Brady scoffed. “And what is that?”
“It’s the Morti Par.”
Murmurs echoed around us.
Brady laughed. “That’s next week. You know. Hallow’s Eve. Dumbass.”
Grayson gave him a vicious smile. “Don’t you remember your dad’s meeting? The council moved it up this year.”
Brady fell silent, his face sobering.
I glanced around at the serious stares, my nerves growing. Shiloh’s hand covered her mouth, fear shining in her eyes.
“What is Morti Par?” I asked.
Grayson met my eyes. “The guards let the prisoners fight each other.”
“To the death. It’s a deathmatch,” Shiloh added.
My eyes bulged. “What? Why?” I shook my head. “Never mind. I don’t care. Why would my cousin go there?”
Brady cleared his throat. “It’s the classic tale of peer pressure. Teens nowadays—”
I whipped toward him. “Shut up.”
His eyes narrowed.
Ignoring him, I turned to Grayson. “What are we going to do?”
He stood scowling, his arms folded over his chest. “We’re going to get him out.”
Murmurs exploded in the room. A mixed combination of excitement and mockery.
“And Brady’s going to take us there.”
More voices rose.
Brady’s smile vanished. “Um. Hell. No.”
Grayson’s eyes turned stormy. “Get your ass over here, Brady.”
Brady’s chin lifted. “You want to go and get yourselves caught by the prisoners, be my guest. I’m not a suicidal idiot. I like my sweet billionaire life, thanks.”
Grayson laughed, a short harsh sound. “Who’s the idiot that forgot about Morti Par and sent a student to his death?”
Shiloh’s face went pale. My own probably matched hers. I didn’t fully understand what was going on, but I knew Javi was in trouble and he needed me.
A muscle in Brady’s jaw twitched. “You got something you want to prove, Gray? You want my dad to think of you as the son he wishes he had? Give it up. You’re just a nobody orphan that no one wanted.”
Grayson advanced on him but stopped just in front of his face, his fists clenched by his sides. The rage I saw was frightening. They’d pushed him too hard and for too long.
Brady sneered. “Go ahead. Hit me.”
“Enough. Stop being assholes and get me through the portal. I’m getting my cousin back.”
They stared at me as if I’d grown another head.
“You’re not going.” Grayson’s voice was flat.
Anger rushed through me. Who the hell did he think he was to tell me what to do? I glared at him, but I could see he wasn’t going to budge from his decision. Stubborn ass.
There were a million things I could have said and wanted to, but an argument was pointless so I did what he wouldn’t expect.
I ran.
Straight for the portal, clenching my eyes shut as I did. Something slammed into me and a pop sounded in my ears. Dizziness washed over me, and it took a minute to get my bearings.
When I opened my eyes, I was face to face with Grayson—and he looked pissed.
“What do you think—”
Brady appeared beside us before he could finish.
Grayson’s head snapped toward him. “You came?”
Brady sniffed. “That’s what she said.”
Ignoring his remark, Grayson straightened. “I didn’t think you would.”
“That’s what—”
“Shut up. We have to find Javi,” I interrupted.
Brady turned to me. “And we will.” He held a finger up in my face. “Without your attitude. Thanks.”
I scoffed. My attitude? It was his fault Javi had even left the party.
Grayson frowned at me. “You shouldn’t have jumped in like that. A portal is serious magic. You could have been hurt.”
“Okay. Well, I’m not. So, can we argue about this later?”
His eyes narrowed. “Stick close to us and don’t try anything… stupid.”
“Too late for that,” Brady muttered.
Choosing to ignore him, I glanced around. Moonlight poured in from a high glass ceiling. Glass for a prison? That seemed kind of stupid. It was probably magic glass. I shivered. It gave the impression of a cage which I guess, essentially was what a prison was supposed to be.
“Here. Unlike you two idiots, I actually came prepared.” Brady rustled something.
Two lights flashed on, making me jump.
“What is that?”
He shone the light on my face, making me wince. “Flashlight.”
I glanced away, cheeks burning.
“And guns.” He handed one to Grayson.
Fear snaked up my spine. Guns?
“For me and Gray. Don’t know you, but I heard your weapon skills suck so no offense, I didn’t bring you one.”
No offense. Right.
I glared at him through the dark.
“Thank you. That was… smart of you,” Grayson grunted.
Brady swiveled his light toward him. “You don’t need to sound so surprised. I’m not completely useless.” He turned to me. “Your friend wanted to come too, but I didn’t wait for her. By the time she got out of that dress and grabbed her gear, your cousin would probably be—”
“Brady,” Grayson interrupted.
“Passed out drunk. What did you think I was going to say, Gray?”
His voice bounced off the metal bars and white walls. I shone my light across the room and moved closer to the guys. The cells were empty, but still creepy with the shadows stretching toward us. I couldn’t feel any strangeness, but this was a prison for supernatural beings. There had to be some bad mojo going on there. A faint smell of lemon and bleach followed us, a sign someone had been in there to clean not so long ago. Funny, I’d never pictured a prison smelling so… fresh.
“Where are all the prisoners?”
“This must be the overflow section,” Grayson replied.
“It’s freezing in here,” I mumbled, rubbing my arms.
Grayson turned to me. “You didn’t have to come. Brady and I could have handled it.”
“He’s my cousin. He’d do the same for me.”
“Yes, but he’s well-trained. You… lack experience.”
I bristled. “Oh, like you have done this before? Please. Experience.”
Brady chuckled. “Hate to interrupt this little lover’s quarrel, but what exactly is the plan here, Gray? Walk the whole place and hope we stumble upon him?”
“No. We need something of his to link us. Track him.”
They turned to me.
I spread out my arms. “Don’t look at me. I don’t have anything of his.”
“But you’re related.” Brady shone his light on me.
“So?”
“We need a strand of
