Unbroken Magic

Contents Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Epilogue One Evie I wasn’t exactly a stranger to bad days. But today might go down in history as one of the worst. Not only had Nathaniel kept the little fact that I was his mate from me, but so had both Danica and Kyla. Fury mingled with humiliation, and all I wanted to do was drink until I could no longer hear their excuses ringing inside my head. Unfortunately, from the look on Mere’s face, that was unlikely to happen. She sighed. “I’m sorry, Evie. I know this is a lot, but there’s something else you need to know.” I lowered my drink. “What is it?” “Kyla went after the sword. I assumed you were going too, so I didn’t stop her.” The world receded until I felt as if I were floating above my body. “She went alone?” Mere nodded, wiping at the same smudge on her bar, over and over. “She said she’d heard from Aubrey and the seelie king is moving up his schedule again.” Aubrey probably attempted to call me when I was in the underworld. When he couldn’t reach me, he’d called Kyla, assuming she’d fill me in. Instead, she’d gone alone. “Of all the stubborn—” I got to my feet and pushed the stool back under the bar. “I’m going after her.” Vas went still. “I’m coming too.” “No.” I cut him off. “You have a kid on the way. This is for Kyla and me to do.” Only, Kyla had obviously decided I wouldn’t be helping her. She’d also obviously decided our friendship was over. My memory provided me with the image of her wounded eyes when I’d confronted her, and I ran my hand over my face. After the fight we’d had, I couldn’t blame her. But it was stupid and reckless. We weren’t prepared to put the plan into motion together, let alone by ourselves. “I’ve got to go.” “How can we help, Evie?” Vas looked tortured. Next to him, Mere looked like she wanted to send him, but she had clamped her hand around her lower belly. “If we don’t come back, let everyone know who has us and why. That’s all I need. I’ve got this.” They let me go, but neither of them liked it. Unfortunately, that meant I had to return to the underworld. My mind was looping around the same thoughts over and over again. We weren’t prepared. We weren’t prepared. We definitely weren’t fucking prepared. I stopped at Aubrey’s. He paled when I told him what had happened. “She went alone?” “Yeah. Don’t worry, I’m going to kick her ass when I find her. If she’s still alive.” Guilt stabbed into my gut. If she wasn’t alive, it was all my fault. “I gave her the map,” Aubrey said, and I closed my eyes. “But I made a copy.” He took my arm and led me to the closest chair, guiding me into it. Then he turned and murmured to one of his servants. “I wanted to have a backup for my own records,” he admitted. “In case you decide to take the throne?” He sighed. “A lot more would go into it than a decision to take the throne and a map of his castle, but yes.” The servant returned and handed me the map. “I need to go.” “Wait. I have a few things for you. I’d hoped to give these to Kyla, but she was a little…wild when she arrived, and I didn’t get the chance.” Aubrey riffled through the hall closet and pulled out a backpack. He wandered away, although I could hear him muttering. When he returned, he patted the backpack twice. “There are a few things in here that should help. You’ll know how to use them.” “Thank you. If we don’t make it back…” “You will. You better make it back, Evie Amana, and you better bring Kyla home with you, or I’m coming after you. And I’m not yet prepared for war.” I nodded. Then I leaned up and kissed his cheek. His eyes glittered as he watched me turn to go. “Good luck.” I drove to Gary’s, where I parked my car and poked through the backpack Aubrey had given me. My mouth dropped open as my hand brushed a tiny jar of pixie dust. It could heal even mortal wounds if applied quickly enough. This jar was worth almost ten thousand dollars, although the human population had no idea it existed. If they learned of it, the next thing we knew, they’d be farming pixies for their dust. I still had the key Entaris had given us. I shoved it into one of the inside pockets of the backpack, then popped the trunk and pulled out the first aid kit Nathaniel’s wolves all carried in their cars. Gary watched me quietly while I stocked up on pain charms. I’d told him what had happened, and he was chewing on his gray lips with his sharp teeth. He loved Kyla too. I picked out some lapis lazuli, which was excellent for tracking spells if Kyla and I got separated after I found her. “Thanks, Gary.” “Good luck, kid.” I got back into the car and drove toward the portal to the underworld. I didn’t want to return, but I didn’t have much choice. This time, Danica was in the garden. “Evie.” A faint smile crossed her face, as if she thought I was here to apologize or some shit. “Kyla went after the sword. Without me.” Danica paled. I ignored the horror in her eyes. “I’ll forgive you if you give me Angelica’s ring,” I said. Danica glanced down at the ring,