Page 114 of Midnight Auto Parts

Horror reared up in me, sharp and fresh, as I traced the new pink scar on her throat with my fingertip.

“Yes, well, maybe Carter will be so grief-stricken she’ll carry me around like a princess.” She kicked me in the shin. “It’s not fair short girls with tall boyfriends have all the fun.”

“Ouch.”I laughed and kicked her back. “Stop being a menace.”

The teasing helped. So much. It made me feel likemeagain.

“How did you get here?”

“After you vanished, Kierce poofed, so I tracked your phones. You were together, so I decided to join the party. I took the wagon, and then I ran, and then I realized running fucking sucks. Please don’t make me do it again.”

“We found the tree.” I gripped her shoulders, angling her toward it. “Any ideas on how we destroy it?”

“Yank this fucker out by the roots then burn it.” She didn’t wait for my permission. She waved to the nearest tree, a poplar, and it bent in close as if she were about to share a secret. “Can you lend us a hand?”

Bark creaked as it twisted, flexing its limbs. The thickest two wrapped the apple tree’s trunk like a fist. Wood groaned as the poplar righted itself, ripping the apple tree out of the earth. Its roots writhed like worms, its branches thrashing, but divine or not, it was only a tree. Without help, it couldn’t take us on, and no aid was coming for it.

“Set it there, please.” Josie indicated a bare patch of soil. “We’ll handle it from here.”

With a popping moan, the poplar righted itself, cleaning the ichor off its leaves with one firm shake.

“Kierce?” She peered around me. “Care to do the honors?”

About to protest that I could handle it, I jumped back when twin lightning bolts struck the apple tree. Fire gnawed its fleshy bark, sizzling through its heavily veined leaves. Fruit exploded asthe temperature rose to unnatural heights, and sweat drenched me as the flames grew taller, hungrier.

“Oh, no you don’t.” Josie made a sweeping gesture with her hand. “Get back here.”

A younger, more flexible tree scooped up three apples attempting to roll away in a cage made of its limbs.

Josie went to fetch them, but Kierce cut in front of her. He crossed to the small tree, removed his shirt, and used it as a sling to carry the fruit. He tossed the whole thing into the fire while I did my best not to gape at the ripple of pale muscle exposed to moonlight.

He stood over the fire, bringing down lightning each time the flames lowered, ensuring the tree burned to fine ash. I scouted the area to make certain no more fruit had escaped while Josie crouched over the hole where the vile tree had been planted, drawing out any concealed roots. She coaxed them to the flames, and they burned themselves on her command.

Certain we had destroyed the tree, we stared down at the remains, debating what to do with them.

“We need to cleanse the earth.” I trembled with fatigue. “We can’t leave it like this.”

“You’re right.” He cupped my elbow and led me to the hole. “Besides, you need to get your strength back.”

Strength, yes. I would welcome some relief. The side order of lust? That I could do without.

“What about you?” I searched his face. “You must be exhausted.”

“I’ll rest when you’re safe.”

Heaving a sigh, I stuck my fingers in the dirt and parted my lips on the now-familiar hymn.

As energy suffused me, I sensed eyes on the back of my head. I remained focused on my task, but then I pivoted toward thesource of the sensation. I found Anunit easily and locked gazes with her.

“The final bone.” I breathed past my heart dropping into my feet. “Do you still have it?”

“Yes.” Kierce patted his pocket. “I brought it with me.”

“Tell your consort not to fear,”Anunit rumbled.“He is yours, and you are ours.”

“What does that mean?”I rubbed a knuckle between my eyes.“The part about me being yours.”

“You drank of our energies. You welcomed our magic into yourself.”

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