Page 42 of White Little Lies

He kept hold of my hand as he started leading us further along. Eventually we had to leave the tree line of the tunnel, veering around the back of several domes toward the cluster where Aaliyah would be located.

It occurred to me that had I just allowed myself to trust Sebastian, I could have sent him straight to Aaliyah to convince her to come with us. It would have been easy enough for him to find her with the map, and he could just poof right back to the start of the tunnel if anything happened.

But I hadn’t trusted him. If it was more convenient to sacrifice someone, I didn’t trust him not to do just that. I just didn’t know enough about his motives to think otherwise.

Crispin and I crouched back down in the grass as we studied the next circle of homes. Small, oval panes of glass were the only windows, and most of themradiated with light. It wasn’t late enough for everyone to be asleep.

“It should be that one,” I whispered, pointing to one of the homes. I nudged Ringo with the side of my face. “Do you think you can go peek through that window to see if she’s in there.”

Without answering he hopped down from my shoulder, then scurried through the grass, entirely concealed.

I watched his dark shape as it hopped up onto the small ledge bordering the pane of glass. He peered in for a moment, then dropped back down.

A moment later, he crawled back onto my shoulder. “She’s in there!”

A voice cleared behind us, and my heart fell to my feet.

“And just what do you think you’re doing peering through my daughter’s window?”

Crispinand I stood shoulder to shoulder before a tall male nymph with Seraphina’s strong jaw and sharp eyes. He wore a white robe, almost like a toga, contrasting with his blue tinted skin. Though Seraphina took after his appearance, I would guess his magic was more akin to Aaliyah’s. Water instead of earth.

Behind us were four more nymphs with honest togoodness swords pointed at our backs. One of them held Ringo by the scruff of his neck.

We had been led to one of the larger domes, lit by smooth glass lanterns. I imagined it was usually a meeting hall, or a place to gather for meals, but now it had turned into a courtroom.

I winced as a blade nudged my back. “Speak, human.”

Either they couldn’t sense my celestial blood, or they didn’t care to try. “I already told you.” I aimed my pleading eyes at the male nymph, Fiorus. “Your daughter is in danger. If you just bring her here, she can tell you what happened.”

It felt like his sharp eyes were trying to bore holes through my skull. “My daughter risked the dangers of the city, and she paid the price. She was lucky to make it back to us. You have no business here.” His eyes narrowed. “Though first I must know how you came to be here.Onlyour people can pass through the portal.”

I wasn’t sure if it would be helpful to point out that his words obviously weren’t true, since we had indeed come through the portal. Probably not. “Her uncle, yourbrother, was poisoned too. Surely you can entertain the idea that the same happened to Aaliyah.” I actually wasn’t sure if it was his brother or her mother’s brother, but I figured my odds were fifty-fifty, so I took a shot.

Fiorus’ nostrils flared. “He went out into the city and was cursed because of it.Notpoisoned.”

My eyebrows shot up at that. I had thought Aaliyahwas just being childish when she thought her uncle was cursed. “We gave her a poison antidote and it cured her. It wouldn’t have cured a curse.”

“She was not poisoned,” he snapped.

“If I may—” Crispin started to step forward, but a blade lifted to his throat. He went stiff, then stepped back into line with me. “Perhaps your daughter should be the one to explain what happened.”

“There is no need to explain what we already know.” Those intense eyes turned back to me. “Now tell me how you came into our realm.”

I almost told him, but if that was all he wanted from us, would he kill us once he knew? The blade at my back felt very sharp and very real. If we got out of this alive, I might have a slice in my jacket to show for it.

“Your daughter is in danger,” I said again. “Once I know she’ll be safe, then I’ll tell you how we got here.”

“She is safe within her home.” He strode closer, trailing his white toga around his strong body. He was a good head taller when he came to stand right before me, and he had to lean forward to put us eye to eye. “And I will not be fooled into believing you care for her safety.”

I swallowed audibly. With a sword at my back and an imposing nymph in my face, I was not a happy camper. I didn’t want to give away Seraphina and Aaliyah’s connection, but keeping their secret wouldn’t do much good if we were all dead. Well, everyone but Seraphina. She was relatively safe on the other side of the portal.

Everyone jumped as a cloud of darkness burst into life near me, quickly forming into Sebastian. All the blades instantly pointed his way, but he was looking at Fiorus.

It only took Fiorus a few seconds to recover from his shock, then his eyes went wide with fury. “What is the meaning—”

Sebastian calmly extended a rolled parchment his way, giving no acknowledgment to the swords practically slicing his shirt. “This will explain everything.”

Fiorus hesitated, then took the parchment, his outraged expression melting into confusion as he unrolled it and started reading.

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