Chapter 40

40

I t was raining when the world tipped over, and we went from falling to climbing, working our way up the thick rope while the fat droplets pelted our faces. Calum was at the top, waiting to help us over the well’s edge, but I ignored his hand, hoisting myself out before I gave into temptation and kicked the man climbing up beneath me.

Tenebris, the traitor.

I kept my back to him as I took in our surroundings: the backyard of a Bavarian-style farmhouse with a steepled roof of dark brown shingles. A dense forest curved around behind it, as if attempting to draw the house into its shadowy depths entirely. And what I couldn’t see but could feel in the subtle hum pricking my bare skin beneath my cloak—my human form having returned after passing through the portal—was the thick barrier lurking in those woods.

“Where are we?”

Annabelle-Harp’s voice drew my attention back to the group huddled beside the well, and I did a double take when I saw her standing there, arms wrapped around her little brother.

“Harp, you’re… you’re not a harp.” I rubbed my eyes. Is the rain playing tricks on me now, too? “The enchantment…”

She shook her head, strands of her rain-soaked hair plastered against her cheeks. “I don’t know how it happened, but the moment we came out the other side of the portal, I was human again.”

“It’s a miracle.” Danny clutched his sister’s arms where they folded in front of him. “Annabelle is finally Annabelle again.”

“Miraculous, indeed.”

Danny and Annabelle startled at the time-roughened voice that cut through the rain, but Calum, Tenebris (the traitor), and I merely turned toward the approaching figure, her wiry form obscured by the persistent downpour and a large, black umbrella.

“Abuela.” I stepped forward to meet her, ducking beneath the umbrella’s pointed brim to embrace the woman who’d raised me since childhood. “How is it you’ve had a magic portal in your backyard this entire time and never thought to mention it?”

“And how am I supposed to mention it, when you hardly ever visit?” Abuela’s hands framed my cheeks. “Look at you—practically a stranger to these old eyes. Why, I’d hardly recognize you if you weren’t wearing the cloak I made you.” She pursed her lips. “You do realize you’re supposed to wear clothes underneath it?”

“I’m aware,” I replied dryly.

“Mm hmm.” She tucked the crimson fabric around me before peering over my shoulder at the others. “Now, Tenebris I expected, and Calum isn’t all that surprising, but who are these other two? And where’s Jack?”

Jack.

My heart twisted painfully at the reminder. Would I know if they’d killed him? Without an official ceremony, our souls lacked the tether most mates had to each other, but still…

I would feel it. Even without a binding.

I searched Abuela’s amber eyes, her words finally clicking in my head. “You knew? That Jack was up there, in the castle?”

Abuela’s shoulders slumped. “He’s not with you, is he?”

“No, he’s not.” I spared Tenebris a brief glare before giving Abuela my full attention. “And I need to get back there so I can drag his wannabe hero ass back home. Please tell me you have more of those magic beans?”

“I’m afraid the ones I gave you were my last.” Abuela tugged on my arm, guiding me toward the house. “Never mind that, there are other ways to be had, but first we need to get you all in out of the rain so I can feed you. No one’s saving anyone on an empty stomach.”

“If we wait too long, there might not be a Jack left to save,” I protested.

“Now, lovey, when has your abuela ever steered you wrong? Hmm? Besides, Tenebris looks white as a ghost. If we keep him out in the rain any longer, he’s liable to melt away completely.”

“Good.” I grudgingly followed her along the stone path leading to the back door, even as every nerve in my body screamed at me to jump down the well and rip the portal back open, bean or no bean. “It’d save me the trouble of doing it myself.”

“Oh dear,” Abuela clucked. “What have you done now, mi chico tonto?”

“Just saved your granddaughter’s ass,” Tenebris grumbled, trailing behind us. “Though I’m starting to regret it.”

I whirled on him, claws flashing to the surface along with my anger. “You should regret it. I trusted you, and you fucking lied to me. You lied about saving Jack, and you forced me to leave him behind.” Tears stung the back of my eyes, but I held them back by sheer force of will. I would no t cry. Not now. Not ever. “If he had the right to throw himself on the sword for us, then I had the right to do the same. You should have let me stay.”

