Keeper(67)

I stared at Gareth, his words and the horrible realization of their meaning slamming me in the face. “No,” I said firmly when I found my voice again. “No.”

“There isn’t another option.”

“But you could be hurt . . . or worse. There has to be another way.”

Gareth crossed over to me and placed his hands on my shoulders. “I’m not afraid for myself. My only fear is what might happen if the Scavengers get their hands on you.” He gripped my shoulders even tighter. “They would deliver you directly to the Master, and that fate is not one I’d wish on my greatest enemy.”

I felt the tug of old Lainey on my psyche, the girl who would have accepted Gareth’s words as law without another thought—but I had made my choice and that wasn’t who I wanted to be anymore.

I stepped out of his hold and looked him square in the face. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but I won’t let you risk your life for me.”

“It’s not up for discussion.”

“Like hell it isn’t!” I hadn’t meant to raise my voice, but the words were fuel for my flames. “My mother died sacrificing herself for me. I won’t let you do the same.”

“This is the only way. We have to act now before it’s too late.”

“I refuse to believe that. I’m saying no, and I—”

“ENOUGH!” Gareth roared, his eyes flashing. “That’s enough, Lainey.”

I stared at him, my chest heaving.

“You think you understand what’s at stake here, but you don’t know the Master like we do. You don’t know what he’s capable of.” Gareth began to pace again, raking his fingers through his hair. “For years, the black magic in his veins has kept him alive, fueling his malevolence. He kills for sport and tortures his own kind for entertainment. If he gets his hands on you . . .” He whirled to face me. “I need to do this. Please, let me do this for you . . . and for your mother.”

Tell him no, the voice in my head whispered. There has to be another way. I opened my mouth, my lips already forming the words, but the look in Gareth’s eyes stopped me.

“Okay,” I finally whispered.

He didn’t wait for me to change my mind. Instead he moved back over to Serena and they began to discuss the logistics of the plan.

My entire body was shaking, a physical protest to the whole thing. Tiny arcs of green lightning were sparking from my fingertips again.

But my mind was made up.

“Don’t tell me to breathe,” I warned, when I saw Ty looking at my hands.

“Wasn’t going to,” he responded. Instead, he leaned over and pressed his shoulder against mine in a silent show of support. I bit my lip as an ache bloomed in my chest. It was a nice reminder of something good, even if it lasted only a second—even if my entire world was consumed with chaos.

“I’m gonna head home and pack a few bags,” Gareth was saying to Serena. “If the Scavengers are as close as you say, I’ll need to leave tonight for our plan to work.”

“What will you do?” Maggie asked, ever curious. “Where will you go?”

Gareth shrugged, a half smile on his face, though you could still see the worry painted across his features. “I’ll head toward the neighboring towns and search for my own kind. And I’ll do what I’ve always done—make swords. I’m a bladesmith, after all,” he explained. “And Faerie blades are infused with quite a bit of magic—it’s what makes them so powerful. It should be enough to draw the Scavengers away from here.”

Maggie’s face must have conveyed some hint of doubt, because Gareth winked at her. “Don’t worry, we Fae are tougher than we look.” He kissed Serena on the cheek and headed for the door without a single glance in my direction. Serena followed him, the murmur of their voices carrying down the hallway.

Maggie walked over to the couch and sat on my other side. “Hanging in there, Styles?”

I dropped my head in my hands. “This is never going to work. He’s going to get hurt. How can I let him do this?”

“How can you not?”

I sat up, looking at Maggie. “What? You agree with him?” My heart started racing again, and heat flooded through me.

“Hold on, now, Styles.” Maggie held up her hand. “No need to go all Dark Phoenix on me. All I’m saying is that Gareth has spent his entire life keeping you safe. Don’t you think you owe him a little bit of faith?”

The words were like a punch to the gut. “I guess I do owe him that.”

Maggie wrapped an arm around me and pulled me close. “It’s gonna be okay.”

I sighed. “I hope so . . . but a big part of this plan is contingent on me not drawing attention with my magic. How can I avoid something I have no control over?”

Maggie didn’t have an answer this time. We sat in uncomfortable silence for several minutes before Ty offered to take us home.

We walked down the hall and, after saying good-bye to Serena, headed toward Ty’s car. Maggie quickly crawled into the backseat, leaving me alone with Ty outside the car.

“Can I ask you if you’re okay now?” He grinned.

I laughed. “Yeah, I guess so, but I honestly don’t know how to answer.” I leaned against the car and looked up at the sky. It was dotted with hundreds of stars, twinkling against the velvet backdrop next to the half-moon shining brightly. It looked so calm and peaceful—the exact opposite of how I felt.