Chapter 13

13

“ S o… that was unexpected.” Tenebris groaned as he sat up, gingerly prodding the back of his head.

I stared at the door Jack disappeared through. Had he really just been here? It all seemed so impossible, like the big twist in one of the telenovelas Abuela loved to watch. “Which part? The fact that my ex-fiancé has been living up here for the past ten years? Or that there’s an enormous monster lurking outside the door?”

“Mostly the first thing, but almost getting mauled by a fifty-foot abomination is a close second.” He grimaced while Calum helped him to his feet. “Gotta say, I think your old boyfriend’s a little hung up on you. Dude’s got a temper.”

He never used to have a temper. Gods, I don’t think I’d ever even seen him engage in a yelling match, much less tackle a man to the ground. Then again, he had a pretty good reason to be pissed. What with Noah stabbing him in the back ( fucking Noah ), and, well, everything else…

Being with you is all I ever wanted.

I’ve missed you so much.

Was it true? Had he been thinking of me this entire time? Pining after me? And you threw Tenebris in his face like a cold-hearted bitch. Nice one, Mari. All that work ‘trying to be a better person’ has obviously paid off.

Fuck.

“I’m gonna take a walk,” I muttered. “You two wait here for Jack.”

The boys exchanged uneasy glances. “He told us not to leave the room,” Calum ventured cautiously. “We should probably listen.”

“And I won’t,” I countered. “I just need…” What? A time machine? The ground to open up and swallow me whole? A shot of tequila? “…to clear my head.”

“Sure you don’t want some company?” Tenebris asked.

“I’m sure. I just need a moment alone.” I hesitated, a stab of guilt adding to my already leaden gut while he brushed off the grass and debris clinging to his pant legs. “And, um, sorry about throwing you under the bus like that. I may have panicked a bit.”

Tenebris snorted. “A bit? Girl, please. You were like a goblin who’d just been told there was only one bottle of pig’s blood left at the Night Market.”

“Goblins don’t drink blood,” I muttered, cheeks heating at the thought of being so awkwardly obvious. I shot Calum a warning look. If word of this got back to the pack, I’d never hear the end of it. Alpha or no.

Tenebris waggled his eyebrows. “I never said it was for drinking.”

“And on that note…” I turned and headed off in the direction of the stream, a tiny smile curving my lips. Say what you would about the boy, but there was no one better at dealing with my moods. Maybe that’s the real reason Abuela sent him along. She knew I’d need him with me. Which begged the question—had she known all along who the mystery person was? Had she sent me up here knowing full well it was Jack we’d find? Who am I kidding? It’s Abuela. Of course she did.

The moment I figured a way out of this place, words were going to be had.

I shucked off my boots when I reached the stream and rolled up my pant legs, the crystal clear water practically begging me to dip my toes in. Peering into the water, the tiny rocks of the streambed glittered in a brilliant mix of purple and teal, and I sighed with pleasure as I slipped one foot in. Rather than the icy chill I’d expected, the water was pleasantly warm while it washed over my skin. Stepping all the way in, I stretched my arms up toward the sun, letting its rays soak into my bare arms.

I know we must be inside the castle, but damn if that doesn’t feel like the real deal.

A nibble at my toe drew my attention back to the water, and a fish with iridescent green and yellow scales swam figure eights around my ankles. “Hey buddy. Those are feet, not food.”

The fish angled its head toward me, eyeing me before darting upstream. It paused, looking back as if to see if I would follow. Why not? I waded through the shallow water, with more fish appearing from beneath rocks and from behind plants, joining the procession as the water curved, dipping into the woods. I could just make out the edges of Jack’s cabin through the trees when the stream ended in a small pool. A frog sat on one of the large stones lining the edge, bathing in a patch of sun that streamed through a break in the trees. It straightened upon seeing me, sliding green flippers over its head as if to smooth its nonexistent hair.

“Let me guess,” I deadpanned. “You need a kiss in order to break some spell or whatever.”

The frog perked up, hopping closer and pursing its lips.

I snorted. “I think you have me confused with my friend Gretchen. Green’s more her thing.”

The hopeful glint in the frog’s eyes faded, and it slumped over on the rock.

“Tell you what. Show me how to get out of this place and maybe I’ll find it in my heart to give you a quick peck.”

The frog lifted its head, its eyes brightening once again. It hopped off the rock onto the soft green moss of the bank and over to an old, stone well covered in ivy. A conical roof made of faded gray shingles cast it in soft shadow, with a wooden bucket hanging ready for use. The frog leaped up onto the well’s edge and looked at me with what can only be described as pride.

“A well? This is your magical exit?” I peered into the shadowy depths, the tiniest hint of light skimming the water. It looked like your average, everyday well to me, but then again, I was talking to a frog who, by all indications, seemed to be communicating back. Given the circumstances, it at least warranted further inspection. I lowered the bucket down until it sank beneath the surface, then drew it back up. Cold water splashed my fingers as I pulled it up onto the stone ledge.

“Not gonna lie, buddy, but this well is looking more and more like just that—a well.” I bent down, sipping some of the clear liquid. It tasted heavenly after a morning of beanstalk climbing, running from giant monsters, and confronting long-lost exes. It also tasted like water. From a well. “Points for trying, I guess,” I muttered. Then, noting the disappointed look on the frog’s face, I sighed and held out my hand. “Come here, then.”

His eyes lit up, and he hopped eagerly onto my palm.

“Awfully trusting,” I said, lifting him to face level. “You do realize I could crush you as easily as kiss you, right?”

The frog gulped, and I would swear a trickle of sweat ran down its slick skin. The sight was so adorably comical, I couldn’t help but laugh, the weight that’d been threatening to crush me finally easing in the face of this tiny green amphibian. “Thanks,” I whispered, planting a kiss on its bald head. “I needed that.”

Unsurprisingly, the frog remained a frog, but at least I felt ready to wolf up and face what was waiting for me. I might not be able to give Jack what he wants, but I will find a way to provide him with what he needs—what we all need, come to think of it.

A way home.