The twitch of Tenebris’s right eye was the only sign that he was fighting emotions of his own. “He wanted you to be safe, and damn it, Mari, so did I. I’m sorry, but if I had to do it over again, I’d still bring you here. Even if you hate me for it.”

I narrowed my eyes at my former best friend. “Well, congratulations, Ten. ’Cause I really fucking do.”

Abuela touched my arm. “Come inside, Mariana. I’m sure we can sort this out.”

I yanked my arm away. “I’ll come in, but I want one thing clear—I will never sort things out with that traitor. He’s dead to me.”

Tenebris blanched. “Mari, come on. You don’t mean that.” He turned to Calum, but he only shook his head, his expression hard.

“If you’re dead to the alpha, you’re dead to the pack.”

“Are you serious right now?” Tenebris rasped. “Am I the only sane person in this gods damned place? I saved her life.”

“You left my mate to die.” I gave him one last glare while Abuela brushed past me, shooing the others into the house. “Did you really think I’d be okay with that?”

Rain streaked down Tenebris’s face in rivulets as he met my glare with a steely-eyed one of his own. “Honestly, Mari? Yeah, I kind of did. And do you know why?”

My fingers clenched into fists, claws piercing the soft skin of my palms. When I didn’t answer, his lip curled into a sneer. “’Cause you’re a fucking cold-hearted bitch.”

His words hit me like a slap to the face, the truth making them hurt that much more. He was right, I had been a bitch, and not just under his previous dark influence. But people were allowed to grow and change, and I’d worked hard to soften some of my sharper edges over the past two years. No, I’d never be as sweet and thoughtful as Lyall or as compassionate as Gretchen, but who cared? Not me.

“Fuck you, Ten.”

Hurt flickered through his eyes, but it was gone in a blink, replaced by a bitter hardness. “Yeah, well, been there, done that. Be honest, Mari—is there anyone in the forest you haven’t fucked?”

I turned and stepped inside the house, slamming the door in his face.

“He doesn’t have anywhere else to go, you know,” Abuela said quietly, the barest hint of reproach in her tone as she handed me a teal blue towel to dry off with. Annabelle and Danny had already been sent off to shower and change into some of the spare clothes Abuela kept on hand (werewolves being notorious garment shredders), leaving me to crowd around the tiny breakfast table with her and a stormy-eyed Calum.

“He called me a slut, and you’re worried about him being out in a little rain?” I scoffed, vigorously rubbing down my mop of curls. “Real nice, Abuela.”

“He has a fragile heart.” Abuela pinned me with a look. “And you know he didn’t mean it.”

“Whatever,” I grumbled. “It doesn’t even matter. All I want to think about right now is how the hell I’m going to get back in that castle before Jack…” I swallowed. “Before it’s too late.”

Abuela nodded. “I’ll put the kettle on, and you fill me in on everything I’ve missed.”

“Since sending me off to investigate a mysterious call for help?” This time it was me giving Abuela the look. “Admit it—you knew it was Jack the whole time, didn’t you?”

She shrugged. “Well, yes. Who else could it have been, when I know for a fact he’d either have to be dying or in distress for this to come off his hand?” She dug into the pocket of her hand-knitted (and somewhat lumpy) cardigan and pulled out a wide, silver band.

“Jack’s bonding ring.” I thumbed the bare skin of my middle finger where mine would have been had I not given it away. Damn. I should have made Tenebris return it before sending him off. But… how do you have it?”

She placed the band on the table, and I instinctively reached for it, my own ring warming at its mate’s proximity. “Believe it or not, it came flying up out of the well the other day. Smacked me right in the side of the face while I was trimming the begonias.” She rubbed her cheek with a grimace. “Stung like the devil.”

I turned the ring over in my palm, an image of its owner dancing through my mind. “How’d you know it came from the Sky Castle?”

“I didn’t,” Abuela admitted. “There are many wishing wells throughout the world, and they’re all connected by a web of magical portals. It could have fallen through any one of them and it would have come here regardless, drawn to its mated pair.” She arched a wrinkled brow. “Had you not lent yours to Tenebris so he could pass through the barrier and come here, it probably would have flown through one of the wells inside the forest and been picked up by some passing sprite or another. Lucky thing he was here, no?”

I ignored her less-than-subtle message regarding He Who Was Dead To Me. “You still haven’t answered my question—how did you know Jack was trapped up there?”

