Page 72 of The Cursed Sebastian Storm

“I’d still rather go somewhere I know the wards,” Parker mumbled.

Hazel turned off the van and climbed out. “We’re not leaving here without Eleanor.”

“Never said we should,” Parker called after her.

Sebastian tore his eyes off the still-growing crowd of shades and got out of the minivan. James and Eli helped Parker, who still seemed worryingly weak. He’d used way too much power banishing all those shades with fire.

The four of them hurried into the empty town hall. The shades kept their distance but closed in once Sebastian and the others were over the threshold. It felt like they’d never get out again. If the shades decided to attack when they exited, they’d be overwhelmed.

Sebastian wandered past the empty reception desk and down the hall. He spotted Eleanor in her office, the door left wide open, with Hazel standing beside her. He stopped. There was no need to intrude, so he turned back to the entry where the others had stayed.

Parker sat on a bench in the reception area as Eli fed him and gave him little paper cups of water from a cooler in the corner.

James came to stand beside Sebastian and leaned against the wall. “What the fuck do we do now?”

“No idea.”

James gave a tired nod.

“Hey, are you okay?” Sebastian reached out just as James slumped and slid down the wall. Sebastian caught him and lowered him to the ground. “James! What’s wrong?”

“It just hit me.” He blinked up at Sebastian. “I might have used a bit too much magic helping Parker with the fire.”

“But you seemed fine.” Sebastian gripped James’s shoulders, his chest tightening.

James leaned his head back against the wall. “Must have been adrenaline keeping me going.”

“Fuck.” Sebastian jumped up and got James some water. Once he was sipping from the small cup, Sebastian rushed over to Eli. “How much more food do you have?”

Eli’s eyes went wide. “Is James okay?”

“I don’t know.” Sebastian tried not to sound like he was panicking. He’d fucked up. He should have taken better care of James, but he’d been distracted.

“Here.” Parker handed him a handful of granola bars.

Sebastian rushed back to James’s side and passed him the food.

“Don’t worry, sweetheart.” James squeezed his hand.

“Impossible,” Sebastian protested. “I’ll only stop worrying about you when you figure out how to not worry about me. You’re my whole world, James. I need you.”

James tugged Sebastian against his side. “And you’ve got me. I just need some rest. It will all be okay.”

Sebastian nodded even though things were far from okay. They were trapped in a town that was slowly turning into a nightmare.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

Eleanor must have gotten the emergency alert sent because all their phones blared, cutting into the silence of the reception area. James and Parker groaned like the sound physically hurt.

Eli kissed Parker’s cheek as he cleared the message from his screen. “I hope people leave.”

Sebastian met Eli’s solemn stare across the room. “I hope the shades let them.”

“They should,” Eleanor said from the hallway. “It was what that thing said it wanted. If it thinks it’s winning, maybe it will let people go.”

“The shades seemed to be letting other cars pass before,” Hazel reminded them.

“Exactly.” Eleanor gestured toward the door. “So why don’t you all get going?”

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