The Legend of the Eight: The Wicked (Book 2)

12: It's Coming Down

TWELVE: IT'S COMING DOWN
MARCH 23
PHOEBE DOMINGO

"HEY. IT'S ME. AGAIN. THIS is the ninth message I'm leaving you which is exactly nine more messages than I've ever left anyone. Call me back, Wil. I'm getting worried. We're in the Mortal World—I know, I know. It's a long story. I'll tell you all about it but you have to call someone back. Me. Drew. Your sister. Anyone."

Phoebe slipped her phone back into her pocket after ending her message and then hurried ahead to the elevator Drew was holding for her. The Eight had been in the Mortal World exactly one hour which was just enough time for them to find a hotel and book a suite. It was late at night but the city was bright and alive, unlike anything Phoebe had ever seen back home. In the World of Magic, nightlife was limited to upscale restaurants where people like the Royal Family dined and hole-in-the-wall pubs for after-hour happy-hours and one-night-stands. Pittsburgh wasn't like that. Pittsburgh was an eclectic mix of upscale and rundown and it was packed with people from all walks of life. She couldn't help but stare.

In the hotel, she stepped into the elevator and the doors sealed her inside with the others. Liam dug a finger into the button for their floor and the lift hummed to life. On the sixth floor, the elevator stopped and a middle-aged woman stepped in. Phoebe backed up to give her room and as she did, her butt pressed into someone's lap. A hand rested against her hip gently and she felt Drew's breath on her ear. Chills raced down her spine, tingles shot up her arms, and she twisted her fingers around his. She was suddenly overcome with the urge to spin around, push him against the back of the elevator, and kiss him like she'd never kissed anyone.

The elevator stopped again two floors later and the woman stepped out, offering a strange glance at the teens who hadn't said a word to her. Once the doors closed again, Phoebe and the others extended the silence for another few seconds before completely busting out in laughter.

It felt good. Light. Laughing with her friends like that. For a minute, she forgot they were on a mission to another Realm and that there was a bloodthirsty Dark on the hunt for them.

Drew's hand slipped further around her waist—slowly, carefully, like he was doing something he shouldn't be. And then her fingers were over his and she pulled him forward. His body pressed against hers and she inhaled sharp.

Then the elevator chimed again, reaching their floor, and Phoebe snatched her hand back. She took a step away from Drew and curled her body from his.

"Do you think the Council's filters extend to the Mortal World too?" Kate asked as they walked down the hall to their suite. "I was hoping to try researching more. Maybe there will be more information now that we're out of the World of Magic."

Nicole made a face—the one she always made when she didn't understand something about magic. Kate took the liberty of explaining.

"Didn't you ever find it weird that you couldn't go into the library and find out everything you wanted to know about magic? The Royal Council edits our history. They don't want information falling into the wrong hands."

Nicole blinked while she processed.

"The Royal Council deletes parts of our history?"

"Or they cover it up," Drew said with a casual shrug because the knowledge was not new to him. "Which isn't that surprising when you remember that the Queen magically erases her journals. The Council covered up my dad's death. They didn't want people to think of werewolves like dangerous killers."