And yet, at the same time, Max’s grip on my hand tightened to the point I was damn sure he would pull my wrist off.
But did I move? No.
My Max – my fairy – he’d always assumed I was a pathetic little individual who’d ran from responsibility and didn’t have the balls to stand up for herself.
I’d let myself believe that for a short while. Now I reminded myself that on the inside, I’d always had my mother’s fire.
Fire I now used to fight against the combined effects of the spell and tilt my head even farther forward until the sneer spreading across my lips was right in front of McCain’s face.
“You know, McCain, I figured it out,” I said, that singsong voice now lilting with such unstable happiness, any passing psychiatrist would have given me a lobotomy.
I watched a fresh wave of hatred and anger push through him.
It was clear McCain couldn’t control his anger. Which made it just as clear that it was my avenue in.
“I figured it out,” I sung once more.
“What? What have you figured out?” he spat, his lips now so stiff, he could barely move them.
I used the last of my strength to fight against the force from behind, to tilt my head all the way forward until my face was practically pressing up against his. I wasn’t leaning in for a kiss. Hell no. I wanted him to see the full fury blazing in my eyes. “I know why you don’t want me to lie. It’s the secret, isn’t it? The secret to destroying you. Because you can’t tell the difference between a lie and the truth,” I gambled. I had no idea if what I was saying was true. That was the point. I was testing it against his growing rage. For Max couldn’t control his emotions. Not one little bit. Which was perfect. Because whatever I threw at him, I could figure out if it were true simply based on the strength of his reaction.
And my lie worked out. For, in a moment I would never forget, McCain’s face looked as if it broke. I swear his cheeks were seconds from falling off his face, swore his brow creased with such tension, I could hear the skin almost tearing off his bones.
He bellowed with rage. It was a move you wouldn’t associate with anyone outside of a cartoon. And yet, it was definitely one of the most terrifying things I’d ever heard. One of the most powerful, too. The effect it had on this strange forest full of doorways was unmistakable. The tree behind me shook with such fury I heard branches crack from the trunk and slam against the floor. Leaves scattered around me as wind bellowed against my face, took the loose ends of my hair, and sent them scattering over my cheeks and neck.
But did I shift back?
“You can’t tell if I lie. And every time I lie, I take you further away from your perfect future. And that, McCain, is how I will defeat you.”
“Do that, and you will die,” he bellowed, another blast of rage shaking through the forest until I swore every single tree would fall down around us.
A sane person would finally give in to the force of the witches as they tried to tug me through the door. Was I sane, though? Apparently not?
My heart was beating so goddamn hard in my chest, it didn’t feel like a heart anymore – it felt like the wings of a hummingbird. And my breath? I was no longer aware of it – just this cold lump at the base of my throat.
I had just enough force to speak, and it was all I needed. “I’m gonna lie, McCain. And you’re not going to kill me. Instead, I’m going to save my Max. And I’m going to send you back to where you belong.”
With that?
With that, I finally allowed myself to be pulled backward. For I finally had the answer I needed.
Sarah had been right – lying was the key to this entire situation.
Max let out another powerful bellow of rage as he sprang toward me and tried to grasp my hand one last time before I was plucked from him.
His fingers felt like steel poles as they gouged my flesh, his short nails cutting my thumb.
It didn’t matter. The witches were determined to pull me through that door, and they had the power to break Max’s spell.
The only reason they had that power, I knew, was because Max was so unsettled.
Another clue.
Another avenue.
I was going to win this.
With that last thought echoing through my head, the transport spell finally spat me out at our destination.
Chapter 6
I fell smack bang on my ass in a pile of gravel.
The witches had been pulling with such force that I had the momentum to skid back half a meter on my already torn jeans.
Fortunately, there was nothing behind me, and I managed to push into a role, springing to my feet.
It was to a sight I wasn’t expecting.
When Sarah had shoved that magical key into the door, I’d assume she would be taking us to another of the witches’ strongholds. Somewhere where we had more of a chance of holding McCain back.
Instead?
Instead, I brought a hand up and pegged my nose.
“We’re at the dump? Why are we at the dump?”
Sarah turned to face me. She’d been attending to Bridgette’s injuries, her hand crackling with power as she waved it over Bridgette’s blood-soaked stomach.
Sarah wiped her hand on her summer dress, little droplets of red splashing over the once perfectly clean white fabric.
“Believe it or not, this is one of the safest places in Bane City,” she said as she spread her arms wide.
I
