“I’m talking to you, Pierce!” Alec shouts. “What are you doing here?”
Johnny fumes but doesn’t say a word. Instead, his chest expands and contracts in an obvious effort to calm himself down. He glances at me then at Alec, who snakes a protective arm around my shoulders, his gaze darkening as he puts two and two together. His jaw ticks, then he raises his eyes to level with Alec’s. “I found Erebus last summer, and I’ve been following him ever since.”
A chill sweeps through the air as Johnny mentions his name.
“Are you saying Erebus is here?” I’m unable to keep the shrill tone from my voice.
Alec pulls me closer. With gut-wrenching observance, I notice Johnny’s face transform from anger to sadness, then to something else I can’t quite distinguish. He looks between us and is silent for another moment before adopting a somber expression.
“I lost his host somewhere near the panhandle, but he was heading in this direction. I called Roy and asked if anything was going on tonight, and that’s when he told me about the Arctic Winter Ball.” Johnny looks around with a slow nod. “Figured he might stop by. We all know how much Erebus loves crowds”
That he does.
“What is he doing back here?” Alec fumes, and for a second I think he’s talking about Johnny. We all know Erebus is here for me. Whatever the energy source is, he wants it, and he thinks possessing me will lead him to it.
Johnny looks at me then back to Alec. His face softens. “We need to get Kat out of here. I’ve already talked to the Elders. They’ve set up a perimeter of Enchanters to keep everyone safe, and everyone else is at the Garden Theater.” He narrows his eyes on Alec. “You need to round up every Enchanter in here and get them next door. My first priority is Kat.”
Johnny reaches out to take my hand, and I yank it away. “I can take care of myself.”
Alec pulls me back a step and holds a hand up in a gesture that tells Johnny to stop. “You don’t know he’s actually here. We should take a second to think about this.”
Johnny tilts his head. “And you’re willing to take the risk?” His eyes dart to mine and lock there as fear bristles in my chest. “Because I’m not.”
Now my heart is pounding between my ears. Johnny could have stayed away. He could have called Rose from wherever he was to warn her. Instead, he came back. But I shove that gracious thought aside and glare back at Johnny.
“And who’s to say we’re safe listening to you?”
Johnny’s blue eyes flash with anger. “If Erebus is heading here, it’s not to play around, Kat. You think he’s spent all that time away just because? No. You better believe he’s been devising some crazy scheme to get you alone so that he can steal your body and take whatever it is he wants. We need to get you out of here. It’s not up for debate.”
His outburst pulls me back down to reality. Demanding, broody Johnny—how I’ve missed his fiery temper.
“If you were in such a hurry, then why did you stop to dance with me?”
His gaze darkens on mine. “Guess I got caught up in the moment. My bad.”
A chill rips through me, and I have to tear my eyes from his stare, only to spot a glittery gold mask and a mane of long red hair approaching.
“Well, well, the showdown has finally begun,” Arabella says. “Good to see you again, Johnny.”
There’s a smirk playing on Arabella’s high cheekbones and pouty red mouth. How can she joke right now?
“Johnny came here to be a hero and take me away,” I snap. “He thinks Erebus is here.”
“Take her,” Alec says, ignoring me and focusing on Johnny. He’s obviously not happy with this situation, but he wants me safe as much as Johnny does. He looks at Kaleb and Arabella next. “We’ll stay and warn the other descendants, but we’re not going to the theater. We’ll stay to protect the Normals until we know it’s safe.”
The plan sounds okay, but something isn’t sitting well with me. It all seems too easy. If Erebus had a head start on Johnny, then he would already be here. I remember the chill in my bones from earlier, which I’d almost managed to ignore after the balloon extravaganza… then Johnny showed up. But what if my senses were telling me the truth? What if danger is already near?
Without wasting a moment, Johnny takes my hand, and I throw Alec an imploring look over my shoulder. He stands strong, appearing confident, but I know him well enough to know he’s worried about more than Erebus and who’s going to protect the Normals. For that, I feel guilty.
If I couldn’t feel the warmth seeping from Johnny’s strong hand into mine, I would swear my entire body had gone numb. He still has the same effect on me, even in the direst of circumstances. His mere presence overpowers my every natural instinct and rational thought.
With Johnny’s bodyguard-like frame in front of me, the crowd parts easily. I try to ignore the charge of energy between us as we head for the ring of ice, our escape. A cold chill breezes through the room, a perfectly timed draft.
I tug on his hand. “Did you feel that?”
He turns to face me. “Feel what?”
“The air. It was coming from the entrance.” I point to the ring of ice just as another gust of wind blows in. This time, it comes with a whistling sound and a white, powdery substance that twirls through the air. I’m completely mystified. “Is that snow?”
As I scour the room to follow the whistling noise, fluffy snow begins to fall from the ceiling. There doesn’t appear to be a snow machine anywhere in the room, so where is the snow coming from?
Johnny pulls me close so his chest presses against my back. “Is that some sort of special effect?” His question echoes my own.
I suppose Trisha could have rigged up something like that. I search for Trisha and spot her almost immediately. The confusion on her face tells me everything I need to know.
“I don’t think so,” I tell him.
Shrieks and cheers of laughter ripple through the room. The crowd is buzzing with excitement as they attempt to catch the snowflakes with their hands and tongues. The snow covers their hair, suits, and dresses, but no one complains of the cold. In ordinary circumstances, this entire scene would be a dream come true. But my gut tells me this display isn’t meant to be beautiful.
As if to confirm my fear, the snowfall begins to thicken and blow faster in a flurry of motion. The whooshing whistles of air grow strong, and the snow piles up quickly.
My eyes are wide, and I’m unable to pull them away from the surrounding terror. Shrieks of laughter turn to screams of fright.
Johnny’s arms tighten around me. “Kat, we need to go.” Even he sounds terrified.
“What about everyone else?” There’s sheer panic woven into my tone. I understand he wants to protect me, but I can’t just leave as if I’m the only one worth saving.
“I forgot how stubborn you are,” he growls. A second later, he throws me over his shoulder.
I can’t see in front of me, but I feel the chill from the ring of ice as he nears the exit. Then I hear a crunching and crack before a shattering sound pierces my ears. Johnny halts and whips around, bringing me with him, and I can tell he’s trying to find another exit.