Pinehurst: Book One (A Magical Olympian Adventure/Young Adult Romantic Fantasy)

Chapter Eighteen

Oh dear God. I just stepped on something crunchy. Eww, eww, eww! Don’t look, don’t . . . oh my God! Bones . . .

Antonio gripped my hand tighter.

“I hate to be the bearer of bad news,” Havoc giggled. “Okay, yes I do, but we’re about to enter the Ragno’s den.”

I froze. “Ragnos? As in, more than one?” Please say no, please say no.

Antonio pulled me into his side. “We need a plan.”

“A plan, yes!” Havoc was jumping up and down. “Let’s see. Oh, I know! We’ll send the Child of Light in first and while they’re feasting on her, we can sneak around—”

I was squeezing Havoc’s scrawny neck in the next instant. “You witch! You’d like that wouldn’t you. I’ll bet my dad isn’t even here. This was all a sick trick to bring me here so I can open your stupid door and let all you monsters out!”

Havoc choked and sputtered. Her little face began to turn blue but I held tight.

“Evie! Let her go!” Antonio pried my fingers off her neck, yanking me away from her. He wrapped his arms around me like a vise. I thrashed to get free.

Havoc brought her hands to her neck, gasping and coughing with each breath of air that passed through her. I watched angrily as she rubbed the circulation back in her throat.

“Oh you will pay for that, Child of Light. Find your own way!” Poof!

“Where’d she go?” I broke free from Antonio’s hold, and spun around frantically. She’d disappeared! “I didn’t know she could do that!” I exclaimed, still searching the tunnel for any trace of her.

“Once in Hell, her powers are much stronger,” Antonio explained.

Who needed the annoying little pest around anyway, insulting me at every turn? Good riddance!

“Come.” Antonio pulled me along. He was clearly in a bad mood now. Why? What did he care if she was gone? It's not like they were “BFFs” or anything. “She could have helped us,” he explained.

“Antonio.” I reached for his arm, halting him. “What if she’s wrong? What if you were wrong? What if my dad’s not even here?” What if I brought us here to die? A tear escaped my eye.

“Don’t think like that.” He turned toward me; his hands softly rubbed my arms. “It will be okay. We’ll find your father, Evie, and you will return home.”

I stared into his chocolate brown eyes, guilt consuming me. I would return home . . . but not Antonio. My heart melted into a pool of despair . . . and then it stopped.

“Evie, what is it?” Antonio gripped my shoulders firmly, shaking me to attention. “Evelyn!”

“We’re in . . . Hell.” The last word stuck in my throat.

“Yes.”

“You said you couldn’t leave unless you offered a soul,” I prompted: “A soul other than your own.”

His hands dropped. “That is correct.”

“Please tell me that you offered mine.” I waited for his response. Nothing! “Antonio! Tell me that you offered my soul!”

His hand reached up and caressed my cheek. I‘ll die before I let them have you. “How could I condemn you here?”There was love in his eyes!

“Yes. There is love in my eyes and in my heart. I traded my soul for yours, Evie.” His devotion was unwavering.

I was speechless—a common response for the day’s “shockers.” I stepped back, my eyes truly taking him in for the first time. He was tall and strong. His body muscled and disciplined. His eyes and heart, determined to see this through.