Abuela sat in the chair beside me, placing her hand over mine while she met my gaze. “Because I saw how much that boy loved you. The way he lit up whenever you were near. I hadn’t seen someone that smitten since your abuelo started courting me, all those years ago. And to leave with nothing more than a hastily-written note?” She shook her head. “It never sat right with me. So when that ring showed up, and I ran through all of the possible wells it could have come from, it finally clicked. He’d climbed that damnable beanstalk and gotten himself into trouble in typical Jack-fashion, only this time he hadn’t had you along to get him out of it.”

“Noah was with him,” I confirmed. “Who, by the way, knew he was up there this entire time but was too chicken shit to fess up. He faked the note about Jack leaving to cover the whole thing up.” Ooh, when I got my claws on that bastard…

“Little Noah.” Abuela tsk ed. “Who would have thought?”

“Trust me, I’ll be extracting a long and excruciating explanation from him in the future.” I flexed my fist over Jack’s ring. “But right now all that matters is getting Jack out.”

I proceeded to catch her up on everything that’d happened since climbing the beanstalk—minus a few of the spicier moments—while she poured three mugs of steaming hot tea. Calum interjected a gruff word or two but remained quietly pensive for the most part. When I finished, Abuela was already nodding her head.

“So you need to get back in the castle, but the beanstalk has mysteriously disappeared? And the giants have returned and are looking to crush some bones.”

I sighed, a wave of helplessness washing over me. “That pretty much sums it up.” I slid Jack’s ring onto my finger, spinning the large band in slow circles. “You said this ring came flying through the portal on its own?”

She nodded. “That’s right.”

Hopeful excitement bubbled up inside my chest. “Does that mean we can pass through the portals if we’re wearing our rings? Like we do with the forest barrier?” Visions of climbing down the well immediately danced through my head, and I was halfway out of my chair before Abuela placed a staying hand on my wrist.

“Lo siento, lovey, but I’m afraid that won’t work. The portal magic is”—she shrugged—“different from the barrier’s. The ring won’t pull anyone through with it.” She grimaced. “Trust me, I tried.”

Disappointment dragged my budding hope right back down into the mud.

“However,” Abuela continued. “None of that matters, as I know exactly what we need to do to reach the Sky Castle. So.” She set her mug down with a decisive clack. “You two eat whatever you can find in the fridge to fuel up with, and I’ll pack. We’re going to be running nonstop for a while, and I’m going to need you both in fighting form when we arrive.”

She stood, grabbing a dark green cloak similar to my red one out of the closet, and a whisper of hope bloomed in my chest once again as she slung it over her shoulders. “When we arrive where?”

“Why, Mondue, of course.” She wiggled her fingers, showing off the etched gold band on her own left hand. “I’ll lend Calum your abuelo’s ring so he can pass through the barrier into the forest with us. I’m assuming once we’re inside, you’ll be able to call for the rest of your pack?”

“Well, sure, they’ll be able to hear me, but… why Mondue? I already told you, the beanstalk was destroyed.”

“And what were-witch worth her salt doesn’t know how to grow a beanstalk?” Abuela pulled a glass mason jar from the top shelf of one of her cupboards and shook the dried green beans inside. “I may be out of magic beans, but I’ve got ample normal ones. All they need is a little assistance from a few capable witches.” She winked. “Now, go on and eat up. You’re going to need a full stomach if we want to reach Mondue by morning.”

She was serious. We were actually going to do this. Adrenaline raced through my limbs like wildfire, and I leaped to my feet to do as she said. Halfway to the refrigerator, however, I paused. “Wait—you keep saying we, but in the note, you claimed you were too frail to pass through the barrier anymore.” I eyed her petite figure, looking for signs of weakness she might be hiding. “Are you sure you should be coming with us?”

She smirked. “So I lied. Sue me.”

“Abuela!”

“What? I’m old. It’s my job to play matchmaker. And given how mulish you are, I doubted you’d go up there if you knew it was Jack I was sending you after. Now, no more questions. You eat, I pack. End of story.”

I shook my head, but dutifully remained silent while I began assembling the sandwich material Calum had already taken from the fridge. She was right. All that mattered now was getting to Jack.

And hoping to the goddess that he was still alive when we arrived.