“You can’t do this,” I protest, clutching the back of his shirt as he reaches the mob of creatures chaotically rushing down the street. Panic laces the air, along with the buzzing of electricity. “This isn’t Asher and East’s battle to fight. And I’m stronger than you think.” I swallow a shaky breath as tears sting my eyes. “I’m the one who brought the whole building down and made Maple fall into a bottomless hole. I can handle this, so take me back.” I’m not even completely sure what I’m fussing over—me fighting my own battles or the worry that East and Asher are going to get hurt.
The latter frightens me more than it should.
“No.” The firmness in his tone is foreign. “And don’t talk about what you did … not until we get to the vehicle.” His voice softens. “Okay?”
A thousand protests are about to burst from the tip of my tongue, but they are cut off by the sound of an intercom clicking on.
“Attention citizens and visitors of Steel. Due to the current situation going on at the Arch, the mayor is putting the entire planet on lockdown. No creature is permitted to leave or enter the planet until law enforcement has done an investigation into the cause behind the collapsing of the Arch. There will also be a curfew enforced until further notice. All creatures must be in their homes before dusk. Thank you for your cooperation.”
As the intercom buzzes off, the creatures around us quicken their paces, pushing and shoving each other as they scurry down the street.
“The collapsing of the Arch …?” I sweep my hair out of my eyes, lift my head, and look back in the direction we came from.
My jaw drops.
The Arch is no longer stretching toward the sky but lying in pieces on the ground.
“Please tell me no one got hurt,” I whisper in horror.
Oh, my gods, I did this.
I broke a city.
Holy fucking shit, I really am dangerous, just like the worlds patrol said.
“Everyone’s fine,” Arrow says, quickening his strides. “Harlynn, don’t say anything else, okay? Not until we get back to the vehicle. It’s very important.”
As shock whips through me, striking me speechless, all I can do is nod.
Chapter 12
By the time we reach the forest, the last of the golden sunlight has slipped away from the sky, which has nervousness edging through me.
“Should we be worried?” I ask, peering around at the towering trees and bushes, the bronzed moonlight casting an eerie glow off all the metal.
“We’re fine,” Arrow insists. He still has me slung over his shoulder, but I haven’t protested for a while. In fact, I’ve been pretty quiet due to the shock that bitch-slapped me across the face when I realized I knocked the Arch down. “The monsters I was referring to earlier mostly hang out in the city.” He gulps. “They’re part machine and feed off weak creatures … But they shouldn’t come out here. Not when it’s so underpopulated.”
I smash my quivering lips together. “What about the curfew?”
“We’ll be okay. We’re almost to the vehicle.” Despite his words, he increases his pace, taking longer strides.
We remain silent and on edge for the rest of the journey back to the vehicle. My mind mostly lingers on Asher and East, and if they’re all right. Questions also flood my thoughts, like what qui furabatur means. Since Arrow urged me to be quiet, though, I haven’t dared ask yet.
Finally, after what feels like hours, we arrive at the vehicle. Arrow hurries inside, sets me down, and then locks the door. When he turns around, my lips part, but he places a finger against his lips and shakes his head.
“Turn security on,” he announces to the empty room.
A series of clicks sound through the air, and then he rushes down the hallway, peering in all the rooms.
“What’re you looking for?” I whisper as I inch toward the hallway.
“I’m just making sure no one’s here.” He exits Asher’s room and walks back down the hallway toward me. “Usually, I’m not too worried, since East puts up a seal every time we leave, but you were kind of a slap of reality that maybe his magic doesn’t protect the vehicle as well as we thought.” He stops in front of me with a trace of worry in his eyes. “Not that any of us are upset that you were able to get through his magic. We’re glad you’re here.” Rubbing his lips together, he brushes his brass knuckles across my cheek, only to hastily pull away.
“Asher mentioned you thought East and I left you in the street. I just want you to know we’d never do that. We don’t want to ditch you. We looked everywhere for you. I’m just glad you crossed paths with Steelford.”
