Forever (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #5)(70)

“You came.” Mina spoke first. She wanted to try and reason with him, maybe find her friends.

“I did, because you left.” His eyes lacked emotion.

Her fear-level rose, and she tried to squelch it. “Against my will.”

“That’s not what it looks like.” He lifted his hands and gestured to the pier. “You seem quite frantic looking for your brother and friends. I wonder where they could have gone.”

“Please, I would have stayed. It was my grandfather who took me. He thought he was rescuing me. He didn’t understand, even though I tried to explain you’d blame me and try to hurt my brother.”

“You’re right. I do blame you.” He stepped closer to her, his voice tapering off.

“Please, don’t hurt them. I’ll do anything,” she begged.

Teague became irritated. “We’ve been here before, Mina. I already made a deal with you, and you broke it. I can’t trust you.”

“Yes, you can.”

“You’re a liar.”

Mina closed her eyes and released the glamour, letting her siren side out. She wanted to see his face, his reaction when he saw her. She wasn’t disappointed. He looked surprised, and she saw a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth.

But what that smile meant was a mystery.

“I’m not lying or hiding anything anymore. You have my mirror. I can’t hide from you, so why would I run when I know you’ll find me?” This time she stepped toward him, closing the distance.

“Don’t think you can use your power on me, because I won’t be lured in by your tricks.” She took another step closer to him and met his eyes. Finally, she could read the emotions. He was angry enough that he could hurt her, but the way he kept looking at her lips told her he still wanted to kiss her.

Mina had to be careful. She was playing one of the most dangerous games ever. And with the most dangerous opponent.

“Do you have them?” Mina asked softly again.

Teague turned his head and looked across the water, refusing to make eye contact. “Careful, or I’ll destroy the whole pier. Shall I do what I did to your school here?”

Mina didn’t take the bait. “I don’t care about this place. I want to go back with you.” She took another step forward and was almost face to face with him. His skin had turned yellowish, his veins dark blue. Annalora had to be right. The tip was working its way toward his heart. He was getting worse.

Now he smirked. “Trying to bargain with me again. That’s not going to work. Maybe this will convince you I’m serious.” The fog still made it hard to see, but she could hear something. Very loud creaking of metal followed by popping sounds. Horns honked, and then the creak echoed across the water again.

“What is that?”

“The gate. I came through the same one you did.”

“But the sirens and the timing…how?”

“The sirens are gone. I had to move the stars and freeze the gate. My army must have finished coming through by now, so I imagine they are destroying it. Here, I’ll show you.”

Teague waved his hand, and the fog dissipated enough for Mina to see the Golden Gate Bridge bending and torquing as two stone golems attacked it. One worked on the base, bending and pushing the post, while the other stood in the middle of the road causing all of the cars to crash and veer dangerously as it snapped the cables.

“Stop it! People are going to get hurt.” What did he mean the sirens were gone?

“It’s too late for them, Mina. You can’t save them all, just like you couldn’t save your brother, friend, and boyfriend. But why should you? You always were selfish.”

Mina watched as the destruction kept on. A stone golem picked up the nearest car and tossed it into the bay. The fog continued clearing, and she could make out more of his army, of Reapers, giants, and beasts roaming and bashing the hoods of the cars. A bright yellow school bus was trapped on the bridge.

Angry tears flowed, and she turned on him. The Fae power rushed to her—her hair whipped her face, and heat rose to her eyes as the power crackled off of her and she channeled all of it at Teague.

Teague stepped back startled. “Your eyes!” His hand moved to his heart in pain. “Stop it!”

“Call off your army!” she demanded.

“Never!” Teague yelled back, his angry blue eyes glowing with power. He lashed out with a blast and flung Mina against the railing. She lost her focus, the air momentarily knocked from her, and he retaliated again. Another blast of power had her spiraling through the air.

Onlookers screamed as she landed on the pier. Nearby people scattered. Teague roared, and the wood planks began to crack along the pier, separating her from anyone trying to help.

Mina got back up and tried to reach into Teague’s mind. Searching, calling for him, for Jared. For the goodness that she knew was still inside of him. When Teague ran toward her, she stood her ground. She needed to get close to him.

“You are no match for me!” Teague stepped forward. With a wave of his hand, she slid across the pier and under the railing to fall into the bay.

She grabbed the post at the last minute and hung on, her fingers clawing at the post. Her feet dangled twenty feet above the water. Using every ounce of strength she had, she swung her body to the side and got her foot up. Slowly, she pulled herself back onto the pier.