Page 21 of Deadly Little Games

I stepped back by Sebastian. “Oh, I have no idea. I’ve never gotten stuck before. If he can’t find the pathway back, it would take someone else who can actually travel between realms to reach him.” I glanced at the various vials and instruments scattered across Crispin’s worktable, then at the elf in question. “It would help to know how he traveled in the first place, I think.”

Miserable, Crispin pointed at an open journal at one end of the table.

“It’s gibberish,” Elena explained.

I walked a wide path around Crispin to observe the journal. I skimmed a few lines, seeing just what Elena was talking about. It was all symbols and charts I didn’t recognize. Realizing Sebastian was reading over my shoulder, I looked back at him.

“Alchemy,” he said. “Unfortunately, not one of my many considerable talents.”

I side-stepped away from Sebastian, careful not to touch him as I turned back toward Elena. “Aren’t there any other elves here who can read it? I imagine Crispin isn’t theonlyone.”

Elena’s cheeks reddened and she wasn’t quite meeting my eyes.

Sebastian chuckled. “Her father has ordered her not to tell anyone. I imagine experiments regarding realm travel are forbidden?”

I looked back and forth between him and Elena. “What? Why?”

Elena’s shoulders slumped. “Yes, besides the three of us, only my father knows what has happened. I had to tell him so he would allow Sebastian in, but no one else must know.”

Thoroughly confused, I waited for further explanation, but Elena simply hung her head.

“But why?” I pressed. “What’s the big issue?”

Sebastian stepped close to my side again. “Realm travel is obviously a touchy subject with the elves. On one hand, they do not want to give their people false hope. On the other, they do not want to anger them for repeating the mistakes of the past.” He leaned in even closer, close enough that his dark magic slithered up my skin. “They fear ending up somewhere far, far worse.”

I furrowed my brow, still not entirely understanding the secrecy. “But don’t you think it would be worth letting in a few more people if they can help him?” I asked Elena.

“Perhaps,” she sighed. “But I believe the two of you are his best chance, and so does my father. So why not ask you first?”

“Youdidsave Braxton the other night,” Sebastian said vaguely.

I whipped my eyes toward him. He was hinting at me fully shifting, which maybe I could do if I understood where Crispin had actually gone, but I had no idea. And I didn’t know how he had gotten there.

Sebastian stepped toward Elena before I could say anything else. “You will need to sign a contract. Nothing that happens in this room reaches any other ears or eyes.” He lowered his voice. “For dear Eva’s safety, of course.”

“For my safety, my ass.” I stormed up behind him. “And if it’s my ass getting risked, you don’t get any new contracts out of it.”

He looked over his shoulder at me with one brow lifted. “Oh? So you would like the information you are about to reveal inhelping this poor pathetic elf to be available for any pointed ears that will listen?”

I crossed my arms. “I don’t even know if I can do anything.”

“But you will try. Or am I mistaken?”

I glowered. “Yeah, I’ll try.”

He humored me with a pleasant smile. “Then allow me to ensure your secrets are kept. Unless you have the power to create entirely binding contracts yourself?”

I huffed. “Okay, fine. But the contract is just to keep thatonesecret. Nothing else.”

“Of course.”

Elena was looking back and forth between the two of us. “What am I missing?”

“Eva may be able to help you,” Sebastian explained. “But you will need to sign a contract. What you will see may prove dangerous for her should the wrong people learn of it.”

Elena looked at me. “Is he trying to trick me?”

I shrugged. “Probably. But whatever is in the contract, he has to follow as much as you do.”

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