Page 64 of White Little Lies

I looked at Sebastian again, my eyes wide as I realized what he had been trying to tell me. Devils were more powerful in the hells, where their magic flowed freely. For some reason Sebastian was being useless, but Penelope… she might not be quite so scary if we weren’t in her domain. Only, I would need a boost to get us back.

I just hoped what I was about to do wouldn’t get Mistral killed.

24

Sebastian didn’t fightme as I dove into his arms and pressed my lips against his. In fact, he embraced me, his tongue sliding into my mouth, his hands kneading the flesh of my ass. I could see lights beyond my closed eyes, but I focused all I could on my connection with Sebastian, building our power together. I knew we wouldn’t have long, and we would only have one chance.

I melded against his body and thought of Gabriel, knowing he would still be out in the city looking for me.

“I don’t think so.” I could feel Penelope’s dark magic, so similar to Sebastian’s, swelling as she drew near.

I cracked my eye open just enough to see as Sebastian removed one hand from my ass, and used it to grab his sister’s wrist. Realizing what was happening, Lucas dove toward us, and that was the last thing I saw aseverything seemed to turn upside down again. I could feel that golden cord between me and Sebastian, tying us together more than groping hands and hungry mouths ever could.

He kept me upright as we landed back in the park amongst the nymphs. Gabriel and Crispin were there, arguing with Fiorus. Even Seraphina had returned.

Lucas staggered away from Penelope, leaving her standing on her own as Sebastian pulled me tightly against him.

“Hey, I’m still pissed at you,” I hissed.

He didn’t let go, and instead lowered his lips to my ear. “She tricked me into a contract when we were young, that I must do whatever she says. But it is only valid in the hells.”

My eyes widened in realization. That’s why he had just stood there, and what he was trying to tell me about attacking a devil in the hells.

“You still lied about your sister,” I grumbled.

He loosened his grip slightly, but didn’t let go. “We will discuss that later.”

“You!” Fiorus marched toward Penelope, who still had the glowing blue lantern in her hand, glowing brightly in the darkness.

All the nymphs seemed to recognize it for what it was. They closed in around her as the ground began to quake with their combined power.

Crispin and Gabriel joined us as Sebastian backed me away toward the tall iron fence surrounding thepark. Ringo had been granted a spot on Gabriel’s shoulder, and looked rather proud to be there.

Crispin moved to my other side, then turned to watch the show. “Gabriel about had a heart attack when the connection between us stretched within an inch of its life.”

“I did not.” Gabriel stood a few steps ahead of us, like he would intercept anyone who tried to come near.

Only there wasn’t any need, not at the moment. The nymphs all closed around Penelope, and if I wasn’t mistaken, all the trees had moved closer too. Water in a small decorative pond bubbled and swelled out of its boundary. I didn’t see Lucas anywhere, so maybe he had put survival above his anger and hightailed it out of the park.

We move further away, pressing our backs against the fence. Part of me wondered if we should run, but I couldn’t look away. At the center of the chaos, there was an explosion of blue light. It swelled outward, launching into the night sky in a blinding flash before pouring back into the empty cauldron.

The nymphs cheered, all gathered so closely together I couldn’t see what had happened to Penelope.

“They won’t have killed her, unfortunately,” Sebastian said tersely, his arm still around my waist.

“She’s the reason you can’t return to the hells,” I realized. “It’s not that you don’t have enough power to return there.”

“It’s both,” he said, and if he minded that Crispinand Gabriel could overhear, he didn’t show it. Maybe he knew I would just tell them anyway. “When I realized she would be after the nymphs’ well, I tried to summon her to earth, but she pulled me to the hells instead.” He shook his head, his eyes drifting toward the celebrating nymphs. “She is much stronger than she used to be. I was forced to leave because of her, but the longer I was here, my magic dimmed. I needed enough power to travel back, and to destroy her.”

“And the Realm Breaker would give you both.”

He glanced down at me. “Not if it’s true that only you can wield it. I was unaware of that information.” Suddenly he seemed so unsure, something Ineverexpected from him. I had a feeling being around his sister had actually shaken him.

“Trust me, if I get the opportunity to cut her down with a magical sword, I’m taking it. But only after she tells us who created the bounty.”

“I’m not sure she actually knows. She is a talented liar.”

“Not that this isn’t fascinating,” Crispin interrupted, “but we have the nymphs’ attention again.”

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