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. I don t know if I can.when I went there the first time it was entirely by accident and hewouldn t tell me anything no matter how much I asked him, I say, sitting down on the coffee tableand studying the crystal ball, still illuminating from the center star. I think I need to talk to my mom.She might know something that could help. I check the clock on the wall, realizing it s nearingmorning. I m starting to get worried about her& Shouldn t she be back by now? I look at Aislin foran explanation. I don t know& maybe she had to go somewhere else besides the store. She shrugs, but it s ablasé shrug, like she doesn t care, or knows something else she s not telling me. What s going on? I ask. You ve been acting weird every time I bring up my mother. Aislin presses her lips together, looking everywhere but at me. She s fine. I didn t ask if she was fine, I tell her sternly. I asked what s going on. Again she refuses to speak, so Alex intervenes, What exactly did she say on the phone? he askshis sister.Aislin shakes her head, her lips starting to quiver. I don t know.I don t remember. Aislin, Alex warns, stepping toward her. What did she say? I don t want to tell you! Aislin cries, dropping her head into her hands to hide her tears. If I dothen you ll just go and try to save her, and I can t take any more of it! Any more of what? Alex s voice softens a smidgeon. You risking your life all the time. She lifts her head back up and her eyes are red from the tears. Dad s crazy, mom left, and you re all I have left.I mean, I get that it s our job and everything toprotect the world but seriously I need a god damn break.You ve already died once. You can remember that? Alex and I say simultaneously.She nods, her face contorted with confusion as she dabs tears from her cheeks and eyes with herfingertips. Yeah& I actually can as of now. Alex and I trade a look. Something strange is going on, he says. It has to be from me altering the vision, I utter quietly, knowing it makes my father look evenguiltier. Then we need to either fix it, he says firmly. Or find out what s going on. I hold the crystal ball up. That s what I m trying to do, but Aislin needs to tell me where my momis.She might be the only one who can help us at the moment. Alex gives me a tolerant look, like he doesn t want to do what he does next.Still he sits downbeside Aislin and puts his arm around her shoulder. Look, I get where you re coming from, but thisis what I we do.You ve known that since we were three years old and father explained to us thatwe were Keepers.We risk our lives and that s how things are.So please, just tell Gemma where hermother is. She shakes her head again. I m not going to, so you can stop pretending to be nice. You can tell me, I offer to Aislin. I ll go get her by myself. He won t let you. She scowls in her brother s direction. He s too stubborn and cares for youtoo much. I won t tell him, I say and in return get the nastiest look from Alex. I ll keep it a secret and usemy Foreseer power to go there by myself. Rage flares in Alex s eyes as he rises to his feet, tall and sturdy, intimidating, but I refuse to backdown. Like hell I m going to I stand up and put my hand over his mouth, ignoring the warmth of his lips against my flesh. If Iforesee there, he doesn t have a choice.You can have a tantrum but in the end, you can t make me takeyou. I lower my hand and wait for him to argue, because by the expression on his face, I can tell thathe s going to.His eyes darken and his voice drops to a firm, husky tone. I can always tie you to the bed andmake it so you can t go anywhere. He s right.There s Praesidium all over this place, making it impossible for me to use myForeseer power inside it.And he s strong enough that all he d have to do is pick me up and carry beto the bed he could tie me down with one hand.And by the amount of intensity in his eyes, I can tellthat he wants to do it and by the way my blood is heating beneath my skin, I think part of me wantshim to do it too.Laylen finally clears his throat, alleviating the tension. I can go with her. That doesn t make me feel any better, Alex says, displeased. I need to be the one to go withher. Laylen can protect me just as much as you can, I tell him, which is clearly the wrong thing tosay. Like fucking hell he can. He leans in and puts his lips beside my ear. Would he die for you? I squeeze my eyes shut as my heart starts to pound.This is not good.Emotions.They re surfacing,so many of them, and he can feel it too because his lips graze my neck. Alex, I think it might be goodif Laylen goes with me, I say, breathless. Not just for Aislin s sake, but for you and me as well. Gemma& I It s for the best, I cut him off.He stiffens.When he pulls back, he gives me a look of indifference. Fine, if that s what youwant. It s what I want. But it isn t really.I want him, but I can t have him.Not anymore.As he steps away from me, I breathe freely again and then turn to Aislin. Okay, tell me where sheis. She sniffs back more tears. She went to the Keepers castle to try and kill my father. Chapter 12At first I think I didn t hear her right because why would my mom do such a crazy, erratic,impulsive, dangerous thing? It s crazy she would have to be crazy. Oh my God.She s fucking crazy, I whisper in shock. She s completely lost her mind.It has tobe because she spent all those years in The Underworld, right? She s not crazy, Alex reassures me, putting a hand on my arm as I slowly lower myself onto thesofa. She just wants to protect you and she probably thought this was the best way not to get youinvolved, which I completely understand. She s going to get herself killed, I state in disbelief.After all these years without a mother, Ifinally get her back only for her to run straight into danger two days later.Alex massages my shoulder. We ll go get her. No we won t, I say to him, leaning out of his touch. I will.Stephan doesn t need both of usshowing up there so we end up right in his hands where he can lock us up and let the events of theworld play out just like he wants them to.It would be like handing him the end of the world on agolden platter.And besides, I made a promise to Aislin that you wouldn t go. He shakes his head, dumbfounded. You actually think I m going to let you go to the Keeperscastle by yourself? Have you seriously learned nothing about me? I ve learned you re a stubborn asshole who gets his way all the time, I dare say.He gives me that dark, lustful look again. Should we go back to the plan where I tie you up to thebed. As his gaze sweeps across my body, my skin tingles. I ll never forgive you if you don t let mego.Like we planned, Laylen will go with me and protect me. I look at Laylen, feeling Alex sdemanding gaze burning a hole in the back of my head. Are you ready to go? I ask Laylen. Or, ifyou don t want to anymore, I understand.I know you offered before you knew where we were going. Laylen looks at me like I m acting ridiculous.The he gets to his feet, coming over to me. Ofcourse, I m going to go with you. Thank you. I almost give him a hug, but decide against it, considering how Alex is acting rightnow. But you should change into some pants first. Laylen points at the shorts I have on. It s freezingup there at night. I glance at the window where sunlight sparkles across the land. But it s morning. It s night at the castle, he says. Trust me. Okay, give me a second. I start for the hallway and go into the bedroom
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