Total pages in book: 151
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 147649 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 738(@200wpm)___ 591(@250wpm)___ 492(@300wpm)
Pie grins as she jumps into the driver’s seat, gets her horns stuck in the headliner for a moment—making it rip—then adjusts her position, pries the panels off the steering column, and proceeds to strip wires. The lights come on and a moment later, the engine sputters to life. She smiles at us.
“Wow,” Tomas breathes. “That’s hot, Pie.”
I have to agree.
“Get in, boys,” Pie says. “Let’s get this over with.”
I kinda wanted to drive, but I feel this is a good time to just do as I’m told. So I flip the seat up so Tomas can get in the back, toss Tarq’s skull in next to him, then get in.
Tomas leans forward, his head between our shoulders. “Please, please, please,” he mutters under his breath. “Please let Madeline be in town.”
“She will be,” Pie assures him. Then she backs up, making the Jeep stall. “Ooops.” She chuckles. “I’m not used to driving with hooves. It feels weird.”
Without missing another beat, she starts the car again.
And then we’re on our way to confront the ancient god.
There is no fog for most of the drive. We pass a few cars on the quiet country roads. Thankfully, the windows are all steamed up because of Tomas, but he’s like a little heater. Which is great, because being shirtless in winter sucks and the Jeep’s heater blows cold air for a good fifteen minutes.
But the fog appears the closer we get to town and by the time we get to the city limits, it’s so thick we almost miss the sign that says ‘Welcome to Savage Falls.’
We are quiet now. Reality is setting in. It’s one thing to discuss confronting the god Eros and quite another to actually do that. Pie slows the Jeep to a crawl as we enter town, barely able to see a few feet in front of us, but then the fog clears and the music hits us.
It’s thumping and loud, blaring the way it was when we came home from getting hay this morning. It’s hard to believe that was this morning.
“Well, I guess it’s safe to say they weren’t choked up about losing their sanctuary,” Tomas says.
Pie has to slam on the brakes when a wood nymph rushes out into the street, laughing and squealing as a naked satyr chases her into the candle shop. Pie blows out a breath as our eyes meet.
“The bar.” I point up ahead. “That’s where he’ll be.”
Pie nods and inches forward, trying not to hit any more wood nymphs or satyrs as crowds of them wander into the road, completely ignoring the fact that a vehicle is trying to pass through them.
“Does anyone see Madeline?” Tomas asks.
“I’m looking,” Pie says. “But not yet.”
I’m looking too, but not for Madeline. I’m noticing that I don’t recognize a lot of these monsters. “Who’s that guy?” I point to a very big dude. “He looks familiar, but—Oh, shit.”
“What?” Pie asks.
“He’s a statue. The statues, Pie. They’re here.”
“The Bottoms?” She’s looking around like she’s searching for someone. “Do you see Nysta? Or Callistina?”
“No,” Tomas replies. “I don’t even see Batty. Where are all our friends?”
Then we’re pulling up in front of the bar.
We know where our ‘friends’ are. They’re in the bar with the devil.
Tomas hits the back of my seat. “Let me out. I’m going to the feed store to look for Madeline.”
“You’re not coming in?” Pie asks. “I thought we were going to do this together?”
“I will. I’ll be there. I just need to check on Madeline first. I promise, I’ll be there.”
I open the door of the Jeep and before my hooves are even on the ground, Tomas is pushing on the seat. A moment later, he’s out and jogging towards the feed store. I reach back in the Jeep and grab Tarq’s skull.
Pie gets out too, the wind making her hair wave around her face. She tugs her leather jacket closed, shivering. “He’s not coming back, is he?”
“He will,” I say. Because that’s what she wants to hear. But I can’t help but feel that it’s a lie.
Pie sighs. “Choices, right?”
I shrug. “If he wants to stay here and not go back, then what can we do?”
“‘To be sure, it won’t be easy. Do not convince, do not bully. For this decision must be made, freely and never swayed.”
I nod and walk around the car to her. “Yeah. That.” Then offer her my hand.
She laces her fingers into mine and turns to the door of the bar, then looks up at the Savage Saints sign, the red neon blinking across her face and making her glow a little. “Welp. I’m ready. Let’s do this.”
We walk to the door and the moment I pull it open—even before our hooves cross the threshold—I know this was a mistake.
CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN – PIE
That song is playing. The ‘Ball and Chain’ one. But for a moment, it’s not scary. For a moment I’m at the prom again, dancing with Pell, making memories in the photobooth, smiling and laughing like it’s all gonna be OK.