“Steelford …? Wait. Is that the innkeeper that told me where the tunnel was?”
He nods. “I told some of my old acquaintances about you; gave them a description in case they spotted you. That’s how he knew who you were.” He presses his lips together in a thin line. “Asher told me what happened at the inn. I’m so sorry.”
I scratch my leg. “You don’t need to be sorry. It wasn’t your fault.”
“We brought you to this planet, knowing it was dangerous, and promised you that you’d be safe, so it is our fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” I repeat, but he only shakes his head.
I sigh, not really giving up, but putting a tack in it for now.
“So, what do we do now? I mean, how long do lockdowns usually last?”
He hesitates, fiddling with a gadget on his arm. “Usually, until law enforcement closes the investigation.”
“So, until they find out it’s me and captures me?” Awesome. Now I’m going to be a prisoner on planet Steel.
“They’re not going to capture you,” he promises determinedly. “No one saw you use your power.”
“Maxton did,” I point out miserably. “And Maple. But I think … I think she might be dead.”
Oh, my gods, I think I may have killed her with my powers.
Yeah, she may have been an evil wench, but the idea that I killed a creature is making my stomach churn with guilt. And here I thought I was a revenge badass.
Arrow surveys me with his silver eyes. “What exactly happened?”
Blowing out a deafening exhale, I entwine my fingers through his and pull him toward the sofa. We sit down beside each other, and then I proceed to tell him what happened while I was backstage, all the way until the floor opened up, swallowed Maple, and I ran.
He remains silent, listening to each word I utter. By the time I’m finished, he’s grown unsettlingly quiet. In fact, he’s been quiet since I reached the part in the story where Maxton said, “qui furabatur.”
“What does qui furabatur mean?” I ask, breaking the silence.
Arrow hesitates then nervously laces his fingers through mine, his fingers notably shaking, but that’s usually how he is, so I’m unsure what to make of it.
“It means magic stealer.” The worry in his tone sends fear trickling through me.
“Is it …? Is it what I am?”
He swiftly shakes his head and scoots closer to me.
Well, at least he doesn’t seem afraid of me.
“There’re a handful of creatures that can steal magic from other creatures,” he explains. “Most of them are rare, though.”
“Like me?” I ask, and he gives a nod. “So, how do I find out which one I am? And why does Asher’s father want to get ahold of me? Maple acted as if he was sick or something and needed me to help him.”
“I really don’t know,” he tells me. “The Steel books should give us some answers, at least to what you are. But with the city being on lockdown, we’re going to have to be extra careful about stealing them.” He casts a worried glance at the door for the tenth time in the last hour.
“They’re going to be all right, right?” I ask, squeezing his hand and drawing his attention back to me. “Asher and East, I mean.”
He nods with a rigid smile. “Of course.”
“You’re a terrible liar, Arrow.” I sigh heavily, wiggle my hand from
his, and then lower my head into my hands. “This is all my fault.”
“Hey.” Arrow splays his metal fingers across my cheek then angles my head back up. “None of this is your fault, Harlynn, so please don’t think that.”
“Yeah, it is. Maxton’s only here to get me and take me to August. The Arch collapsed because of me. We’re here because of me.”
“Asher, East, and I chose to come to this planet. And Maxton is only here because August is a power-hungry psychopath. And the Arch?” He lifts a broad shoulder. “Everyone does a little bit of damage when they first get their powers.” When I raise my brows, he adds, “The first time East got his powers, he turned an entire kingdom into glass. And when Asher first got his wish granting powers, he accidentally wished for an entire planet made of water.”
“Wait. You’re not saying he …?”
“Yep. He’s the reason we have planet Water in our universe. Not that anyone gives him credit for that—his father took it—but we know the truth.”
I shake my head in shock. “Why water, though?”
