Page 61 of Deadly Little Games

“Eva is right.” Elena stood a little straighter, looking a lot more confident than I felt. “Whatever the darkness was in the pathways, it will have to be dealt with. We can’t just give up.”

The king sighed heavily. “You don’t understand what you’re saying.”

She lifted her chin. “That doesn’t make me any less right. Perhaps I should have been upfront with you. Perhaps the altercation with the fae could have been avoided.But,” she lifted a finger, “I’m still right.”

The king’s cheeks reddened at his daughter’s tone. “You do not understand, Millelena. There is too much at risk.”

Elena’s eyes flared, and she opened her mouth to argue, but Crispin cleared his throat, stepping forward. “If I may intervene, there is perhaps another way.”

Everyone looked at him, and I had to admit, I admired the way he didn’t wilt under so many heavy gazes. He looked at the king. “You said nothing came through with me because I created my own pathway, and I believe you are correct. I came through what equated to an ant’s tunnel, when the former pathways were like giant ravines. It is possible that with the Realm Breaker, we can create more such tiny tunnels. Or just one, an exploratory mission to see what we find on the other side.” He looked at me. “Of course, this is all dependent on Eva finding her mother. Which she will have to dowithoutthe sword. But judging by the progress she has already made, I think she can do it. I think with practice she could create a pathway small enough just for her, leading to her mother.”

“Or to the person with the Realm Breaker,” Elena added.

I noticed the king watching me intently, and fought the urge to squirm. He lowered his chin. “This is all dependent on the assumption that Eva would give us the sword once she has it,” he said. “If I had it here, safe beyond our boundary, the hunt for her would end.” His eyes flicked to Sebastian. “But I’m guessing she has other… obligations.”

I winced, wondering if Sebastian wasevergoing to step into the conversation. I looked at him expectantly.

He simply smiled, entirely unruffled. “While Eva is obligated to provide me with either the sword or her mother, I will not require the use of the blade indefinitely.” He looked at the king. “If you are willing to help us now, I believe a mutually beneficial compromise can be struck.”

The king narrowed his eyes at the devil. “We will need to speak further to hammer out the terms,ifsuch a bargain is to be struck.”

Sebastian nodded.

“Okay, so it’s settled,” I said, “We work together. But I have one extra term of my own.”

Everyone looked at me. “The goblins get to use the blade too.”

“One goblin,” the king countered. “One goblin may go on—” he looked at Crispin, “what did you call it?”

“An exploratory mission.”

“Yes,” the king continued, turning his attention back to Sebastian. “Is this amenable to you?”

But Sebastian was still watching me, a smile on his face and a telltale flash of fire in his eyes. “Onegoblin,” he agreed.

I could almosthearall the strings attached to the offer, but it was better than I’d hoped to get. I could try to help MistralandI could fulfill my contract.

“Now,” Sebastian continued before I could say anything else. “What of the elf who tried to have Eva killed?”

Elena gasped, then turned wide eyes to me. “What exactly did I miss?”

Epilogue

I waitedwith Crispin in his tower while the king and Sebastian negotiated their contract. Elena had gone to lie down. Crispin had placed a wooden chair next to the nicer cushioned chair near the window, offering me the better seat. His mood was surprisingly somber, given all of the excitement.

Finished preparing a pot of tea with a burner on his workstation, he poured us each a cup, offering me the one with fewer chips. “I must admit, out of all the scenarios I could have imagined for this day, I could not have come up with any of this.”

I nodded, gripping the small teacup by its thin porcelain handle. The tea was strong and black, which was exactly what I needed. I couldn’t quite meet his eyes as I asked, “Do you really think I can do it? Find my mother?”

He lowered himself to the seat beside mine. “I do, especially if she is in one of the near realms, which she should be since she no longer possesses the Realm Breaker. The trick will be in figuring outwhichnear realm.”

“I can sense her when she’s close,” I admitted. “If we get close enough, I can find her.” I saw him looking at me in my peripheral vision, but kept my eyes lowered, blowing the steam away from my cup.

“How old were you when she stole your memories?”

I tensed at his question.

“If you’d rather not say, that’s fine.”