Page 131 of Blood that Burns
She’s the second person to insist that Marina stays behind.
“Why? What will happen?”
I’ve already been told we wouldn’t come home, but what does that mean? Can Madame Solheim shed more light on the outcome?
Her eyes move around the room, and I wonder if we are actually alone after all. She leans in. “The Fae are up to their tricks. It is they who are pulling all the strings.” She pulls away, straightening the boxes on the chest absently. “It’s not the vampire war you should be concerned with, but the war brewing between Heaven and Hell.”
My mouth falls open. “Heaven and Hell? They’re at war?”
Her head tilts and her lips purse. “Nearly.” She shakes her head. “The players don’t realize that the Fae are the puppet masters. They have an agenda that involves Earth.”
“What do the Fae want with Earth?”
She clucks her tongue. “What don’t they want?”
As if that explains it.
“They’ll use everyone to get their way. Including you, Magdalena. It’s up to you and your sisters to stop it, but all in due time.” She starts toward the front of the house, and I follow with the emerald clasped between my hands. “For now, discover the truth that only the Fae can offer,” she says over her shoulder. “And trust the witch who brought you here. She means you no harm.”
Her advice flops from one topic to the next and my head spins. I wish Law were here to help me remember everything she’s thrown at me.
When we make it to the front door, she spins around and nearly bumps into me. I jump, caught off guard by the sudden move.
“Lawrence and Julian must accept their invitation to Hell.” She grabs my arm, squeezing a little harder than necessary. “Everything rides on them being there.”
“Hell?” I squeak, but she’s ushering me through the door and practically shoving me down the stairs before turning around and heading back inside.
“That was... unnecessary,” I say, rubbing at my smarting arm, but the witch is gone, and the red door is closed.
“Maggie,” Law yells from outside the black wrought-iron fence. “I... can’t get in,” he says, pulling at the gate.
It won’t budge.
Reese is sitting cross-legged on the sidewalk, leaning back on her hands, appearing rather entertained at Law’s distress.
“The oaf won’t listen to me. I told him he’s blocked out and to give it up.” She sits up, motioning with one hand toward him as he continues to struggle with the gate that won’t give way. “Yet he persists.”
I smother a chuckle, pushing through the gate with ease.
“You okay?” I goad. “As you can see, I’m fine. I can handle myself.”
He huffs. “It’s not about that. She pushed us out,” he growls, staring up at the red door as if he’s going to plow through like a raging bull.
“You can calm down. I don’t think you have a shot at breaking in. Besides, what good would it do? We have shit to accomplish.”
I start walking down the deserted sidewalk, with Reese quickly catching up.
“Did you learn anything new?”
I bob my head, trying to wade through all the information Madame Solheim provided.
“It seems like the Fae are causing a lot of problems and my sisters and I are the ones to make it stop. Or make it better.” I shake my head. “She wasn’t exactly clear on that part.”
Reese snorts. “If you haven’t already learned, witches are very vague.”
I turn to her, eyebrows raised in ayou don’t sayexpression.
“It’s because our visions are fluid. Things can change, and it’s better to give the overarching themes as opposed to getting bogged down in the nitty-gritty when things can shift on a dime.”