His voice is somber, face grave.
“Probably not as long as you.”
“Xotichl—” He squeezes my hand. “I’m so sorry. I messed up. I wanted this so badly, but only because I wanted you to believe in me. I wanted your mom to believe in me—I wanted to be good enough for her—to get her approval . . .”
My throat grows hot and tight. “Oh, Auden. Don’t you get it? No one will ever be good enough for my mom. That’s just how she is when it comes to me. But you’ve always been more than good enough for me—isn’t that what really matters?”
“It should’ve been. But I was so desperate for her blessing that I . . .” He shakes his head, squints his eyes closed as though he can’t bear to see or be seen. “And now, because of it, I’ve endangered you.”
“Maybe, maybe not.”
Auden opens his eyes, looks at me.
“Just because our plan’s a fail doesn’t mean we can’t improvise. There’s got to be a way to turn this whole thing around and I’m determined to find it. I’ve had enough of the Richters. They won’t get our souls that easily, not without a fight.” I get to my feet and entwine my fingers with his. Putting on a brave face and the voice to match, I say, “First, we need to find our friends and make sure they’re okay. Then we’ll deal with Luther and the Richters once and for all.”
THIRTY-THREE
LITA
The second the sand drops from under our feet, Axel pulls me tightly to his chest and wraps his arms snugly around me in an effort to cushion the fall.
He’s always there for me.
Always looking out for me.
In just six short months he’s become such an integral part of my life, I can’t imagine ever being without him.
We crash to the ground, with Axel on the bottom, me on top. And after determining we both survived seemingly unharmed, I bury my face in his chest and seek strength in his touch. Figuring I’m going to need it, since, from what I can tell, the world’s gone to hell.
“You okay?” Axel loosens his grip, gets us both to our feet, as I adjust the straps of my dress and conduct a quick inventory of myself.
“Yeah,” I say. “Or, at least, I think so. That mask is long gone, but good riddance. I’m just glad I let Daire convince me to wear these boots.” I raise the hem of my dress, gaze down at the hideous pair of hiking boots I was reluctant to wear. “The stilettos I had in mind never would’ve survived that fall.” I grin, jostle his shoulder, try to get a response. But he’s already drawing away. “What? What is it?” I follow the direction of his strangely glittering gaze, watching as he stares wide-eyed at a sky glowing red.
“It’s the Upperworld.” He turns to me, his face filled with pain. “It’s been breached.”
I study him closely, alarmed by the way his irises lighten until they’re almost iridescent in color. “Maybe it’s just more of Cade’s stupid magick tricks. I mean, it wouldn’t be the first time. Last Christmas Eve he made the sky bleed fire. Practically firebombed the whole town.”
“It’s not Cade.” His tone is as regretful as his face. “I can hear the cries of my people in agony.”
He starts to withdraw. His movements so effortless, it’s as though he’s being willed by a much greater force.
“Axel!” I grasp his hand, force him to face me. “What are you doing?” I cry, though the answer is clear. His eyes reveal everything. “No.” My voice shakes, though it’s nothing compared to my knees. “No! You cannot go back there! You live here now!”
“Lita . . .” He turns long enough to cup his hands to my cheeks, his touch so soft I could easily be distracted if his gaze wasn’t so final.
“Are you freaking kidding me?” My voice is shrill in a way that would normally embarrass me, but not anymore, not when everything I cherish is about to fall apart. “You come into my life, make me fall head over heels for you, just so you can dump me the second the worlds go to hell?” I clutch his arm tightly, try to force a reply, but when he fails to speak, I try another approach and appeal to his practical side. “Axel, I don’t know what you’re thinking, but you cannot leave me out here on my own. It’s dangerous, there are demons, and I’m completely unarmed!”
“You’re not unarmed.” He plucks the last remaining feather from my hair and brushes the vane softly against my cheek. “It’s a miracle you didn’t lose it in the fall. It must be an omen.”
“A miracle? Since when does a feather qualify as a miracle?” Hating the very sight of it, I bat it with the back of my hand, push it away. “Like that’s ever going to defend me against a Richter!” I glare, so angry, so incredibly insulted, I could scream. Though somehow, I manage to refrain.
“It’s not just any feather. It’s an Eagle—”
“I know what kind of feather it is!” I rub my lips together. Bite back a barrage of words I’ll only live to regret. Knowing it’s better to appear rational, if not entirely calm, I force myself to say, “Axel, I swear if you leave me here, I will—”
He presses a finger to my lips, which only tempts me to bite it. Not that it’ll do any good. He’ll just bleed a bit of gold, before the wound seals right up as though it never existed.
“Believe, Lita. That’s all I ask of you. Belief and intent are at the heart of all magick. It can’t possibly work without them.”