Page 15 of The Crown of Nyx

The rage quietened. Watcher was right. But death would be better than the pain.

But it would not be swift.

7

Ivy

Ihad to keep reminding myself that nothing would be the same again, as we sat quietly in the SUV, preparing ourselves for a journey that could possibly kill us—or destroy everything.

“We could use a mirror witch,” Adrian said, touching me for the first time in what felt like hours, hand gripping my knee tightly. “A powerful one could take us directly through to the Old World.”

I frowned, glancing at him. “Vanya said we’d see a glimpse into the Old World through a mirror as part of ourHistory of Witchesclass.”

Adrian squeezed my knee. “She was right. You would have. But you wouldn’t have been able to enter throughthat mirror.”

“Mirror witches and mages create two kinds of mirrors: the ones you look into, and the ones youstepinto. Take your fairytale,Alice in Wonderland,for example. A reckless witch left a mirror out and the poor girl fell through it,” Rowan explained. “Most can only make the see-through kind. We’d need someone who could do the whole step-into type.”

I pursed my lips and sat back; the bones of the corset bit into my sides, especially where I’d been hit earlier. The dried blood didn’t help, either. “First of all, Alice fell through a portal in the ground to Wonderland. Second: when can I change? This isn’t going to work for a cross-realm adventure.”

“I’m pretty sure there’s a book with a looking glass,” Rowan replied. “And I think you still look great, baby.”

I gave him a thin-lipped smile and shook my head. “I look likeCarrieminus the pig’s blood. I need gear.”

The immediate response was overwhelmingly negative. Half my mates considered gear a sign that I would likely fight and get hurt. The other half were only into the protection it would provide. The only one I couldn’t get a feel for was Hawk, who stared at me with dark, narrowed eyes.

It was hard, looking at him like I would my other mates. Knowing he was mine, that we were bound together by the power of Nyx, at least soothed the part of me that demanded I claim him. But I couldn’t tell if that was something he felt, too.

Even after everything we’d been through, it was difficult to tell what he wanted.

Sighing, I winced as another sharp piece of my bodice dug into my side. “I cannot go around wearing this,” I said. “I stand out like a crazy person. Gear will help me blend in with you guysandprotect me. I’ll let Adrian put a thousand charms on me if that’s what youguys’ need for me to be safe. But I cannot wear this dress any longer.”

Maybe I sounded a little desperate. Other than the fact that it left bruises, I couldn’t stand the dress I’d once thought was beautiful. The gown of starlight made me sick. It reminded me of failure; Dante with his knife, Queen Greer falling to the ground, my anger at not being able to do anything to save her.

My inability to save anyone.

“Make a request for the gear,” Elias growled, nodding to Rowan. “I think we can all agree that she’s better off safe.”

“Already done,” Rowan replied quietly, offering me a smile. “You could always sit naked if you want out of the dress.”

If I could reach him, I’d hit him. But alas, the asshole was sitting up front with Maeve. Instead, all I could do was roll my eyes. “Funny.”

The tension in the SUV lightened a bit. When I glanced around the space, my heart warmed. They were all okay, and that was what mattered most to me.

I just had to make sure Dante never found the children. They were the only ones I couldn’t protect now.

“Griffon will look after them,” Adrian murmured. “He isn’t with—” He stooped and shook his head.

“I believe you,” I whispered. “But could he guess that they’re with Griffon?”

For a moment, Adrian’s eyes darkened as he stared down at where his hand gripped my knee. His knuckles were red, bruised like he’d punched someone, but I couldn’t recall when that could have happened.

“No,” he said, shaking his head. “I have a feeling Onyx would have warned him, before?—”

I covered his hand with mine gently. “The last time I saw them, they were alive.”

Adrian’s eyes closed and he bowed his head. “I should have known. How did I not know?” He turned his hand, entwining our fingers, but he didn’t open his eyes. “I spent so much time with him growing up. You’d think…”

“He never gave either of us the impression that he was an evil son-of-a-bitch, Adrian,” Rowan replied. “All those parties, I don’t think anyone would have guessed he was capable of this.”

---