Unless Fabian was going to start talking, I wasn’t sure how we would find out. It was beginning to feel like we didn’t have a choice on how this was going to go down.
That was if we even made it to the point where we did have one.
“And you think this is wise?” Fabian asked the following morning over breakfast. We were sitting at an island large enough to seat ten people. “That they can be trusted?”
“As much as we can be trusted.” I peeled the skin from a banana. “They’re taking a risk meeting us, too.”
“But there are more of them than us,” Kalen said, repeating what he’d said last night.
“But we have a Summer Prince.” Ren dropped onto the bar stool beside me. “Pretty sure that he can take out a dozen of them in about five seconds if things go south.”
I arched a brow as I munched down on my banana. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”
Fabian inclined his head. “Did they tell you anything about the Winter Prince or the Halfling?”
“Not yet. I’m hoping they fill us in today with good—” Something out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I turned.
Holy crap.
I lowered the banana as Tink buzzed into the room—twelve-inch-tall Tink with gossamer wings. My mouth dropped open. Ren followed my gaze, and he made a choked sound. It had been so long since I’d seen him in this form that I forgot whatever it was I had been talking about.
He flew across the kitchen, his wings moving silently, but everyone was staring. Faye looked like she was going to slip off the stool while Kalen was actually—wow, he was actually starting to grin.
The brownie was wearing dark trousers, but he was shirtless and shoeless as he buzzed up around the pocket light then came back down.
“Tink.” My eyes widened as he hovered over Fabian’s shoulder. “You’re . . . Tink sized.”
“Heard we’d be taking a field trip this morning. Figured I’m too cute to kill in this form.” He landed on the Summer Prince’s broad shoulder. “Plus, I’m less intimidating this way. That’s why Ren didn’t kill me at first.”
“That is not why I didn’t kill you at first,” Ren replied dryly.
I watched Tink sit down on Fabian’s shoulder.
Kalen looked over at Faye and then back to Tink again. “I’ve never seen a brownie in this form.”
“You’ve never seen a brownie before me at all,” Tink pointed out as he kicked his feet off Fabian’s upper chest. “So which way do you like me better? Big or small?”
My brows furrowed.
“I think . . . this way,” Kalen answered. “Yeah. Like this.”
“Not me,” murmured the Summer Prince.
Tink leaned over and grabbed a chunk of the Prince’s hair. He pulled it back and whispered something in Fabian’s ear that earned him a deep laugh.
I really didn’t want to know what it was.
I finished off the banana, and then it was time to leave. Sliding off the stool, I followed Ren out into the foyer. Tink left Fabian’s shoulder and flew over to mine. He landed, balancing himself with a hand against my head.
“I’m excited to meet these Order members.” He shifted closer to my head.
“Why?”
“Because I cannot wait to see their faces when they get a look at me!” His laugh was more of a childish giggle. “They are going to freak.”
A grin tugged at my lips. “They probably will. So, I want you to stay close to either me or Fabian, okay? At least, at first.”
“Of course—oh!” He turned on my shoulder, yelling as I neared the door. I winced. “Fabian, don’t forget my suitcase!”
Ren pivoted around. “Your suitcase?”
“Yes. It’s Plan B.”
“We have a Plan B that involves your suitcase?” he asked.
“We do.” Tink launched off my shoulder and landed on the suitcase Fabian was not rolling out.
I stopped as Faye and Kalen headed outside. “Uh, maybe you should tell us what’s in the suitcase, Tink?”
“My stuff.” He held on to the handle as Fabian rolled him and the suitcase out the front door. Tink waved a little hand at me. “My friends.”
“What do you mean by your friends?” I hurried after them, into the bright sun. “Tink!”
“It’s okay.” He flew off the luggage, and the Prince lifted it, placing it into the back of the SUV. “Don’t worry about it, Ivy-divy.”
But I was worried, really worried, because I had no idea what in the hell he had in that suitcase. I started after him, but Faye stepped in front of me.
Her pale blue eyes were full of restrained worry. “I know you trust these people, but if we’re walking into a trap—”
“If we’re walking into a trap, then we fight. I hope that’s not the case, but we don’t have any other options. We need their help.”
Sighing, she looked away. “We do.”
I really hoped Ren and I were correct. That we weren’t going to regret this, but we were already in too deep and there was no stopping now.
Kalen got behind the wheel with Faye in the passenger seat. Ren and I took the middle row, and the Summer Prince took the back seat. Tink buzzed back and forth between our row and Fabian’s, serving as a complete distraction as we made our way toward the harbor and to the home.
“I think this is it,” Kalen announced. “But it’s not a house.”
I leaned over Ren to peer out the side window. Kalen was right. The address had led us to what was either a condo or an apartment building on Ocean Front Walk. The building was three stories tall.
“It’s the right place.” Ren tapped his finger off the window, pointing out what appeared to be a fenced patio around the lower level.
Several men were standing outside. They weren’t dressed like they were about to walk to the sandy dunes. Sunglasses shielded their eyes, and their jeans and loose shirts did nothing to hide the daggers I knew they were carrying.
I was willing to bet that railing and fence was all iron.
My heart rate sped up as I sat back. Was this whole apartment building Order controlled?
Ren reached over, squeezing my knee as Kalen pulled into one of the parking spots. “Let’s do this.”
I turned to where Tink was, which was now on the seat beside the Prince. “Is your backpack still in here? The Wonder Woman one?”
His little brow puckered. “Yes, actually. It’s in the back.”
“Okay. I want you to get into it.”
Tink’s nose wrinkled. “But I’ll suffocate!”
I rolled my eyes. “I’m not going to zip it all the way closed. I think it’s just smart if you stay unseen at first.”
“Fine. Whatever. But if I suffocate, I’ll come back and haunt you for the rest of your life.”
Ignoring that, I looked at Fabian. “Can you grab the backpack for me? Please?”
“Wow. You said please.” The Summer Prince twisted at the waist. “That must’ve hurt your soul.”
“It did,” I muttered and waited for Tink to get in the bag. He made a show of it, of course. Stomping the whole way and moaning as Fabian zipped it up, leaving a couple inch gap at the top.
I took the bag, surprised by how heavy it was.
“There’s Daniel.” Ren nodded toward the window. “We’ll get out first and then the rest of you, okay?”
They agreed, and when I looked back at Fabian, he nodded. Ren climbed out, and I followed, slipping out the same door. Once standing, I slipped the bag onto my back.
A second later a tiny fist landed in the center of my back. I grunted and turned my head, whispering, “Knock it off, Tink.”
“It’s hot in heeereee,” whined Tink.
“Shut up,” I hissed, wondering if we should’ve left him back at the house as Daniel stepped away from the glass patio doors.
Daniel nodded at Ren, but like the other Order members standing on the patio, they were still staring at the SUV. “Who’s in the car?” he asked.
“They are fae.” I ignored the swift kick in my kidney. “Our friends. They are taking a huge risk by coming here.”