Rise of the Magi Read Online Free PDF Page B

anything more than a headache.” Gallagher tugged at his tie, lips pinched. “To be quite frank, they petrify me. Always have, since … I’m failing you, Lila, and I’m lost as to how to fix this.”
    Unable to stand the chilly defeat in his gaze, I reached out for his left shoulder. Liam stepped in to take his right. “Don’t you give up on me, old man,” I said, my voice carefully controlled so as not to betray my inner turmoil. I was getting a better poker face with so much practice. “You’re not failing me. Say that again and we’re going to have a problem, you and me. We’re all winging this, and it’s up to Liam and me to figure this out, not you. I’ll deal with the Overseers, and you set up the other meeting, okay?”
    Gallagher’s lips formed a slight smile. He cast his gaze upward as if listening.
    “Who’s up there?” I asked. “The woman who died. It’s her, right?”
    A nod and he dropped his chin to reveal a sad smile. “Marla. Do not concern yourself with the hauntings of my life, for you have enough of your own to whiten a man’s hair.”
    I intended to press him, but he hugged me so hard I grunted.
    “Your parents’ pride for their daughter gives me strength,” he said, “and all of our lost ones, who now watch our new queen come into her role like none have done before you. If the spirits hold faith still then so shall I.” After a squeeze of my hand, he trotted off, appearing less like a soldier who’d lost the war and more like a fae on a mission.
    I stared up at the molten sky, wondering what Gallagher had heard, and allowed Liam to tug me into his arms. He stayed out of my head, and remained mute while I pulled myself together, his fingers kneading at the mess of knotted muscle along my back and shoulders. I appreciated the gesture more than I could say.
    “Who do you think it was? The woman Gallagher mentioned.” I brushed Liam’s ear with my lips just to hear his quick intake of breath.
    “I’d say he loved her, whoever she was, and losing her left him with a wound that hasn’t stopped bleeding. I haven’t been around him as long as you, but I should have noticed something before now. He must hide it really well.”
    “That’s pretty much what I was thinking. What do you suppose she foresaw and told someone about that could make the Overseers do something so terrible to her? You don’t think it has anything to do with this Magi business, do you?”
    “I think he’d have told us if it did, but … just in case, I think we need to find out. There has to be someone here who was around when it happened.”
    Who in the city would know that part of his history? Somewhere along the way, the Overseers had taken someone from him, and I would find out why. I had a sudden burning need to heal my aide, but for some hurts, not even my breed of magic would work. I shook it off and focused on another task.
    “We need to go back to Brígh and Cas’.” Not only did I think Brígh was the key to getting in to see the Seers, I also wouldn’t be able to concentrate until I’d made sure the two of them were okay. Well, as okay as could be expected with the revelation that we were all about to become permanent fixtures of the forest. I couldn’t imagine how we’d drop that bomb to the other races. Yeah. A bunch of trees are going to invade your cities and eat everyone in sight. It sounded loony even to me.
    I straightened and pulled away from Liam, allowing myself one more deep look into his eyes, not because it wasn’t nice being in his arms, but because his nearness often distracted me, and I needed every brain cell for the coming events.
    “Do you think she’s brave enough to take you to them, especially when she must be number one on their shit list at the moment?” Chuckling and clutching my hand, Liam led me toward the gate. “Just last week, I found her screaming bloody murder over a spider the size of my thumbnail.”
    My smile didn’t last long. “She’s mad