He chuckles, his eyes crinkling around the corners. The look is damn near mesmerizing. “He had a thing for mermaids back then and thought, if he could create a large pool of magical water, he could have all the mermaids he wanted. But he was still learning how to control his magic and ended up creating an entire planet that became overpopulated very quickly.”
“Wow. That’s really impressive. Seriously, kind of badass, accident or not.” Suddenly aware that my guilt has lessened a bit, I wrap my arms around him. “Thank you, Arrow.”
He places a trembling hand against my back. “For what?”
“For making me feel a little better.” I hug him tighter. “You’re kind of good at this friendship stuff.”
He frees an unsteady breath then leans into my hug. I start to smile to myself when a loud bang echoes through the vehicle.
“All right, if she’s handing out hugs, I definitely think I should get one this time.”
The sound of East’s voice has relief washing over me, but I try to contain my happiness as I pull away from Arrow and twist around on the sofa.
He’s standing in front of the open front door, strands of his blond hair askew, and his pant leg is a bit torn. Other than that, he appears unharmed.
“Where’s Asher?” Arrow asks, rising to his feet.
“He’ll be here in a bit. He’s finding a safe place to put Maxton.” East’s gaze sears into me as he crosses the room. “You, lovely creature, have caused quite the commotion across this planet.”
I push to my feet, adjusting the hem of my skirt. “I didn’t mean to. I was just trying to get away from Maxton and Maple, and then …” I frown. “I feel awful.”
East dismisses me with a flick of his wrist. “Don’t. This planet was a dump anyway.”
“I actually think it’s kind of pretty,” I say. “Well, the scenery is anyway.”
“That’s because you’ve only been to a total of three planets.” East halts in front of me and crosses his arms with an oddly stern look on his face. “Before we go any further with this conversation, I need to say something.”
I roll my eyes. “Don’t you always?”
His lips quirk. “Yes, but this is important.” He forces a frown and points his finger at me. “The next time I tell you to run, you run. No arguing. Not about that.”
I poke him in the chest. “You don’t get to tell me what to do. If I want to stay and fight my own battles, then I’m going to. And it was really fucked-up that Asher threw me at Arrow, and he took off with me. That’s not fair.”
“It’s completely fair.” He lowers his voice as he slants closer to me. “If we want to protect you, we can.”
“If I want to protect myself, I can,” I retort with my arms crossed.
“I know.” His gentle tone throws me off balance. “But until you learn how to control your powers a bit, you have to let us help you.”
My jaw twitches at the word help, but I bite down the urge to snap at him, knowing he’s right. The collapsing of the Arch proves that. Proves I can’t control my power very well right now.
“Fine,” I manage to get out. Then, scrounging up every ounce of gratitude I can muster, I put my arms around him and give him a hug. “Thanks for helping me.”
He instantly circles his arms around my waist and pulls me closer. “You’re welcome. And this hug makes it worth almost getting my ass kicked.”
I pull back to look at him. “You almost got your ass kicked?”
He wavers. “Asher’s brother channels his power from his father, who’s probably one of the most powerful creatures to exist, which means Maxton can be very powerful. Fortunately, for our sakes, we have you.” He brushes his hand along the bottom of my chin.
Puzzlement webs through me. “But I didn’t do anything except collapse the Arch.”
“And get the planet put on lockdown, which means that Maxton is currently not connected to August’s power. Well, until the lockdown is removed.” East places a hand against the small of my back and steers me toward the sofa. “We also learned a little bit of information from Maxton on our way here.” He pulls me down with him as he sits down, and Arrow takes a seat beside me, his knee resting against mine. “Starting with the reason he casted a spell on you earlier instead of snatching you away and taking you to August. It also helps us understand your powers better.”
My interest piques. “What’s the reason?”
“You were channeling too much magic from the creatures around you, and he couldn’t get past the barrier you apparently put up around yourself. So, instead, he casted an invisible spell on you, hoping to isolate you. Except, your powers made the spell a bit wonky, and he ended up only isolating you from us. I’m guessing that happened because of your little ability to reflect magic sometimes.”
