Part 23 (1/2)

And then he took off.

Lucy didn't hesitate to follow him, and Brace and I soon caught up to the pixie. Colton was much faster than we were, but as long as we kept him in sight it wouldn't matter if he pulled ahead.

”Why is Colton so much quicker than regular Walkers?” I asked Brace.

He gave a half-grin. ”Any Walkers that have a secondary ability ”

”Like your tropical cyclone,” I interrupted.

His grin widened. ”Exactly. Well, we're faster and stronger in our other forms. It's as if that ability amplifies the already superior abilities of Walkers.”

”Geez, Brace, you're just so modest. You should get some more confidence,” Lucy drawled, fluttering her wings so rapidly I almost couldn't see them.

One thing Walkers had no lack of was confidence. Especially Brace. He knew he was awesomesauce.

He shrugged. ”I just call them how I see them.”

We were weaving through the main street of Angelisian. The day was warm. Angelisian rarely seemed to get cold, although I detected the slightest of chills in the air at night now; nothing like the frigid winters of New York, though. We were slowly working through the seasons of First World, but it seemed to be pretty much middle ground the entire time.

The various shoppers milling around the market square barely batted an eye as a large wolf, two Walkers and a pixie zipped past. It was like the start of a bad joke.

Colton led us out of the town. The gates knew us now and opened without pause. I recalled this path from our first journey so long ago.

My eyes clashed with Brace's. He'd told me that he remembered some of taking us to Angelisian, but it wasn't until I filled in the rest of the details he realized how much had been taken from him. Including the first time he'd called me Red. All the romantic memories.

”So much has changed,” Lucy said, her tone low. ”It's been a blink of an eye since we walked through that wall to First World, and yet in experiences at least ten lifetimes have pa.s.sed us by.”

”Have you ever asked Quarn how he opened that doorway?” Brace asked. The superiorly-fit-a.s.s wasn't even breathing heavily. I had no doubt that he could go like this for days. ”Because I've never heard of any but Walkers being able to move like that between the worlds.”

My forehead crinkled as his words washed over me. ”No, I haven't asked him again.”

I felt as if there were so many little things which had happened that I had simply accepted or shoved from my mind. But were some of them important? Was I ignoring information that might give us some advantage against the Seventine?

”I just a.s.sumed it was because he held the laluna,” Lucy said. ”If they decided to open the s.h.i.+mmery portal thing for us, then they'd have no problem, right?”

Brace gave her a nod. ”They most definitely could have achieved that. But it begs to be explained why they would respond to Quarn.” His expression softened as it touched on my face. ”It was probably because you were there, Red.”

My laluna was very tied to me. But something was niggling at the back of my mind about that whole thing now. I hadn't been worried, but thanks to Brace's words, it was really bugging me. I needed to speak with Quarn. And I could check if my laluna was at the castle with the other royal stone. I hadn't seen it for a while.

”What about before that, when Abbs disappeared and ran into you in this forest?” Lucy said to Brace. ”How the h.e.l.l did that happen. She had no laluna then?”

He didn't hesitate to answer; he'd clearly thought about it before. ”I think as Red approached her enlightenment, our bond was attempting to connect us.” He met my gaze. ”Somehow our energy locked between the worlds and it was like you traced to me, but it was awkward because you didn't have your full powers yet.”

I remembered the pressure and pain. It had been unpleasant. But meeting Brace ... more than worth it.

”Best day of my life,” he said to me.

I blew him a kiss. ”Mine too.” And it had been. I never knew it then, but I was the luckiest person alive.

We entered the forest and either Colton was slowing or we were getting faster, because he was much closer in front.

”Did you tell Brace about Lucas' visit the other day?” Lucy changed the subject.

”What?” Brace's voice went in to the low, scary register. Where I knew he was thinking about doing bad things, like ripping Lucas' head from his shoulders. ”Might be time to make it a little clearer that you are off-limits to him.”

”Come on, it's not like I'm all loving-me-some Lucas,” I pointed out. ”Most of the time I don't even like him. He just thinks I'm still the empress.”

”Plus he seemed to have a thing with Ria.” Lucy was smiling. ”And if anyone can keep his b.u.t.t in line it's Mother Nature.”

”Well, let's hope that's the case, and I might let him keep his arms and legs attached to his body.” Brace reached out and pulled me closer to him. We were practically running on top of each other and I was okay with that.

”You were always possessive,” Lucy said, examining us. ”But you seemed to have upped it a notch, Brace. What's with that? Are you and Colt having some sort of compet.i.tion?”

He met her gaze with his own serious expression, but I saw a twinkle in his eyes. ”I think it's because we have no bond at the moment. My entire being wants to tie Red to me. It goes against the order of nature for Walkers to stay unbonded, and that causes a bit of aggressive and possessive nature.”

”Well, that might explain Colton. He informed me last night that he wasn't waiting any longer for us to complete our mating bond. He said it's too dangerous for his wolf. He wants to have the ceremony after we get back from Nephilius.” Her blue eyes sparkled. The yellow threading them was glowing too. ”I need you to be there, Abbs. I told him I want to incorporate some of an Earth wedding ceremony in too. So you're my bridesmaid, and Brace will be a groomsman.”

Even though legal marriages no longer occurred on Earth there was no way to officially get those doc.u.ments anymore some of the rebels still held ceremonies in their compounds. We had gone to a few when we were younger, before New York became a complete s.h.i.+t-hole of a city, and Lucy had talked about them for days. The beautiful dresses, kissing the love of your life, flowers, and romantic words. I'd always been cynical, knowing the reality of married life was vastly different. On Earth, anyway. But Lucy had believed in the beautiful concept of forever-love.

”I wouldn't miss it for any of the worlds, Luce. We should have told Lallielle. She works magic setting up events.”

Lucy smiled. ”Oh, well, we can figure it out when we get back. I don't need anything special, just Colt.”

Lucy deserved a perfect moment, so with that in mind I reached out for Lallielle.

Mom, can you hear me? I still sucked at mind-talking. I didn't like others in my head, and it made me wary of reaching out or dropping my own barriers.

Aribella, is everything alright, baby girl? She used Josian's nickname for me quite a lot now.

I quickly explained to her about the mating ceremony for Lucy, and I showed her some mental pictures of Earth weddings.

Do you think you can organize something for her? It doesn't need to be much, just so it feels a little special.

I felt her smile. It surrounded me with warmth. Leave it with me. I have the perfect thing in mind. She paused. And please tell me that I'll get to organize something like this for my daughter one day soon.

I laughed. You never know, Mom, but I have to save the worlds first.

Okay, I love you, and I'll see you all back at the house tonight. Stay safe.

I tightened my barriers as we cut off the mind-speak.

I realized that she didn't know we weren't on Nephilius. Oh, well, there was no need to worry her until we found out exactly what we were chasing. Rounding the bend, I recognized the area we were crossing now.

”Hey look, Brace, we can stop in and say hi to your dad.” I lifted my brows as we moved around the little clearing that held Deralick's camouflaged house. ”Sorry, I mean your fake-dad.”

He gave me a full smile, sending a trail of warmth from my chest all the way to my toes. It was rare to see his real, happy face. In fact I was sure this was one of his first filled-with-joy smiles since I'd broken the melding bond.

”Smart a.s.s,” he said, pulling me even closer. He was pretty much carrying me under his arm now. And still I was not complaining. h.e.l.l, no.