Queen Ascending (Ace of Queens #2)

Chapter 5

He then handed Exton the iron dagger. "For practical reasons. The veil is littered with witches."

Exton nodded.

"Now remember," Toby gripped Exton's shoulder. "Do not eat anything with the gatekeeper."

"Noted," Exton said. He turned to Caspian and asked him to open the portal.

"Be care full," Rye said to him as he hugged her. "Bring her back but you need to come back too."

Exton nodded, "Okay."

He then turned to face his father. "Thank you," he said.

Xavier sighed. "Just come home, that's all I ask."

"I will."

And with that Exton stepped back. He turned towards Caspian and waited.

The merman gave a slight nod and opened the portal again.

Exton stepped through and held his breath for the freezing cold. Luckily, this time he remembered to grab a jacket.

He followed the scent of cinnamon to the gatekeeper. She was unmoved from her tea party of death.

"Twice in one day?" The gatekeeper asked raising a brow. "I like you Exton. Maybe this time you can accompany me for a cup of tea?"

"No, thank you." Exton said quickly. "I need to see Gemma again."

The gatekeeper smiled over her cup of tea. She was so very odd...in a field of white, she was the only thing drenched in color. Her copper hair stood out like flame.

"She's through there," The redhead said nonchalantly. She used her tea cup to motion towards the portal.

"Thanks," Exton said as he bounced away. Eagerly, he stepped through the portal, expecting to be in Gemma's room again ...but he landed in the middle of an empty hall.

Loud music and voices climbed up from the end of the hall. Exton looked around and realized he was standing in a replica of Lafayette's castle from outside the veil.

He stayed close to the walls and inched closer to the stairs. Carefully, he climbed down and hid behind a pillar.

From a nearby table, Exton quickly grabbed a rob that had been hanging on a chair and put it one.

With the hood over his head, Exton snaked through the crowd. His eyes spotted Gemma at the head of the room.

She sat at the dinner table staring at her plate. Lafayette said to her left and another man with dark hair to her right.

As Exton watched, the man with the dark hair looked over at Gemma and placed a kiss on her cheek.

Exton smacked the wall next to him scaring a group of witches. They scurried away from him without a second glance.

Gemma remained unmoved. She sat still as a statue.

Exton's eyes stayed solely on her.

He thought he was going to commit mass murder when the man picked up Gemma's hand and placed another kiss upon it. But to his relief, Gemma pulled her hand away and stood. She gave the man and her uncle a polite smile and headed for the exit.

Exton followed her.

When she had climbed upstairs and was in the empty hall, Exton pulled her into a corner.

Before she could gasp, Exton's hands were over her mouth.

"Don't scream," He told her. "It's me."