Page 45 of White Little Lies

Seraphina ran to us as soon as the portal winked out. Gabriel followed just behind her.

“What happened!” She snatched my hand out of Crispin’s, pulling me toward her. “Where is my sister?”

I winced. Seraphina was not going to like what we had to tell her. “Let’s go get a drink and we’ll explain everything.”

“I don’t want a drink,” she hissed. “I want my sister here with me, safe.”

I looked at Gabriel beyond her. “Trust me, she’s safe enough for now, and you’re going to want a drink after everything we have to tell you.”

Her expression softened. She looked at each of us, then finally nodded her assent.

Gabriel gave me a knowing look. A look that said,Just what trouble have you gotten us into now?

Gabriel’s horseawaited us just inside the iron gates to the Bogs. After we had explained things toSeraphina, I had convinced Sebastian and Crispin I would be safe for the night.

Well, convinced was a rather strong term. I was pretty sure Sebastian had watched us the entire way, but whatever. My head was a little spinny from a few drinks, and I had gotten what I wanted. Or, what IthoughtI wanted. Now that I was faced with an evening alone with my two goblins, or three if you included Ringo, I was nervous despite the drinks.

But I had to face things sooner or later.

Shutting the gates behind us, Gabriel boosted me onto his horse.

I slid forward, making room for him as I tangled my fingers in the horse’s soft mane. “Has she been waiting here for you the entire time?” He had been with me since the previous day, and now it was probably just a few hours from sunrise. It seemed a long time to wait.

He climbed up behind me, settling me back against his chest with one arm around my waist. “She is a goblin horse. She knows when to wait for me.”

I shook my head as he turned the horse around and we started off toward the Citadel. “Now wait a minute, I might have had a few drinks, but I’m still sober enough to know that doesn’t make any sense.”

“A dog will wait at the door for its owner not at the first sound of their arrival, but as soon as the owner has the intention to go home. How is this any different?”

I glanced back at him. “Do dogs really do that?“

He simply smiled. “Are you ready?”

Man, what a loaded question. “Are you ready, Ringo?”

His paws knotted in my hair, just like I was doing to the horse’s mane. Before either of us could say anything else, Gabriel nudged his horse into a gallop. I settled in to his warmth, watching the dark trees streaking past. Everything seemed calm, serene even. But I knew it wasn’t quite the case. The wild goblin magic was unraveling.

I just hoped nothing had happened while we’d been gone.

17

I satin a cushioned chair near the fire, a full glass of floral goblin wine in hand. The heat melted into my tired bones, and the wine was enough to make me feel like I might doze off at any minute. Ringo had already done just that at the dinner table, his belly full of roasted potatoes.

Now, why had I been so reluctant to come here?

Oh yeah, the goblin watching me from the other chair with his storm grey eyes and otherworldly beauty. His white hair fell long across the shoulders of his charcoal shirt. I knew the shirt was buttery soft, but not as good as the smooth skin underneath.

One corner of his mouth ticked up. He had a glass of wine too, but hadn’t yet sipped it. “What are you thinking about?”

I frowned. No way I was telling him my actualthoughts, but we had a bargain of truth between us, so there would be no lying. “Wouldn’t you like to know?”

He leaned forward in his seat. “I would, very much.“

He had taken all the news in stride, as was his way. Sebastian was often irritated, and Gabriel had a temper. Crispin was calculating. But Mistral? The waves always just seemed to part around him. Even with his realm in danger, and his own life at stake, he sat there watching me perfectly calm, waiting to see what I would do.

Gabriel had left us to take a shower, and our silence had been comfortable, until now.

Now, for some reason I found myself blushing. “What do you think of Fiorus’ plan?”

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