Page 19 of Deadly Little Games

Instead of answering, he opened the door for me.

He was being far too pleasant after I had disobeyed him and left the card behind. I hesitated in the doorway. “You’re not going to try to kiss me again, are you?”

Still holding the door open, he leaned close to my face. “Oh, dear Eva. The next time we kiss, it will be because youbeggedfor it.”

“Yeah, not likely.” His laughter followed me into the café.

At least I was getting pastries. And at least he couldn’t follow me into Emerald Heights. Together, he and Crispin would be utterly intolerable.

Despite my protests,Sebastian escorted me all the way to the border of Emerald Heights. It was almost like he didn’t trust me. Almost like it had bothered him that I had run off to the Bogs the first chance I got, telling Mistral all my secrets while spilling none of them tohim.

Elena waited just beyond the golden gates, wearing a loose green flannel and jeans. She wrung her hands in a rare display of nerves. Two massive bucks waited further up the cobblestone path.

“Thank goddess you’re on time.” She hurried to open the gates, not even acknowledging Sebastian’s presence. Her red hair hung across her face for a moment, and when she pushed it back, I could see the panic she was trying to rein in.

I took one side of the gate from her, pulling it open the rest of the way. “What happened?”

She finally glanced at Sebastian, then back at me. She gnawed her lip. “If I knew what was good for me, I wouldn’t tell anyone about this, but I think you may be the only people who can help.”

I lifted a brow. “People?”

She glanced around her, then moved closer to us, stepping across the boundary. She lowered her voice. “Crispin was doing an experiment to prepare for today, and something happened.”

I narrowed my eyes. “What kind of something?”

“Shh.” Her eyes shifted. “You’ll just have to come and see. Both of you.” She gave me a meaningful look.

Did she mean Sebastian? “Um, you know he can’t come across the boundary, right?”

She reached into her jeans pocket, then produced a small green glass leaf. “His temporary invitation,” she explained. “My father is aware of what has happened.”

I looked over my shoulder at Sebastian. “Are you following any of this?”

“For once, I’m just as flummoxed as you.” He leaned in to observe the leaf, flicking his eyes toward me. “But don’t get used to it.”

Elena shifted her feet impatiently. “Will you do this for Eva’s sake?” She held the leaf toward Sebastian.

He tilted his head, eyeing the leaf. “I will witness what you wish us to see, but I promise nothing else.”

I was honestly surprised he wasn’t asking for more. But then again, he was actually getting an invitation into Emerald Heights. There was no saying what kind of trouble a devil could stir up amongst the elves. Or maybe he just wanted to catch me in a lie…

But Elena didn’t seem to consider any of that. Nodding to herself, she stepped back across the boundary, then extended her hand with the leaf in her palm. “Place your hand over mine.”

Sebastian obeyed, his long fingers covering the base of her wrist. Green light flashed between their palms, and when he lifted his hand, the leaf was gone. Elena moved back, and he stepped effortlessly across the boundary.

I shook my head. “Just when I thought I had seen everything.” I shifted slightly, stepping across the boundary to join them.

Elena eyed Sebastian warily, like she hadn’t been the one to just invite him into her realm. I wondered what her people might think of their princess letting a devil in. She had to be absolutely desperate to do so. Just what had happened to Crispin?

I opened my mouth to ask just that, but Elena was already walking toward the waiting bucks.

“Two bucks for three riders?” I asked as I followed after her.

She glanced back as she reached the massive beasts. “You didn’t seem very comfortable with riding. I thought you might be safer with me.”

My shoulders relaxed. I didn’t want to ride with Sebastian for amyriadof reasons, but primarily because I didn’t know if my magic might kick up again. “Well he kind of does this black whooshy thing. I’m sure he can just meet us there now that he’s across the boundary.” I jumped when I realized he was standing directly behind me, close enough to touch.

“I will ride,” he said simply.