Page 102 of Wicked Promises (Fallen Royals 3)

“You’re starting to run more,” Eli points out. “Which means you need to carb up…”

“Winter sucks for us,” he mutters. “Always has, always will. Doesn’t mean we won’t get through it.”

“So, maybe Chinese?” Theo says. “The Jenkinses aren’t going to like us crashing their house.”

I contemplate that. Robert just got out of the hospital, and it’s the first night Lenora has been back, too. Anyone who saw them in the hospital would know she’s been sleeping there. It wasn’t rocket science.

Eli gets us to Margo’s house almost too fast. He drives recklessly at times, but right now… There’s a growing feeling of dread building up in my chest, and it’s going to explode if I don’t see Margo safe.

I jump out before the truck has fully stopped, jogging up the walkway.

Margo yanks the door open and launches into my arms.

I scoop her up, breathing in her scent, and she locks her legs around my waist.

“Thanks for coming,” she whispers in my ear. “I told them you all were on your way. I think Lenora is going to ask if I can stay with you guys again.”

I wince. “It’s that bad?”

She leans back into my arms, eyebrows raised. “It’s…”

I set her down, and we all enter the house.

Robert is on the couch, flipping through television stations, and he waves to us. “Hello, boys. I’d get up, but…”

“Please don’t stress,” I say, going over to shake his hand. “You look better.”

He laughs, and it turns into a cough. “Better than what? Being at death’s door?”

I shrug.

“I’ll take it.”

Eli nods at him, and Theo waves.

Liam’s eyes are wide. “I like what you’ve done with the place.” He walks farther in, peering into the kitchen. “This is new.”

Margo tilts her head. “Why are you acting like…”

“My family used to live here,” he says. “Although there used to be a wall here.” He mimes a wall that would’ve made the kitchen a lot smaller. “And the dining room didn’t open up onto this porch.”

We follow him as he wanders.

He goes up the stairs, pausing on the picture of Lenora and Robert, then into the bathroom. “That’s the same.”

He comes out and points to her door. “Your room, Margo?”

She grimaces.

“Caleb and I practiced sneaking out of here quite a bit in our youth.” He winks at me. “Dare I say that’s helped him out quite a bit in recent months.”

“Whoever did this came in through the window, too.” she shoves the door open.

My mouth drops, and I step into the room. My friends follow me, while Margo stays in the hall. Honestly, I don’t blame her. A tornado of fury went through the room, destroyed every good thing about it. The walls will need several coats of paint to cover the red, and the writing…

Pretty bird, broken wings.

I narrow my eyes. It’s chilling, but… wholly unfamiliar.

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