“Exploded?” Carrick murmured, fascinated by the description.
“Not like blood and guts exploded, but more like her body blew apart in a spray of black dust that was sort of shimmery. I remember it hanging in the air. I held my breath so I wouldn’t breathe any in, and then it just sort of disappeared. I assumed that meant she had gone through the veil into the changeling’s body.”
Carrick dipped his head, making sure he had Zora’s eyes. “I’m sorry that happened to you. We’ll help you avenge what was done to you.”
“You don’t have to—”
Carrick cut her off. “I do. Because what was done to you has torn Finley up, and when someone hurts Finley, I make sure to hand out retribution.”
Zora looked off to the side to where her sister was talking to Titus before giving her attention back to Carrick. “Finley is lucky to have you.”
“I’m lucky to have her,” he countered.
Zora actually smiled, but it was a bit on the apologetic side. “I don’t pretend to understand what you two have. I never saw love and commitment in the Underworld. Relationships weren’t like that. More like business partnerships. But… it’s nice, I’ll have to say.”
Carrick had a pang of pity for all she had not only lost, but also what she’d have to re-learn in this world. It would be difficult for her at best, perhaps an impossibility at worst.
“What about Amell?” Carrick asked. Finley had filled him in on the ways that Amell had looked out for her, and while she didn’t give him details, he assumed there might be something romantic between them.
“He’s a friend who took great care of me throughout the years,” Zora replied, a very benign statement that didn’t say anything about their true relationship.”
Once again, Zora looked over at her sister before bringing her eyes back to Carrick. “But he was also the one who worked in conjunction with the Light Fae to fill me with magic throughout the years. It was painful, and he was part of it.”
This was news to Carrick. Finley had told him that Zora only ever talked about Amell with fondness and respect. In this instance, she sounded bitter.
And Carrick remembered something that happened in the Underworld. “When Amell brought us to you, he wasn’t happy that you’d kept the secret from him that you had a sister communicating with you.”
“No, he wasn’t happy at all,” Zora agreed.
“And you replied back to him, something to the effect of ‘let’s not start playing games when it comes to secrets’.”
Zora nodded, her eyes flashing with anger. “As much as Amell has done for me throughout the years, even treating me magically to heal my pain from the sessions with Pyke, he had told me a very deep lie that I’m not sure I can forgive.”
“And what’s that?” Carrick asked softly. He noted that the song had ended and they both came to a stop on the floor, despite another song starting up that was also slow enough to continue to dance.
“When I got older, I asked him where I came from, and he told me I was an orphan taken off the streets back in the Earth realm. I had no idea I had a family, much less an identical twin sister. I know he thinks telling me that was for my own good, so I wouldn’t wonder what I was missing, but the first time Finley contacted me and I realized she was telling the truth, my trust in Amell was damaged.”
“Is it still?” Carrick asked. Really, at that point, he needed to know if this was something that could be used down the road. Would Amell be willing to earn Zora’s forgiveness by helping them? Finley was certain he cared for Zora.
“I don’t trust anyone fully,” Zora replied, stepping away from Carrick. “Twenty-eight years of abuse and fending for myself made me only have faith in myself.”
Carrick’s voice was soft with empathy. “Understandable.”
Zora nodded, tipping her head. “Thank you for the dance. I know you were saving me from your brother, but truly… I can handle him.”
Carrick grinned at Zora. He appreciated moments like this, and he knew she might have a chance in acclimating to this world after all.
Zora moved away from Carrick. Before he could even turn around, there was Finley. With a smile, he pulled her into his arms and they moved like magic. She may not have it in her to do a good Macarena, but she was all grace and elegance within his embrace.
“Titus tell you about his idea to go to Semper Terra tomorrow?” Carrick inquired.
Finley tipped her head back. “It’s a great idea. I’ll talk to Zora about it after the wedding festivities.”
For several beats of the song—Come Away with Me by Norah Jones—they danced closely and in silence. Finley put her cheek to his chest, and he could feel the pulse of his heartbeat against her.
“I think we should get married after the ritual,” Carrick said out of the blue. To give Finley credit, she didn’t so much as twitch at the proclamation.
While he couldn’t see her face with his chin currently resting on the top of her head, he could hear the lazy smile in her voice. “That would be lovely. Maybe an elopement to somewhere tropical,” she suggested.
“I can totally arrange that,” Carrick replied. “And we can get married on a beach—you in a very miniscule bikini, of course—and we’ll spend days upon days making love afterward.”
Finley sighed dreamily against him. “That sounds amazing.”
Neither one mentioned what a long shot this was because she would most likely die in the prophecy. But there would be another time for them to get married, and it would definitely be on a tropical beach because it would make her deliriously happy.
Except Carrick didn’t feel that way just now. His heart was heavy knowing that his current time with Finley was ticking away, and he was not ready to lose her yet.
CHAPTER 12
Finley
There’s so much bad in my world these days that I feel almost guilty for being practically giddy with excitement that I’m going to Semper Terra.
That magical place Titus first told me about months ago.
Semper Terra.
Forever Land.
The Peter-Pan-esque realm where mermaids swim in the crystal blue bays, people are imbued with magic so they can fly, and no one ever ages as long as they live there.
Oh, and of course, it’s where they train annihilators who will then go out into the Earth realm and destroy evil beings to help keep the human population safe.
Titus had told me once I’d be a good annihilator. Before I knew my destiny was so entwined with Carrick’s, I thought that might be a good life for me after this whole prophecy business played out.
But if I have a life with Carrick, it will never be on Semper Terra and so that career path is not an option.
After the wedding celebration, Rainey and Myles were sent off on one of Carrick’s private jets to Fiji for a well-deserved honeymoon, all at his expense, which makes me love him even more. Carrick, Titus, and I talked to Zora about going to Semper Terra to see if we could tap her powers.
I thought she might be reticent as she’s still so very closed off about many things, but to my surprise, she thought it was a good idea. I think she is understanding the meaning of freedom now that she’s not in the Underworld and she can truly do whatever she wants.