Page 61 of White Little Lies
“You don’t know what you’re asking,” I fought to speak beyond the overwhelming magic. “We could just as easily end up inside some dormant star. Or at the very least in a dumpster somewhere.”
He pressed more magic into me. All the nymphs were watching us now instead of their ruined cauldron. Gray edged at the corners of my vision. If all of this magic didn’t go somewhere else soon, I was going to pass out.
“Do you want to save him, or not?”
That was a loaded question if I had ever heard one. I could barely focus on Lucas’ face as he asked it.
“Damn it all, fine.” I shut my eyes, thinking of Sebastian’s mocking expression. Then I thought of him kissing me, his hands roving across my body.
The entire world seemed to turn upside down, and all I could feel were Lucas’ hands still gripping my arms. Then I felt heat. Who the hell had trapped us in a sauna?
Normally I wasn’t great at sticking my landings, but Lucas kept me upright. He still gripped my arms as I opened my eyes.
We stood in a room made of deep red stone. The nearest window was stained glass depicting a strange celestial scene composed of planets I couldn’t name. Through the colored glass I could vaguely see a vast rocky landscape.
Lucas released me, hissing like I had burned him. He looked around wildly, until his eyes focused on the other side of the room, on what I had already noticed.
Sebastian stood stiffly beside a beautiful woman with raven hair and his same uptilted eyes. She wore tight black pants, a white frilly shirt, and an honest-to-goodness frock coat with a black and white brocade pattern.
“You,” Lucas growled.
The female devil curled one corner of her wide lips. “Yes, me.” She held an old-fashioned lantern in onehand, glowing with the same blue light that had been in the cauldron.
To Sebastian’s credit, he took a step away from her as he addressed me. “Eva, allow me to introduce my sister, Penelope.”
23
“Sister?You said you didn’t know who she was!”
Sebastian tilted his head. “I said no such thing.”
“Okay, but you acted like you didn’t know her. You said you were going to do some digging.”
His eyes flicked to Lucas, still fuming at everyone. “And I did just that. Unfortunately my digging led all the way to the hells.”
My knees nearly buckled at his words. “Wait. Did you say the hells?”
“Well, one of them.” The tone of Penelope’s correction was far too similar to how Sebastian usually spoke to me. “And I must admit, you have saved me a lot of trouble. Here I thought I’d have to snatch you away myself.”
I looked from her to Sebastian. “What exactly is going on?” Was he here willingly? Did he help her steal the nymph’s magic?
“She is the one who claimed to know your mother,” Lucas growled. “She had my feather. She must have stolen it.”
Penelope’s eyes flashed with fire. “My, such accusations.”
“How did you get my feather?”
I looked at Sebastian as they spoke, but his expression gave me nothing. If anything, he looked bored. Was this it then? The ultimate betrayal?
But no… if he knew about his sister from the start, he wouldn’t have bargained with Fiorus for the name.
“Why did you steal the nymphs’ magic?” I asked before Penelope could taunt Lucas further.
She tilted her head. The similarities between brother and sister were almost eerie. “I stole it for you, dear Eva.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I looked at Sebastian. “Please feel free to step in and explain things at any time.”
But it was Penelope who answered, “My little brother sees the superiority of my plan. Why spend so much time trying to nurture your magic, when I can just give you all you need?” She lifted the lantern, gesturing to it with her free hand.