He slides an arm around my shoulders and draws me closer to his side, his bare chest radiating warmth. I should push away, but I’m too tired to care at the moment.
“The room he pulled you into backstage had magic-proof walls, so he was hoping that might help. Unfortunately for him, but fortunately for us, you stole some of Maple’s powers.”
“But, what does that mean?” I try not to breathe in his scent, but I do, and I hate how much it relaxes me. “How can I just steal creatures’ powers and do weird things with it?”
“That question will probably only be answered when we find out what you are.” East sketches his finger along my shoulder as he briefly stares off into empty space.
“Can’t you just ask Maxton if you have him now? Because he seems to know.” I shiver from his touch, but he barely notices.
Something’s wrong.
He blinks, focusing on me. “Sadly, Maxton has been cursed into silence and obedience. While he can’t be connected to August’s magic right now, he can’t really talk too much about August’s secrets, unless he finds a loophole, and that could take more time than we have. That’s why Asher is taking him to a secluded location right now. That way, he won’t be near you when the lockdown gets removed.”
“Oh.” Disappointment crushes my chest, along with a bit of pity for Maxton.
I realize right then and there how much I’ve changed over the last couple of weeks of being with these guys. How I’ve gone from paranormal hater to paranormal sympathizer and friend.
So freakin’ weird.
“Don’t worry; we’ll figure this out,” East swears, molding his palm to my cheek. “We’ll figure out what you are and why Asher’s father is suddenly after you. I promise you, we will.”
I tilt my head back to meet his gaze. “Why, though? You guys don’t have to help me. I just don’t get it.”
East trades an unreadable look with Arrow then fastens his gaze back on me. “Because it’s what we do.”
“You risk your lives to help random strangers?” I question with my brow raised.
He shakes his head, his eyes glittering. “We risk our lives to help our fr
iends.”
I crinkle my nose. “Are we really friends, though?”
He presses his hand to his heart, pretending to be offended. “That’s the second time you’ve wounded my heart today.”
“I’m not trying to wound your heart. I’m just stating the truth.” I recline back on the sofa. “We barely know each other. Not long enough to be friends anyway.”
“Knowing someone forever doesn’t make them your friends; trust me. I became friends with Asher almost the moment I met him, while barely making a connection with faeries I knew for decades beforehand. Same goes for Arrow—I bonded quickly to him.” He pauses. “And you.” He grins when I scowl. “Face it, sweetheart; we get along way too well not to be friends.”
I roll my eyes. “We do not.”
He disregards me. “And I’m betting, at this rate, we’ll be lovers by sunrise.”
I roll my eyes so damn hard they nearly get stuck in the back of my head. “You’re so delusional.” But he’s wearing on me. A smile twitches at my lips.
“You know what I think you need?” He winks at me. “A little sugar.”
Thinking he means sugar in the form of kisses or some dumb shit like that, I open my lips to protest, but then he sticks his hand out in front of him and his palm sparkles, forming a small bag of glittery purple cotton candy.
“Asher mentioned you like it,” he tells me when I make no move to take it.
I’m surprised Asher remembered that story and feel stupidly touched. Still, I scrutinize the bag of cotton candy.
“Is that real?”
East smiles widely. “Of course it’s real. My magic is one of the realest among the faeries.”
“I have no idea what that means,” I say, but I tentatively open the bag anyway because I’m too starving to care. Then I reach in and peel off a fluffy chunk. “If this, like, makes me fall asleep or something, I’m going to kick your ass when I wake up,” I warn, lifting the piece of cotton-like candy toward my lips.
“My magic rarely works on you,” he reminds me with a twinkle in his eyes. “And an ass-kicking from you seems more like a treat than a punishment.” Smirking, he makes a big show of reaching for the cotton candy. “Maybe I should lace it with my magic.”