Chapter 130

“What’s – what’s happening!?” I gasp, spinning towards Life, desperate to know.

“A call to war,” Life says, leveling her gaze at me. “My brother has challenged you and recalled his son, as is his right. The Selkie I see,” she says, shifting her gaze to Laila now, “is thoroughly yours. That as well done.”

I just stare at her, shocked that she’s so calm. “What do we do!?”

Life turns her eyes back to me, a smirk pulling up the corner of her lip. “Whatever you wish, Juniper Sinclair. You can accept the challenge or ignore it as you will. Though of course, there will be consequences if you don’t.”

I look frantically between Anton and Laila, confused.

“The girls,” Laila says, stepping towards me, her hands neatly clasped in front of her. “The other girls. If we don’t go, he’ll harm them.”

I let out a long breath, closing my eyes, frustrated at this timing. Because all I want to do is get Tony his body back as soon as possible. But, of course, if the girls are at risk – and Orion too – then we have to help.

“We don’t have a choice, June,” Anton says, stepping close to me and putting a hand on my back. I look up at him, desperately sad. “I can wait. Death has played his card well here with the timing, hasn’t he?”

I sigh, staring up at his handsome face, and nod. “Yes, he’s been very crafty, hasn’t he?”

I clench my teeth for a moment, closing my eyes and letting my mind whip through all of the possibilities and options. But really, in taking Orion and holding all the girls…he’s really put me in a corner, hasn’t he?

After all, he knows I have a heart.

For a just a moment I wish that I was a heartless deity like Life or Death – just moving through the world, completely jaded to the sanctity of individual life, not really caring who lives or dies as long as it serves my purposes.

But that desire passes very quickly.

My parents raised me better than that.

I open my eyes, focusing them on Life, determined. “Can you provide me any aid?”

She folds her arms, looking at me evenly. “You propose that I take your side in a war against my brother?”

“In aid of your nephew. And your son, who will inherit Death’s throne at my side.” I nod at Anton.

She smirks. “Not enough, my dark little moon. But,” she shrugs. “I won’t delay you any further.”

I gasp as Life raises her hand into the air and twists it, as the world fades away into smoke and dust and reforms a moment later. I stumble to the side a bit, the ground beneath my feet different now – dirt and sand, not marble floor.

I blink as Anton reaches for me, pulling me close, and when I’m assured that he’s here too – solid, if not warm – my head whips around, taking everything in.

Instantly I recognize the gate to Life’s city, where the Goddess has brought all of us – Anton and I, Faiza and Laila too.

“From here you can transport yourself,” Life says, a bit bored.

I bite my lip, wondering if I can, because Orion always did that –

But Anton gives me a squeeze and I can almost feel him reminding me that I’m more powerful than that. That this is my world now, and reality is what I will it to be. Which means if I want to cross this landscape in a moment I can.

My magic swells within me and my wolf shakes out her fur, eager, loping eagerly at the edge of it like some great sea. And internally I know that it’s true – and very possible.

“All right,” I say on a deep sigh, fixing my eyes on Life again. “Thank you for that. And for…everything. For the information. I am very grateful.” I don’t go so far as to say that I’m in her debt, though, because honestly I’m not very happy with her. My boyfriend is her son, and I think she could have been a great deal kinder to him, both today and within his life.

Life gives me a brief nod and then turns her attention to Anton, reaching her hands for him.

Anton lets his arm slip from my shoulders for a moment and Laila, Faiza, and I watch as he steps forward. Life again takes his face between her hands and studies him. She smiles after a moment, giving him a nod, letting him know that he has passed muster. Then she leans forward, pressing a single kiss to his brow.

“I will see you again soon, my little crescent wolf,” she murmurs, kind if not precisely loving.

Tony just stares at her, I think a bit in awe of her and all the information we got today.

In a blink she vanishes and Anton stumbles a bit to the side, I think even more stunned than I am.

I take a deep breath and look to the side, opening my mouth to ask Laila her opinion on what we should do next, but I go still with surprise when I see that Faiza is still there, looking around at all of us, her eyes narrowed in judgment as if she finds us a bit wanting.

I cock an eyebrow at her as Anton comes to my side, sipping an arm around my waist, I think wanting me close. “Well?” I say to Faiza, even as I lean against Anton, wanting him to have all the support he needs. “Are you coming with us?”

She bursts out with a little laugh and shakes her short hair back. “Not a chance.”

“Okay,” I say, raising my brows at her expectantly, sarcasm seeping into my words. “Then did you like…want to grab a cup of tea or something?”

Faiza turns her eyes to me, her mouth spreading into that fiendish little grin that lets you know – without a single word – just how much fun she’d have watching you suffer. “I’m on my way out, demon kitten. Don’t rush me.”

“No, Faiza, stay,” Anton says, a little of that playful flirtation coming into his voice, even if it’s shakier than it would usually be. “We’ll miss you too much if you go.”

“Well you I’ll miss, cutie,” Faiza says, flicking her eyes up to him, her face genuinely softening now. “But I gotta go back to Moon Valley. See to Princess Bubblegum’s continued education. I’ve got big plans for that one.”

My eyebrows raise at this because…god, that sounds so simple and mundane in comparison to what we’ve got coming up next. A little swell of jealousy pulses through me.

“Lucky you,” Tony says on a sigh, and I look up to see that he’s just a little bit jealous too.

“Oh, I have a feeling we’ll be seeing you soon,” Faiza says, looking between the three of us again. “But…be careful out there, all right?”

I stand a bit straighter, surprised at her support. I mean…I kind of just held her captive for a few days, and she’s still rooting for me?

I mean, how long does it take for stockholm syndrome to kick in?

Perhaps sensing the direction of my thoughts, Faiza focuses on me. “I’m still a patriot and a wolf, Juniper. I work for Life but still want the Goddess’s vision for this universe to come to fruition.”

“Is Life…okay with that?” Laila asks, tilting her head to the side.

“You’re just a priestess, Laila,” Faiza says, snapping her eyes to my friend. “Not a devotee. Your opinions and allegiances are your own. Don’t forget that. She doesn’t own you.” She points a long finger at me.

I put my hands up, a frown taking my mouth. “I never said I did.”

But they both just ignore me, Laila giving Faiza a long and slow nod.

Faiza nods back, sharp, and then turns her eyes back to me, angrier than she was a moment ago. “Watch out for Death, June, he’s got some tricks up his sleeve. But for god’s sake, stop underestimating yourself. That is by far your weakest point in this whole game.”

“What?” I ask, my eyes going wide.

“June,” Faiza snaps, advancing a step towards me, her eyes narrowing to a glare. “Have you seriously not figured it out?”

I just stare at her, shocked and getting kind of angry at myself because…

No, god damn it, whatever she’s talking about – I certainly have not figured it out.

And Faiza is looking at me like a damn idiot for not putting the pieces together.

My hackles rise a bit. I bare my teeth.