When Darkness Ends (Guardians of Eternity #12)(72)

“I intend to find out.”

Cyn knew Styx was right.

It could be nothing, but they couldn’t afford not to discover if there was a connection.

“What do you need?”

“I want to find the prince.”

Before Cyn could answer, Fallon was walking toward the center of the street, her expression distracted.

“He was here,” she abruptly announced. “Along with a fairy and . . . a magic-user.”

Styx joined her, bending down to study the faint marks on the road that revealed where a portal had been opened.

“Human,” he murmured, glancing up at Fallon. “Can you trace him?”

Cyn was instantly at Fallon’s side, his arm wrapping protectively around her shoulders as he glared at his king.

“Are you out of your bloody mind?”

Styx slowly straightened, holding up a hand as he sensed Cyn’s barely restrained fury.

“Easy, brother.”

Brother, his ass.

“The Oracles already put her in danger,” he said, his voice flat with warning. “I’m not going to allow you to put her in even more.”

Fallon clicked her tongue with impatience. “Isn’t that my decision to make?”

Cyn kept his gaze locked on Styx.

“No.” Blunt. Uncompromising.

Levet sucked in an audible breath. “Sacre bleu. I thought you were supposed to be some female killer?”

Cyn sent the tiny pest a furious glare. “What did you say?”

“Lady killer, idiot,” Dante corrected.

Levet wrinkled his snout. “Either way, he is remarkably incompetent.”

Wicked humor glinted in Dante’s silver eyes. “Can’t argue with that.”

Cyn couldn’t either. Especially when Fallon was roughly pulling away from him.

“Princess—”

She faced him squarely, her hands on her hips. “Do you intend to tell me what I can and can’t do?”

He grimaced. Holy shite. His every instinct was screaming at him to lock her away so she couldn’t be hurt, but he’d be damned if he acted like her father.

“No.”

“Good answer,” Dante murmured.

Fallon sent him a last warning frown before turning toward Styx.

“What do you need from me?”

Styx sent Cyn a rueful smile before concentrating on Fallon.

“I want you to open a portal that will take us to Magnus.”

She paused, her brow wrinkled. “I can’t sense him.”

“What does that mean?” the king rasped.

Fallon gave a small shrug. “He’s either returned to our homeland or there’s some sort of magical barrier that’s interfering.”

Styx looked like he wanted to cut something with his big sword.

Or someone.

“Damn.”

Cyn’s stab of relief lasted less than the time it took Fallon to tilt her chin to a familiar angle.

Stubborn.

“I can follow his portal,” she said, refusing to meet his narrowed glare.

“Thank God,” Styx muttered. “I need you to open a passageway for the gargoyle.”

Levet gave a small squeak. “Moi?”

Styx kept his gaze locked on Fallon. “You’re not to leave the portal. Levet will get out and search for Magnus.”

Levet toddled forward. “Why me?”

“You’re the self-proclaimed Knight in Shining Armor,” Styx reminded the creature. “Aren’t you anxious to make sure that Tonya hasn’t been kidnapped?”

Levet’s wings drooped, cleverly trapped.

“I suppose it is my duty,” he grudgingly conceded. “How will I return home?”

“Trust me. A few hours in your company and the prince will be itching to bring you back,” Styx assured him in dry tones.

With a reckless lack of self-preservation, the gargoyle marched forward and pointed a claw toward the massive Anasso.

“You are fortunate that Darcy has made me promise not to turn you into a newt.”

Styx rolled his eyes before returning his attention to Fallon.

“You understand that you’re not to leave the portal?”

“She won’t,” Cyn said, his expression unyielding. “I’m going with her.”

Fallon glanced at him with a hint of resignation. “Cyn.”

He held up his hands. “I swear I won’t interfere.”

She hesitated, then with a shake of her head she gave a wave of her hand, opening the portal.

“Let’s go.”

Anthony had just returned to the secret chambers beneath his house when he heard the sound of an alarm.

“Now what?” he snarled, heading toward the circle of stones. A few seconds later he was staring into the fire that burned on the altar in time to watch a portal open just a few feet from his front door.

“Goddammit,” he breathed. “How the hell did they find me?” Hissing with exasperation, he sent a pulse of magic through the flames.

Time had just run out.

Chapter Seventeen

Fallon held the portal open, warily glancing at the precisely manicured gardens that surrounded the large mansion. The sun had just set, leaving behind a faint band of violet and orange on the distant horizon, but it was dark enough to be safe for vampires and gargoyles.