Page 91 of Elven Throne

Then it felt like she could breathe again without worrying how he might try to take advantage of it.

“Fold?” Maxwell asked.

“The best way for us to end up literally anywhere else but where he says we’re going,” Rebecca explained, then headed toward the duffel bag for another shirt. “If you think you’re pissednow, traveling that way will redefine everything you thought you knew about it. Trust me.”

“I do.” Maxwell watched her rummage through the bag and caught the new shirt she tossed toward him, seemingly without moving a muscle. “But I do not like it.”

No shit.

“I’d think something was wrong with you if you did.” Rebecca tugged on a plain gray t-shirt and pulled her hair hastily out from beneath the back collar.

It wasn’t meant as a joke. When she looked up at the shifter again while he fastened the buttons of a brand-new shirt, he remained just as unamused as she felt.

“Come on,” she added, rolling her eyes. “We better go.”

They quickly pulled themselves back together, gathered what little they had to take with them, and headed for the door.

Maxwell stopped her before she opened it. “You should be aware, I will not be held liable for what may happen to the elf should he turn against us again. Nor will I regret any of it.”

“I’m pretty sure he’s well aware of that. But if I’m wrong, I won’t stop you.”

That seemed to please the shifter, as much as anything could right now, before he settled a hand on the small of her back with another flaring jolt of tingling energy bursting between them. Then he opened the door for her instead.

He also stepped out first, checking the parking lot and the other closed doors on the motel’s ground floor to be sure no other dangers waited for his Roth-Da’al on the other side.

Rebecca let him have that moment to settle back into his usual role he still took with the utmost seriousness. It gave her time to really consider what they were about to do.

She couldn’t believe they’d be spending any length of time driving all together in a car across the state, especially after everything that had happened in the last few days alone. They’d already had their fair share of it when Rowan had played them all, pretending to be a part of Shade.

She never would have expected them to be back here again.

Rowan had already picked out the Honda, waiting for them with a lunatic’s grin as they approached. “So. Anybody bring any snacks?”

Rebecca didn’t slow or swerve out of the way but stormed right up to him until she was inches from his face. “I don’t care who you brought with you to this world or what your higher aims are. If you pull anything that evenhintsat screwing me over or our chances of finding the prophecy, I won’t think twice about whatever happens to you.”

Then she nodded toward Maxwell. “And neither will he.”

“Yeah, yeah.” He dismissed it all with a flippant wave. “You’ll sic your dog on the Blackmoon Scion. Awesome. Now that we’ve got all our threats and promises of violence out of the way, can we get going? We’re wasting time.”

Of course this was no big deal to him. Nothing truly at stake. Only Rowan could act this way about something so important.

But at least she’d just said it all out loud and got it off her chest.

If he tried anything after that, the responsibility was on him. And all the blame.

When Rebecca slid into the front passenger seat, Maxwell was already behind the wheel, revving the engine and nearly peeling out of the parking lot before Rowan had even closed his own door in the back seat.

Then they were off, chasing after this prophecy with the potential to change everything for her. For everyone, really.

And Rebecca was deeply aware of the fact that while he could give reassurances and promises until he was red in the face, Rowan Blackmoon’s word meant something completely different than when anyone else gave their own.

After everything he’d done, at this point, Rebecca no longer had any idea what his word was even worth.

But they were about to find out.

26

Maxwell’smurderoushatredwasabout to erupt at any second, she was sure of it.

---