Page 67 of Expose Me

“They’re just expressions, Zey.”

Chapter20

The House of Air and Amethyst didn’t have any territory in Australia, but I knew of a powerful fae who was a member and kept an unofficial residence in No Man’s Land west of Melbourne.

I ducked my head and started walking that way.

If the demon Philatanus had seen fit to make a deal with a new species, steal from his own House, and hide it all from everyone, it stood to reason that others could be persuaded to do some less than savory things too. Like helping a couple of fugitives through a portal.

I knew this particular fae had the kind of pull and resources to actually be able to help us—and was self-serving and ambitious enough that he might be willing to try. I just hoped that he was there and that what he wanted in return was more valuable to him than handing us over immediately.

“Where are we going?” Zey asked, wrapping an arm around my shoulders casually, like it was something he did all the time.

“Like you said, we need help, so—”

A massiveboomripped through the air, the noise cutting off any other sound. The very ground under our feet shook. Zey and I held on to each other, but the tremor was brief.

People started to scream and yell, the chaotic noises mixing with the sound of glass breaking and heavy things toppling over.

Several winged individuals took to the sky, flying away from where we’d just been. Away from the portal.

Zey and I shared a look and doubled back to look around the corner.

Something had exploded.

The building right next to the portal was decimated. It looked like someone had taken a messy bite out of the top right corner of it. People were streaming out of the front doors, looking terrified. There was debris everywhere, and a few parts of the building were on fire.

A water fae appeared from the opposite side of the street and started putting them out.

The portal guards were helping the injured while others were scanning the area for whom or what had caused this. They were sticking close to the portal—as was their duty—but they weren’t all that focused on it.

Even the Vuulectians had backed off several feet, instinctively shrinking away from fire.

“Holy shit.” I gripped Zey’s wrist, my eyes glued to the scene. “This is either the most wonderful coincidence, or—”

“It’s a distraction so we can get to the portal,” Zey said. “Doendru is here, she was waiting for me, looking for me when no one else was, and set the explosives off when she felt me nearby. She’s urging me to take the opportunity while I can.”

“What if it’s a trap?”

“It’s not.” His voice was firm, final.

If he was sure it wasn’t a trap, I trusted him. That’s how far we’d come. I trusted him without hesitation.

“Then what the hell are we waiting for?” I spun to face him and found him staring at me intently. His depthless eyes had never looked so expressive, so conflicted before.

We didn’t have time to talk or have an emotional goodbye. There was no sense in wondering if that look in his eyes was there because he was as torn up about this coming to an end as I was.

As was typical of our time together, we were out of it.

While I untied the ribbon on my wrist, I summoned the one shielding spell I owned. It wasn’t as rare as a portal spell, but still expensive and difficult to get into an object for easy use.

I pressed both into his hand and said the incantation. The protective shield enveloped him in warm magic.

He glanced down at himself, then at the Onuei in his hand, confused.

“Sky, no.” He shook his head.

“Yes. This will keep you safe from physical and magical attacks for five minutes. Go.Now!” I shoved him in the direction of the portal. I wanted to wrap my arms around him and never let go, but I pushed him away instead.

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