Page 171 of Cherish

As one, my friends choke on whatever food/water/saliva they are currently swallowing and look at me like I’ve suddenly grown another head. I shoot them a pleading look. At this point, I’m willing to do just about anything to get the location of this tree so we can help Mekhi—even go another round in the TV Room of Torment. After we find the Bittersweet Tree, that is.

The Curator pauses, her glass of wine halfway to her lips. “You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ve been too wrapped up in my day. I need to just send you on your way. A bargain is a bargain, after all.”

She looks so crestfallen that guilt assails me. “It’s not that we don’t want to stay and talk to you,” I tell her. “It’s just—”

“Your friend. I know. But you are all welcome back here anytime—though I promise not to put you to work on your next visit.” Then she smiles sadly. “The tree you’re looking for is outside a town called Baños. It’s in Ecuador, near Las Lágrimas de Ángel.”

“Las Lágrimas de Ángel?” I repeat, already googling the location on my phone.

“Yes. It’s a waterfall.” She pushes back from the table before continuing. “Thank you, Grace, for indulging me. Sometimes it gets lonely knowingalmosteverything.”

She crosses to the end of the dining room and pulls one of the cabinets open. “You’ll need this to hold the Dew,” she tells us. And when she turns around, she’s holding several of the most beautiful stained glass vials I’ve ever seen. “Here’s a few in case— Well, you never know what might happen.”

“Thank you,” I say and take the vials from her. “We really appreciate it.”

“Of course.” She rests a soft hand on my cheek, and I think she’s going to say something more. But then she stops and nods toward the front door. “You should go get your things. I believe your ride will be here any minute.”

“Our ride?” Jaxon asks for the first time. “I thought that was our job. We—”

He breaks off as a portal opens in the center of the dining room, and all six foot four inches of Remy Villanova steps out, dressed in a white T-shirt, worn jeans, and a kick-ass pair of Dr. Martens.

He grins when he sees me, then glances down at Jaxon and drawls in his thick Cajun accent, “Now, come on, Jaxon. Who’s going to send a dragon to do a wizard’s job?”

And with a snap of his fingers, the portal closes behind him.

91

Grin and

Bear It

“So, where exactly am I plopping this portal down?” Remy asks the general room, and the Curator leans over and whispers something to him. He gives a quick nod and then gets to work creating a doorway to South America out of thin air.

Normally, Ilovebeing a gargoyle. And being a demigod of chaos comes in handy from time to time as well. But I’d be lying if I didn’t admit how jealous I am right now that Remy can just fold space-time like a magician whenever he wants. I’d definitely spoil myself with frequent trips to art museums around the world if I could do the same.

“How are you here, anyway?” Flint asks as Remy makes another flourish in the air. “I thought you were stuck at that school, with no time off for good behavior.”

“Yeah, well. There’s different levels of stuck.” He shrugs. “As long as I’m back for a test in three hours, all should be good.”

“Three hours?” Macy sets a timer on her phone. “Then we need to get going.”

Gold flecks begin sparking and moving around the circle he’s making, and within seconds the portal is a huge circle spinning right in front of us.

“Ready to go,cher?” he asks me with a wink. “I’ll do my best not to put you down in the middle of the waterfall.”

“Somehow that doesn’t inspire a lot of confidence in me,” Jaxon mutters. I might take him more seriously if he didn’t look like an actual thundercloud—gray and gloomy and ready to rain all over everyone and everything.

“That’s because I’m making no promises about you,” Remy says.

Jaxon flips him off, but there’s no heat behind it—probably because he’s so miserable. Remy must think the same thing, though, because he just laughs.

“It’s gross how good you are at making portals,” Macy tells Remy.

He side-eyes her with amusement. “And here I thought a thank-you might be in order.”

“Of course, thank you,” she says. “But also, you suck.”

“I think you’ve got me confused with a vampire,” he tells her, then steps back and with a very gallant hand gesture says, “Ladies first.”

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