Morpheus grunts. “The stinger … my stomach … take it out first.” Another cough. “Drown it.”
I start to work the buttons open on Morpheus’s black shirt, but Jeb brushes me aside and takes over.
Morpheus places his hand on Jeb’s busy fingers, eyes opened to slits. “Ah, my pretty pseudo elf.” He takes a labored breath. “Is it time at last to express our unrequited feelings?”
Jeb’s ears flush red. He’s about to retort when Morpheus groans, doubling over again. Biceps bulging, Jeb holds him flat to the bed so I can finish opening his shirt.
There’s a puncture wound the size of a quarter on Morpheus’s abdomen. The black, inky poison seems to stem from the site. His blue magic blinks once and grows dim, as if defeated.
I shudder.
“Careful with that thing,” Jeb mutters.
I nod, using a Kleenex off my nightstand to protect my fingers as I work the stinger from the wound. It wriggles in my hand as if trying to escape. Shuddering again, I toss it into a glass of water next to the tissue box. The stinger fizzes and drifts to the bottom, disintegrating within seconds. The black veins under Morpheus’s skin writhe wilder, as if they’re fighting to survive without their source. Morpheus’s eyes slam shut, and he grinds his teeth in agony.
Unable to bear his pain any longer, I press my ankle to his forearm. Heat surges between us. The black veins slow their movements and fade until all that’s left is the puncture mark. His blue static reappears and pulses through the wound, leaving behind a silvery scar.
I ride a wave of euphoria as Morpheus’s natural coloring comes back. He opens his eyes—alert and stronger by the second. He holds my gaze as I feel his forehead. His fever’s gone. Jeb’s watchful eye burns into my back, and I withdraw my hand.
Morpheus snags my ankle before I can slide off the bed, thumb running across my wing tattoo. The touch sends a prickly sensation through my wing buds.
“Moth,” he whispers soundlessly. The Morpheus I know has returned, teasing and taunting, reminding me of my vow.
Jeb comes up behind me and pries Morpheus’s fingers free. “Hands off, owl bait.”
The guys exchange scowls as I climb off the mattress with Jeb’s arm securely around my waist. It’s nice to see some things never change.
Morpheus sits up, his wings unfurling around him. He stretches—languid and graceful—then drops his feet to the floor. Jewels sparkling green, he watches me as he rolls down his sleeve and buttons his shirt. “Thank you, Alyssa. And, Jebediah, I suppose we’re even now.”
“Not even close,” Jeb says. “You brought Red here. And you’re going to help send her back.”
I put my hand on Jeb’s chest. “Wait. First, tell us what happened with Sister Two.”
Morpheus sighs. “It was going so well. She fell for my ruse and captured the cardboard man in my place.”
Something clicks in my mind. “The Brandon Lee silhouette from the Crow shrine … of course.” I smirk. “Impressive.”
Morpheus shrugs, though he’s obviously pleased with himself. “While she was busy reeling ‘me’ in, I transformed into a moth and rematerialized behind her to get the upper hand. I wrapped her in her own web and dragged her through a mirror and into the rabbit hole. She broke loose inside, turned on me.” He looks down at the scar on his abdomen, then secures the last few buttons over it. “Left me for dead.”
“Yet you made it all the way back here,” I say.
“I had good incentive.” Morpheus stands and straightens his shirt. “I was missing my car.”
I bark a laugh, and Morpheus grins. Jeb watches the two of us.
My momentary lapse into giddiness is short-lived as I sort through the implications of this new development. “Does this mean Sister Two is back in Wonderland now? She’s at her post?”
That could solve everything. Maybe Red didn’t get to the restless souls in time.
“I would like to think so,” Morpheus answers. “But we should keep our guard up. Especially you, Jebediah.”
The door handle wiggles and we all freeze. Mom appears at the opening and we breathe a collective sigh of relief.
Tightening the belt on her robe, she looks Morpheus up and down and he returns her appraisal. It’s obvious there’s still no love lost between them.
“Allie deciphered her first mosaic,” Mom says to him. “Red is on her way to the human realm to attack prom. We have a plan to stop her. I’ll fill you in after I get dressed.”
Morpheus glances at me and Jeb. “How deliciously dangerous.”
“This isn’t a game, Morpheus.” Mom gives him an annoyed glare and turns her attention to Jeb. “Could you help me carry Thomas to our bedroom? He’s not asleep all the way, but he’s groggy enough.”
“Is he going to be okay?” I ask.
Mom’s expression softens. “The pills are harmless. He’ll be safest this way.”
I nod, though it’s hard to stomach treating him like a pawn.