Reign (An Unfortunate Fairy Tale, #4)(22)

Mina walked closer. The vehicle that actually covered the manhole and blocked her escape was a small pickup that had been caught in the aftermath of a pile up.

Even now, she could see Ever and Nan pointing beneath a totaled Toyota. A fireman was carrying over a large hydraulic spreader to try and lift part of the car off of the hole.

“Nan! Ever! I’m over here!” Mina called out, waving from behind the police line.

Nan looked up and started shrieking. She ran to Mina and threw her arms around her. “Don’t you ever do that again!”

Ever rushed over behind Nan. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m fine. I think.” She rearranged her scarf so the soft material was up against her neck. The pain seemed to lessen a little that way.

“Mina, did you see?”

“See what?” she mumbled.

Nan leaned forward and cupped her hand over her mouth. “Ever can fly. She picked me up flew out of the way of the crash. I saw it.”

“Did not!” Ever denied it and rolled her eyes.

“Did too.” Nan placed her hands on her hips. “I know what I saw.”

“You have no idea what you saw. I think you got a bump on your head.”

Mina didn’t feel like hiding anything else from anyone ever again. Despite Teague’s warning. “Give it up, Ever. She saw you. And I know for a fact that she won’t give up till she proves you wrong. I actually think it’s about time we start sharing what we know and stop keeping my friends in the dark.”

Ever didn’t look pleased. Nan beamed and turned to give Ever a poke in the arm. “So how’d you do it? Happy thoughts and pixie dust?” She continued to walk around Ever, trying to find the secret of her flying.

Ever started laughing. “You have no idea how close to the truth you really are.”

Nan just crossed her arms and demanded an explanation. “Show me.”

“Wha—? No!” Ever waved her hands at her.

“Show me…or I’ll do something really embarrassing.”

Ever rolled her eyes. “That’s not hard to do when you hang out with a gimp.” Mina hated when Ever referred to her family that way, but she didn’t say anything.

Nan frowned and turned to Mina, worry etched across her face. “How’d you find your way out?” Nan lowered her voice.

“Yeah,” Ever said. “How did you escape?”

Nan shot her a doubtful look.

“What? She was kidnapped by an evil Fae prince.”

“No, he saved me, and then he let me go,” Mina said loosening her scarf again. “But not before giving me a warning.”

Ever sucked in her breath when she saw the purplish bruise. “He did that to you?”

“Yeah,” Mina dropped her hand to her side, feeling conflicted and confused about what had transpired with Teague.

“It seems there’s no hope for him,” Ever sighed sadly. “It would be best not to anger him. Just keep your nose clean.”

Mina swallowed and agreed. “That’s my plan. Except he seems to want something from me, and he’s threatened to hurt you. All of you—including Brody and Nix and my family.”

Ever didn’t even flinch. She seemed to accept the news.

Nan, on the other hand, flew off the deep end. “What? How could he threaten me? He doesn’t even know what he’s getting himself into. Just you wait. No one crosses Nan Taylor.”

“You’ll stop him before it comes to that, right, Mina?” Ever’s voice hinted at the fear that she hid behind her stony mask.

“I won’t let him hurt any of you.”

The rest of the afternoon was crazy hectic. Since the girls were just “witnesses” to the accident and not visibly involved, the police let them leave to go on with their business.

Mina wasn’t really in the mood to eat anything, and she honestly didn’t want to search for a dress anymore, but Nan dragged her along against her will.

“Fine,” Nan said. “If we can’t go to the café, then we shop. Shopping is the cure for everything. Plus, I’m not letting you out of my sight until you tell me everything…and I mean everything.”

Ever frowned. “Well, I don’t think—”

“Nope,” Nan interrupted. “We’re going to Lacey’s Boutique. I’ve made up my mind. It’s across town. Let’s go.”

Reluctantly, Ever and Mina got back on the next bus while Nan grilled them.

Once Nan learned that Ever was a pixie, she couldn’t stop talking to her about it. Mina didn’t mind shopping for dresses with Ever. In fact, recently, she had enjoyed the Fae girl’s company. Maybe they’d bonded over their grief at losing Jared or something. Still, she’d obviously done something to anger Ever again…which had never really taken a whole lot of effort.

“Do it again,” Nan whispered encouragingly to Ever. Nan had quickly bonded with Ever and had even gotten the pixie to show off a few of her gifts. Something that Mina had never even thought to ask about.

“Sure, pick someone.” Ever leaned back in the seat and put on a pair of white skull sunglasses—feigning sleep. She looked relaxed in her dark denim jacket over her striped pink tank and black skinny jeans. Her army boots were laced with skull shoelaces, and her nails were painted an awesome crackle black color.