Page 56 of Deadly Little Games

I debated taking a detour to the Citadel to clean up before meeting Sebastian, but I didn’t want him to get tired of waiting and leave.

Not that I wanted to see him, but I wasn’t foolish enough to face the elf king alone. He’d invited Sebastian in once. He could do it again.

With no sinks or streams to be found, Mistral held my face, gently wiping a smudge of dirt from my cheek. His eyes were earnest as he said, “Thank you.”

“Perhaps I should be the one thanking her,” Gabriel’s voice rumbled behind me.

I glance back to give him a wry look. “You were only injured because of me.”

I hadn’t had a chance to tell them what the fae told me the previous night, that my mother hadn’t doomed everyone, that she had in fact saved them. I wasn’t sure what to think of it, and given the person who’d told me had then attempted to slit my throat, I wasn’t entirely inclined to believe him. Buthe’dbelieved it. He had believed it enough to want to kill me. And there might be others who thought the same.

Oddly, the person I most wanted to speak with about it was Sebastian. His thoughts wouldn’t be clouded with the desire to keep me safe. He would do whatever needed to be done.

“What are you thinking?” Mistral asked.

I opened my mouth to saynothing, then realized it would technically be a lie. Instead, I just gave him a small smile and shook my head.

He took my hand to guide me to the path, perfectly comfortable without a shirt. And who could blame him? He lookedrightamongst the lush greenery, the sunlight shining softly on his stone gray skin, his long hair skimming his bare back.

Gabriel fell into step at my other side. He was also shirtless, because his clothing was torn and soaked with blood. I could see the dried stains of it on his pants, making my gut twist. He had come so close to dying, and the idea had pained me so much more than I ever thought it would.

I was getting attached. I knew I was getting far too attached not only to a goblin prince who hoped to return home, but to his loyal vassal, who I knew must be planning to go with him.

I needed to pull back, to gain some distance, but Mistral’s hand felt far too nice in my own. And when he released it for Gabriel to lift me over a massive fallen log, butterflies erupted in my chest.

Gods, this was almost more dangerous than the fae trying to kill me.

By the time we reached the gates, the sun was high in the sky, and Sebastian was still waiting. Even with the dark lenses covering his eyes, I could read his bored expression. An act, I thought. Although, he was a devil. Maybe it wasn’t an act. Maybe the events of the previous day and night had not phased him at all.

His head turned in our direction as we approached. I wished I could see his eyes. I couldn’t quite tell if he was looking at me, or the shirtless goblins on either side of me. Then my heart swelled as I noticed Ringo at his feet. The little goblin perked up at the sight of us.

I ran toward the gate, grinning as Ringo scurried over to meet me there. “Ringo! I’m so sorry I left you. I didn’t mean to. I just—”

He was practically bouncing with excitement. “Sebastian let me ride on his shoulder!” He bit back his words, glancing warily at the devil.

“If only she was that excited to see either of us,” Mistral mused.

I rolled my eyes, but didn’t have time to reply as Sebastian approached. He removed his sunglasses, looking Gabriel up and down before turning to me. “It seems you had an interesting night.”

I bit my lip. “Um. Yes. Where are Elena and Crispin?”

“Emerald Heights. I told them I would bring you as soon as I managed to locate you.” He slid his sunglasses back into place. “Which is much easier when you actually carry your card.”

I rolled my eyes again. “It doesn’t work here anyway.” And he knew exactly where to find me. He knew this is where I would bring Gabriel.

“Are you ready?”

My brows raised. I had really expected more questions. Or at least some mean remarks aimed toward my escorts. “Yeah, I guess I am.” I looked down at Mistral’s too large shirt and my stained and torn jeans. “But a shower and some fresh clothing would be nice.”

“I will escort you.”

Gabriel shifted beside me, ready to step forward, and I put a hand on his arm. “He’s not going to let anything happen to me. The fae who attacked us are dead, and if more come, we’re in the city now. The elves are watching.”

“And the goblins,” Mistral added.

Sebastian waited with his arms crossed, once again looking bored.

I hesitated with my hand still on Gabriel’s arm. I really didn’t want to do anything in front of Sebastian, but—