Axel flipped his iron pole in his hand. “I have to say, this was freaking awesome. All my baseball days paid off.”
“You mean the one game you played?” Donovan lifted a brow at him. “And you stomped off the field when they tagged you out at first base.”
They had stories about each other like Roxy and I did.
“Aw, don’t feel bad, honey.” Roxy patted his arm. “You’re a home run for me.”
“Do you think she hears how cheesy she sounds right now?” Lillith asked Katherine.
Katherine grinned. “Leave them alone. They’re cute.”
Torak lowered the metal to his side. “What else should we do?”
“I think we’re good.” Titan glanced at me. “Maybe you should stay at the pack.”
Cassius shook his head. “No, our food supply is at the mansion. We need to stay at the house. Maybe some of you can stay with us. We have food now that Sadie and her friends stay there.”
Mom jumped at the opportunity. “I can do that.”
“That means I will too.” Titan gestured at himself and Torak. “And him.”
“We have plenty of rooms to accommodate whomever you want or need.” Dawn stood by her husband. “It’s been nice to have a house full of people again.”
“Then it’s settled.” Titan turned to his pack. “You all head back and get some rest. There’s no telling when the fae will come back. We need to rest and get ready to fight. Tell Billy to make those shields now.”
“Got it.” An older pack member saluted, and Titan’s pack headed back to their homes.
Cassius walked toward the mansion, and the rest of us followed his lead.
Even though I knew the fae were gone, I scanned the trees and listened for any odd sounds.
The others did the same, and no one made a noise on the return trip.
The mansion came into view with Egan pacing out back as he waited for us. His shoulders tensed, and deep lines were etched into his forehead.
When we were a few feet from him, Athan asked, “What’s wrong?”
Egan looked directly at me. “We can’t keep doing the same thing.”
A low growl left Donovan. “What the hell does that mean?”
“That they’re going to keep coming until I’m dead.” Everyone had to understand that. “Every time they come, they bring a bigger army. We can’t fight them off much longer.”
“But we have iron now.” Mom raised her hand holding the iron. “We’re good.”
“Iron won’t do us any good if they bring a hundred fae next time.” They could easily overwhelm us. “We have to be smart.”
“We don’t have much of an option here.” Donovan took my hand and turned me to face him. “You heard Cassius. There isn’t another way.”
“And you aren’t leaving us.” Roxy scowled at me. “If you’re thinking of becoming a martyr, it’s not happening.”
“No, I’m not.” I knew that clearly. Neither she, Winter, nor Donovan would allow that. They’d guard my room all night if they had to.
“I wouldn’t be so sure,” Egan interjected. “She said some crazy things back at Titan’s.”
If I could kick his ass, I would. “I told you I wasn’t planning anything stupid.” Asshole.
“The only choice we have is to find a fae,” Cassius said, reeling us in. “And they are very hard to find here.”
“I know where one is.” The girl from the bathroom back at Kortright flashed in my mind. “I met one on campus.”
“You did?” Roxy’s brows furrowed. “I don’t remember meeting one.”
“It was the night after I met Donovan for dinner.” The girl’s teal hair and sad eyes were burnt into my brain. “I ran to the bathroom before going to the dorm room. Lillith and Katherine were hanging out with you.”
Lillith gestured at me. “Is that why you looked a little off?”
“Please,” Roxy scoffed. “She always looks a little off.”
Katherine smacked Roxy and muttered, “Not helping.”
“No, I probably looked strange because when I touched the girl, something popped inside me.” Now I realized what that must have been. “I think she inadvertently unlocked my fae magic. That’s when I started doing those odd things.”
“True, I’d never seen you stop a bullet before.” Roxy nodded. “Or disappear right in front of my face.”
“Fae aren’t inclined to help those outside their race.” Mom looked at me sternly. “That is a very risky move.”
“Rook and you found a …” I paused, looking for the right word. I didn’t want to upset Titan. “… friendship, so there are some fae out there that are open to it.”
“But he came here looking to connect with humans and other supernaturals.” Winter dropped the rod and walked over to me. “Most aren’t like that.”
“The girl at Kortright was at a human school too.” She had to see there were some similarities. “Maybe they have the same goals.”
“Honey, she’s made up her mind.” Titan stepped next to his mate and looked at her lovingly. “You must see that.”
“But that doesn’t mean I can’t try to change her mind.” Mom removed her arm from his grip. “She could be walking into a trap or worse.”
“It can’t get worse than what’s going on here.” I had a feeling they’d bring unlimited resources in their next attack. “At the university, they can’t attack us out in the open like here. There would be humans all around.”
“She’s right,” Egan said slowly. “That might be our only chance to save ourselves.”
“I don’t like it.” Donovan huffed and looked at me, nibbling on his bottom lip. “But if that’s what Sadie thinks we should try, I’m for it.”
“The only problem is, we can’t all go with her.” Luther’s tone held an edge of hysteria. “I mean … the humans.”
“No, we wouldn’t want everyone to go.” The fewer people we brought, the fewer people we had to worry about. “I’m thinking maybe a handful.”
“We came here together.” Lillith gestured to the seven of us who’d met at Kortright. “We go back together. I’d like to get a few pieces of clothing back anyway.”
It always came back to clothes with her, which was odd. She only wore black. You wouldn’t think she’d get so attached to her clothes.
“I’ll tag along as well.” Mom lifted her chin. “I can’t sit back and have something else happen to my daughter without me there beside her.”
“We don’t have any room in the van,” Roxy whined. “I had to ride on the floorboard the entire way here, because some large ass,” she said and looked at Donovan accusingly, “was taking up the whole backseat.”
Donovan rolled his eyes. “Excuse me for being on the brink of death.”
“It’s about time you apologized.” Roxy fluffed her hair. “I was wondering if you ever would.”
“Honey, he didn’t—” Axel started.
Mom cut him off. “You do realize I have my own car.”
“Where she goes, I go.” Titan crossed his arms. “Torak, you’ll need to stay back and man the pack.”
“Man …” Torak pouted. “I was hoping to see what college is all about.”
Mom glanced at me. “When are we heading out?”
“First thing in the morning.” I wanted to go now, but it was pointless. We’d get there right around eight in the morning, which would make finding the teal-haired fae harder. We’d have better luck around dusk. “We can all get a good night’s rest and head out after lunch.”
“I guess we better get some sleep, then.” Donovan took my hand and led me to the house. The others followed behind, and ten minutes later, I was curled up in Donovan’s arms and falling fast asleep.
At six in the evening, Lillith pulled the van into the campus parking lot. Mom and Titan followed behind in an older Honda Accord, and we parked far away from the building in the last two spots.
The seven of us climbed out of the van and joined Mom and Titan at the back of their car.
Roxy rubbed her hands together. “What’s the plan?”
“Find the fae.” It was really that simple. “There shouldn’t be too many people wandering around with teal hair and matching eyes.”
“Do you think your dad could still be around here?” Lillith asked as she pocketed her keys. “I’d hate to run into him again. We didn’t part on the best of terms.”