeep. “Hold on.” I stopped in my tracks. “There’s something about the jeep. The mirror is reacting to it.”

Scott frowned. “What do you mean?”

I held up the mirror, angling it toward the jeep. The surface shimmered and began to show an image. Everyone crowded around, watching as the mirror revealed a hidden compartment in the back of the jeep. Inside was an ancient, glowing jewel in a small ornate box.

Justice circled the vehicle and took out the black box. “Did you know this was here?”

Brody stepped back, but his gaze wasn’t focused on us. He was looking beyond the manor toward the thick forest at the edge of Edinburgh. “We need to get that thing out of there. Now. They’re coming.”

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