Faiza sighs, turning to me fully. “Look, Princess, if Life wanted you dead, you’d be dead, okay?” She quirks an eyebrow at me. “Like I’ve said before, she’s rooting for you. She wants you alive just…frustrated enough with her world that you leave peacefully. But I promise you, you will be safe in th
I glance back at Anton and the rest of our little group as Orion tugs me away. Anton cocks his head to the side, his eyes moving to Orion’s arm around my waist. He raises an eyebrow at me. I hesitate, glancing up at Orion, who gives me a steady shake of his head. “Leave them, Princess,” he says, h
My mouth falls open further and I sit straighter, staring at him, my wolf’s growl deepening. “Orion, that is not what’s happening.” “He’s dead, June,” Orion says with a sigh, contemplating me with a bit of sadness. “What, honestly, can he offer you in the long term?” “What can you offer me?” I s
I narrow my eyes even further at Orion, crossing my arms and shaking my head. Because even despite his valid points and my new worries…I’m aware that he’s got stakes in making me believe that Anton and I can’t last. “You’re just jealous,” I say, studying him, trying to figure out where, really, he
He’s still laughing with our friends, giving me space and privacy, utterly trusting. Guilt sweeps through me at that because – Oh my god, have I betrayed him? Has Anton given me his complete and utter trust and in the span of about five seconds have I completely shattered it!? “June,” Orion murm
“All this sexual tension,” Faiza says with a grin, lifting another shot of liquor to her lips as she grins around at all of us. “I’m loving it.” “How much of that have you had?” I say, laughing even as I peel my eyes away from Orion to glare at Faiza. “Not enough, gorgeous,” Faiza says, giving m
“Oh, can he be a squirrel!?” Laila gasps, suddenly sitting up and clutching her hands beneath her chin. “We don’t have them in our world – but I saw them in that movie about the big hairy elephant in the ice world – and it was so cute! Oh, please let him be a little itty squirrel!” Her voice squeaks
The rest of the evening passes with a great deal of joy and joking. Drinks go around and Faiza really lights up after the alcohol loosens her lips, telling us her spy stories and having all of us basically rolling on the ground in laughter. But after the bartender leads the five of us (plus one squi
“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