Allegiance (Causal Enchantment #3)(57)

I frowned. “Really? Nothing feels different to me.” Nothing at all.

“It worked!” Lilly’s eyes were wide with genuine seriousness. “I can feel it.” She grinned. “So … now what?” Did I believe her? Was I supposed to feel anything?

“You don’t believe me, do you?” Lilly’s grin plummeted.

“It’s not that I don’t believe you …” No, I don’t believe you. I sighed. Was what she did enough? “Sofie always says I’m too trusting and that I need to be a bit more guarded,” I explained.

“Sofie’s probably right,” Lilly conceded. “But either way, you have my allegiance. Tell me what you need me to do to prove it to you.”

Here we go. I wasn’t any good at telling people what to do. I sure as hell didn’t have any idea what to tell her to do about this war. Sofie was the one who knew what she should do, not me! And that gave me an idea.

“You need to listen to Sofie.” Lilly’s face twisted with displeasure. She opened her mouth, ready to protest, but I quickly interrupted her. “You wanted to know how to prove it to me. Well, that’s how. Listen, Lilly. I don’t know the first thing about wars and battle. My manipulation skills suck. Sofie, though, she knows these things. I trust her completely. You need to trust her too. You need to do as she asks. Listen to her, Lilly.”

Lilly’s lips pressed together. “I had a feeling you’d say that.” She pulled out her cell phone as she began walking back down the tunnel toward the exit. “Come on. We’d better get you home. Sofie’s liable to torch everyone otherwise.”

I trailed behind, deciding that when I knew I could trust her, Lilly would be my means to rescuing Veronique.

***

When the gates creaked opened for Lilly’s car, we found Ivan and a horde of his wolves standing guard just inside. It took another few minutes for the car to struggle up the winding, snow-covered driveway. When we reached the loop in front, a crowd of stern expressions had already gathered—vampire, human, and werebeast.

Amelie landed at my feet the second the door opened, throwing her arms around my neck. “I’m so sorry, Evangeline!” she cried out. “Oh, thank God! I couldn’t get to you! I couldn’t move! I’m so sorry!” she gushed. “By the time I broke free, you were already gone.”

I offered a small smile, wincing from the growing throb in my jaw. “It’s okay, Amelie. I’m fine.”

Her eyes darted to my jaw, eyebrows raised. “Uh, have you seen your face? You look terrible!”

“Okay, maybe not fine, but I’ll live.” I had no idea what I looked like. I’m not sure I wanted to know. I definitely didn’t want Caden to see me like that. Speaking of which … I took in the faces around me. Everyone was here. Everyone except Viggo and Caden. For a moment, a stab of pain poked at me, wondering where he was, wondering why he wasn’t concerned enough to be waiting for me, but I pushed it aside, remembering he was likely with Bishop.

As Lilly stepped out from the driver’s side, Amelie instantly lunged at her, her claws dangerously extended. “You bitch!” Luckily Mage was there to intercept the attack, securing Amelie in a partial headlock before she reached the tiny kidnapper. Lilly didn’t flinch. In fact, I’m pretty sure I saw her smile.

“We leave you two alone for a few hours …,” Sofie began in in a cold, hard voice as she walked forward, her light touch caressing my jaw, making a tsking sound. “Why must you decide to act like a rebellious teenager now, Evangeline? You were such an obedient child, always following the rules. Now that you’re in the most danger, you’re continuously doing stupid things!”

“Yeah, well, look where being obedient got me.”

Sofie paused to consider me. She said nothing, though, turning to Amelie. “And you! I thought you were smarter than that.”

“Here we go again! Seven hundred years old and I’m being scolded twice in one day.” Amelie crossed her arms over her chest.

“You deserve to be.” Julian stepped forward from just inside the door, his chocolate face screaming worry as he looked at me.

I offered him a small smile. “It’s not Amelie’s fault. I begged her to take me out. We wanted to get some Christmas presents.”

“I didn’t think we were being watched!” Amelie exclaimed.

“We’re always being watched, you twit!” Mortimer scoffed from his corner.

Sofie’s eyes drifted to Lilly. “I’m not sure that we were … until now. Someone may have tipped them off.” Her tone was thick with accusation. Was she accusing Lilly of being the informant? No! That couldn’t be. She was the one who saved me!

“It’s not her fault,” I said. “I wanted to go. I needed to get out. We both did …”

Silence met my admission of guilt. “What’s done is done,” Sofie stated, exhaling. “You can tell me all about it later. For now,” she turned to Lilly, “can I assume you’re willing to join us?”

Lilly’s mouth twisted in thought. “Perhaps.”

“Lilly,” I coaxed lightly, “remember what we agreed to. No more games. There’s too much at stake.”

Her face smoothed over with a nod. “I have pledged my allegiance to Evangeline. She’s asked that I listen to you as it relates to the war, and so I will.”