Orion steps slightly to the side to clear the path. When I don’t move, he smirks and continues on, knowing he’s got the upper hand and relishing it. “Honestly, I was surprised to see you here after your rather firm declaration that you’d rather die than marry me?” “I wasn’t given much of a choice,
I turn and stride away, tossing the goblet over my shoulder, terribly pleased at the clang it makes in the dead silence that I leave behind me. Glancing down at my side, though, I startle a little when I realize that Anton’s not there. “Hey!” I hiss, turning to see him a few steps behind, looking
I grin at him. “Okay, Nic. I’ll see you in a bit.” I step away and Anton scrambles to his feet, peering up at me in surprise. “What?” I murmur, shrugging and looking down at him. “He had a good point. I want to know why the hell Orion is even doing this.” Supportive and encouraged, Anton moves w
Anton snarls, as terrified as me, and grows in size, stepping between me and the wraiths that scream as they fall hungrily upon Anna. She shrieks in turn, trying to bat them away, but their insubstantial figures are too many. The screams of fear become those of pain as the wraiths tear at her with t
“Um…why did you stop to speak with me?” I gesture around to all of the girls who are clearly avoiding each other. “Not that I mind, I just –“ “Oh, I really like your wolf!” she says, visibly brightening as she gestures towards Anton, who lifts his head, clearly proud and pleased to be acknowledged
“I’ll leave you here,” Nic intones, dropping his hand from mine the moment the three of us materialize in the room. “Okay,” I say, turning towards him. “And if I need to go somewhere, what? I just call you and –“ “You don’t need to go anywhere,” he says, flat. And then he disappears. I scowl a
“Eh,” Anton says, and I turn my head to see him shrugging and smirking a bit. “I’m not so sure about that.” “What?” I press myself up to a sitting position, intrigued. “What are you talking about? I was such a jerk to him – it’s a miracle that he didn’t kick me out of the competition – I mean, I r
“Anton!” I groan, wiping my snarl from my face and flopping back on the bed, kicking out at him, embarrassed. As usual, he just laughs. “This is so ridiculous! That can’t possibly be true!” “It is, though!” “But how?” I ask, cuddling up in the comforter a bit, feeling weird and shy. “First, how
“No!” she sputters out, stumbling a few steps towards me, shaking her head so hard her pretty blue-green hair flutters out all around her. “No, Junie, don’t make me go! I want…I want to stay here! And help! I mean…” she bites her lip. “It will be nice to be able to visit home. But I want to stay wit
“I’m sending you home too,” I say quietly, doing my best to look each in the eyes. “I’m sorry this happened to you. I’m sorry if you’re disappointed that you didn’t get the wish.” They murmur a variety of responses back to me, most of them relieved. One by one they step forward and I take their ha
“Does…” I whisper, my eyes still fastened to Orion as my eyes move over him, feeling the powers that radiate from him now. “Does that mean you have all of the powers of Darkness too? From…from the wish?” “No,” Orion murmurs, looking down at his hands and flexing them, experimenting with the feel o
Beatrice is the last to go, staring at me in shock, realizing finally that she bet everything on the wrong horse. I bare my teeth at her, fangs extended, and Beatrice’s eyes go wider as she trembles and finally submits, going to her knees and bowing her head. “Good,” I say, my voice returning to n
Laila’s knife sinks deep between Death’s shoulder blades and the final scream of a God fills the air as Death falls to his knees. The magic stops mid-stream, like a tap being suddenly turned off. I groan and tilt forward against Anton, who catches me and holds me against his chest. “Shit, June,”
“Just a little longer, June. She’ll do it.” But what if she doesn’t? What if…what if I’m inches from oblivion, and this is it? My heart strains in my chest, my wolf shaking like a leaf from snout to tail. But still, I will myself to hope. To trust in my friend. “I know,” I reply, letting my ey
I gasp, my shoulders trembling under the sheer weight of Death’s magic that flows over and around us, my shield barrier straining and buckling under its might. “June,” Anton breathes, eyes wide as he looks up at the magic streaming over us in an unending torrent. “Shit – are you –“ I crouch besi
The wish presses against Death for a moment and then sinks into him, dissolving into his chest. He sighs with happiness and what looks like ecstasy, tilting his head back to the sky as the magic disappears into him. Beatrice steps away, tucking her hands behind her back, beaming at the God she jus
Before I can get more than three steps after Laila, Anton lunges forward, his paws landing on either side of me as he snatches at the back of my gown with his teeth, holding me back. His fierce growl reminds me that I need to stay here – that Death took Laila because he wants me to come rushing onto