Page 89 of Her Irish Treasures
:Never in a million years. I quite like my head on my shoulders where it belongs.:
A muffled rumble echoed through the concrete that they’d built between us. I could almost see Aidan slamming his fists on the wall, yelling with fury.
To be safe, I shut every mental door of my own, imagining myself locked inside four steel walls. Letting out a nervous giggle, I looked up at Vivi. “We need to hurry before they figure out what I’m up to. Hammer, can you grab some of the iron in the back? Maybe some salt too. I’m assuming you’re both going, if this works, that is.”
“You’re not leaving me behind,” Vivi said stoutly. “Not this time.”
“There’s a cave,” I warned. She paled but tipped her chin up and gave me a nod. She hated dark, tight spaces. “Then it’s a good thing I’ve got a big, beefy man who’ll carry me. Right, babe?”
“Without question, Vee. I’ll be carrying your cute ass straight to safety.”
She rolled her eyes. “What are we expecting to see when we get there?”
“A trap. The guys think there’s a nest of imps and other nasty creatures, like before—but that the cave-in was triggered by Jonathan to draw me out into the open.”
Vivi’s eyes widened. “The changeling? How do we stop him?”
This was the part that even my very best friend was going to balk at. “We don’t.”
“What? No fucking way, Riann.” She grabbed at the still-damp watercolor, likely to rip it up into tiny pieces before I could try and use it. “You’re not going to use yourself as bait. Or worse, a sacrifice. I won’t allow it.”
“I only need him tothinkthat’s what I’m doing. I’m the bait and trap together.”
“Tell me the plan down to the last detail or I veto this whole thing.”
“I can’t,” I whispered, shaking my head. “This is the kind of thing I don’t dare even think of. Let alone say out loud. I’m not sure what’s listening, even in my own head.” I hesitated a moment, trying to decide how much would be safe to tell her. “The changeling had a… a… seed planted inside me. A bit of his darkness was still inside me this whole time. I think it’s gone now, but what if it’s not? What if he has some other way to read my intention? Then we’re screwed before I can pull this off. The less you know the better. I don’t even dare think it aloud for fear he or the guys might see what I’m going to try and do.”
“If they wouldn’t want you to do this, then I don’t either. They love you. They only sent you away with us to keep you alive.”
I swallowed hard. “I know. I love them too. But I can’t sit back and let them die, even if that means I escape. I’ll never be free anyway. Not as long as Jonathan can track me down. And trust me when I say I’d rather die a thousand times in every horrible way you can imagine than be forced to spend an hour at his mercy again.”
Her lovely face firmed. Resolute, I nodded silently. She had my back. I had hers. Hammer would help keep her safe. I wouldn’t even have to ask.
I just had to get us there.
27
Breathing deeply, I tipped my face up to the sunlight. There was still a bit of snow on the ground in places and the air was still too chilly to call it spring, but I could feel the promise of warmth and green growing things on my skin.
Vivi stood on my left, her arm locked with mine. Hammer had his arm around her waist. I wasn’t sure if we all needed to be touching or not, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. Something buzzed in the corner of my mind, trying to distract me. Threatening me. That was Aidan. He still didn’t know what the hell I was doing but he sure didn’t like it, not one bit.
I fought the urge to reach out to him. Or to Warwick. I’d love to tell him what I planned. Talk through my options and make sure it would work. But I needed the element of surprise if I had any hope at all of succeeding. If all else failed, I had to hope he would make sure I died quickly rather than end up in Jonathan’s control.
“Ready?” My voice sounded sure and loud. Too loud. Vivi squeezed my arm encouragingly. I stared down at my painting, letting the brushstrokes pull me in. This wasmymagic. My power. I only had to believe it.
Believe in the magic. Believe in myself. Easier said than done.
My heart pounded, waiting to see what would happen, if anything. As the seconds ticked by, I focused on the colors and the way they bled together, creating new shades. The intricate details my muse had been led to add to the painting that hadn’t been in the grainy website photo. Sticks in the rocky cracks promised green plants in the spring. Stubborn plants that would bloom and grow despite the lack of soil. The lone tree with sweeping branches, shielding the dark hole of the cave. Wait. The concrete was gone. Had I painted the walled-up spot, or the hole? I couldn’t remember.
Movement on the page drew my attention to the butterfly. Its wings flapped so that it dipped and danced against the darkness of the hole in the side of the cliff. The cheerful little bird on his branch bobbed his head, inviting me to come inside. Welcoming me.
A gust of air rattled the paper, making me clutch it harder for fear it would be swept away.
“Oh,” Vivi gasped. “Riiiiiiiiiiiiiii…”
My name drew out into an impossibly long syllable. The ground jolted beneath my feet, making my stomach pitch. I reeled slightly, my body sluggish as I caught my balance.
“Annnnnnn!”
