Owen stopped walking and looked down at me. "How much of that did you see on the balcony?"
"Enough." I couldn't keep the hurt out of my voice.
He sighed. "I'm sorry, Gin. Let me explain - "
I held up my hand, cutting him off. "We can talk later. Right now, I have to go after Salina. I have to stop her - "
A scream shattered the night air.
Chapter 30
Owen and I stared at each other.
"Salina," I said, moving over to grab my staff from where I'd left it on the floor by the fountain. "She's started it already. Get out of here! Go!"
Owen shook his head. "No, I'm coming with you. Maybe there's still a chance I can talk her out of this."
I wanted to yell at him that it was too late for that, that Salina wouldn't stop until everyone was dead, but it was something he had to realize for himself. "Come on, then."
We hurried through the mansion and made it back to the side door that led out to the north lawn. The screams had quieted down by this point, and I forced myself to creep up, open the door a bit more, and peer around it.
Several giants stood on the lawn, positioned in the gaps between the bubbling fountains. Each had guns pointed in at the crowd they'd shepherded into a tight knot in the middle of the ring of fountains. Given the incredulous looks most of the folks were giving the giants, I was willing to bet these were the men Salina had stolen from the other underworld players the past few days. The water elemental had hired the giants to murder their own bosses, promising them who knew what to get their cooperation.
Whatever else she was, Salina was exceptionally clever. She played for keeps, and she never did anything halfway. I had to admire that about her. In her own way, Salina was as ruthless as Mab had been. No surprise, since she'd been twisted by the Fire elemental's cruelty, just as I had been.
A few of the folks crept toward the giants, as if they couldn't believe their own guards would turn on them, but the glares and guns pointed in their direction sent them scurrying back. Salina stood next to the mermaid fountain, beaming at everyone, as if she wasn't planning on murdering them in another minute, two tops.
I pulled my walkie-talkie out of one of the pockets on my vest. "Finn? Finn? Are you seeing this on your laptop?"
He got back to me a second later. "You mean the giants with the guns making sure everyone stays in Salina's little water trap? Yeah, I see it."
"Then get ready to move," I whispered back. "I'm going to take out some of the giants and create a way for folks to get away from the fountains and the water."
"I'll do my part," Finn said. "Bria and Xavier just pulled onto the street, along with another cop car. I'll tell them what's going on, and we'll be ready to go when it's time."
"Good," I said. "And tell them to be careful. Salina's too far gone now. She's not going to stop for anyone."
Owen stiffened beside me, but he didn't say anything. I put the walkie-talkie back in a pocket on my vest and looked at him.
"Do you think you can distract her long enough for me to deal with one of the giants?" I asked in a soft voice. "You're the only person she might listen to, even if it's only for a few seconds. But once she realizes what you've done, how we've tricked her, she won't be happy, especially not with you. She could attack you again."
He nodded. "I know. I can handle Salina."
"Okay. Then follow my lead."
I slipped out of the mansion and crept over to one of the Ice bars that had been planted on the lawn. The bartenders who'd been stationed there had been pushed inside the ring of fountains along with the others, giving me plenty of room to maneuver. Owen slid in beside me underneath the bar, his breath tickling the back of my neck.
"I'm going for the giant right there," I said, indicating the man closest to me. "You distract Salina. Wait for my signal, then move."
I crept over to the edge of the bar and peered around it, scanning the crowd for Kincaid. The casino boss stood on the far side of the giant I was targeting. Like everyone else, he was focused on Salina, but maybe I could change that. I palmed one of my knives and angled it into a patch of fading sunlight. Tilting the blade back and forth, I created a small sunspot flashing in Kincaid's eyes.
He grimaced, blinked, and turned in my direction, just as I'd hoped he would. Kincaid's eyes widened when he spotted me. I slid my knife back up my sleeve and held my finger up to my lips. Then I pointed at the giant and made a slashing motion across my throat with my finger, trying to let him know what my plan was. My crude signals must have worked because Kincaid nodded back and started sidling in the giant's direction, careful not to draw attention to himself. Kincaid wasn't my friend - not exactly - but I wasn't leaving him to Salina's wrath. If nothing else, I could at least get him away from the fountains as quickly as possible.
"I'm sure you're all wondering why I've asked you here tonight," Salina's voice floated over to me. "You've probably guessed by now that dinner will not be served."
She laughed at her bad joke, but no one else joined in. I peered around the side of the Ice bar. Salina still stood by the mermaid fountain, addressing the crowd of angry, frightened people in front of her.
"Many of you here tonight may remember my father, Benedict. Many of you probably remember the last dinner party he gave."
Salina's eyes went from face to face, daring people to meet her cold gaze. Most of the guests stared back at her with blank expressions, not understanding what she was getting at, but a few shifted on their feet and dropped their eyes from hers.
"Of course, the real reason you probably remember that dinner is because that's the night my father died - the night he was murdered by Mab Monroe right on the very ground you stand on now. Many of you were here then. You saw exactly what Mab did to my father - and not one of you lifted a finger to help him or to try and stop her. Not a single one of you."
Murmurs of unease rippled through the crowd. I wasn't the only one who could hear the crazy loud and clear in Salina's voice now.
"Of course, Mab is dead," she continued. "But the rest of you aren't."
More than a few folks sucked in breaths at the threat in her words.
Jonah McAllister pushed through the crowd until he was standing in front of Salina. The lawyer gave her an icy glare. "This is madness. Let us go, Salina. You can't possibly hope to get away with whatever it is you have planned. You don't know who you are dealing with."
"No, Jonah," she said. "You don't know who you are dealing with. But believe me when I tell you that you are about to find out."