Chapter 57

Evie

" We're here," Becky said. "This is my family's fortress."

Except they weren't near an estate of any kind, just an empty clearing surrounded by fog right outside Hickory Forest. Silence befell the group as they all looked around. The boss's normally blank expression was changing to reveal frank skepticism. Evie merely blinked, waiting to see something appear from the fog, but nothing did. Was Becky playing a trick on them?

Blade broke the silence first. "It's really nice, what they've done with the place."

They all groaned.

Becky ignored them, walking forward, fishing out a golden key from her pocket, twisting it in the open air, and then standing stock still, waiting for…something.

"Do Rebecka's glasses give her heightened vision? There's nothing there." Tatianna scanned the air with concern, her long fingers lighting up, ready to use her magic if need be.

Blade crossed his arms and hissed back at them, "Could we all just give her a chance to get herself sorted? She doesn't need our censure. Can't you see she's terrified?"

Evie could see it in the slight, almost undetectable shaking that ran from Becky's shoulders all the way down to her outstretched hand. A pang of tenderness gripped Evie's heart as she surged forward and placed a gentle palm on Becky's shoulder. "Remember what I said to you on my first day?"

Becky's eyes rounded as she contemplated the question. "You said that it was nice to meet me and that you hoped we'd be friends."

Evie grinned. "What else?"

"I don't remember anything else. I stopped listening after you said friend ."

Evie sighed. "I said that you seemed fearsome and in control of yourself. Your family, no matter what, cannot rob you of that. You are in control. And more importantly, you are not alone."

Evie still saw fear as Becky squared her shoulders, angling the key up. She admired the woman for it, because it wasn't thoughtless bravery that won the fiercest battles—it was welcoming the fear that lived inside your heart, in your mind, and harnessing it to carry your feet forward, knowing it couldn't control you.

Rebecka Erring—or rather, Rebecka Fortis?—moved forward, not turning the key now but thrusting it up into the empty air.

And then the world around them cracked open.