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Alex propped the bike up on its kickstand. “So I hear you’ve got something to tell me,” he said, stalling for time.
Willow raised an eyebrow at Seb. “You already told him?”
“Yes, I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have let you do it. ” Alex was impressed despite himself by how relaxed Seb seemed – there was no hint anything was wrong.
But Willow’s forehead had creased. Slowly, she rose to her feet. “Something’s going on, I can feel it,” she said to Seb. “You’re really worried. ”
Seb’s smile faded. “Willow. . . ”
“Something about me, and the cathedral. ” She moved closer to him, her eyes searching his. “Seb, what is it?”
Alex watched, his emotions suddenly off-kilter. Why was it Seb’s feelings that she was picking up on so strongly, and not his own? Meanwhile, Seb stood almost motionless, looking down at Willow’s delicately pointed features. . . and at the expression on his face, Alex’s jaw tightened. Couldn’t Willow see that being her friend was the last thing on Seb’s mind?
Only seconds had passed; Willow was gazing at Seb, frowning intently. Alex almost had the sense they were still communicating. Then she shook her head; fleetingly touched his arm. “You’re blocking me out. I can feel it. ”
Seb sighed. “We’d better tell her,” he said to Alex.
Yeah, thanks for the newsflash, Alex thought. Suddenly his skin felt like it was prickling with heat. What the hell did “You’re blocking me out” mean? Was Willow really that used to wandering around in Seb’s mind now, sharing everything with him?
Willow’s face was tense as she turned to him. She wove her fingers through his, squeezing his hand. “Alex? What’s going on?”
Her touch was warm, grounding. With an effort, he shook away his thoughts. Stop being ridiculous, he told himself. Yes, they’re close – they’re both psychic, for god’s sake. It doesn’t mean anything, at least not as far as Willow’s concerned.
“Why don’t you start fixing the bike, and we can talk about it?” he said. “You stay too,” he added tersely to Seb. As much as he wished he could drop-kick the guy into another country, he had a job to do; this concerned both Seb and Willow.
While Willow got to work on the bike, Alex explained, occasionally handing her tools when she asked. Seb sat against the wall, his legs crossed at the ankles. Soon Willow had disconnected a pair of leads and taken off two small, grimy units he presumed were the spark plugs; she inspected them briefly. Even through his distraction, Alex was impressed. He’d never seen her work on an engine before; he himself would have been totally clueless.
“So. . . that’s what’s up,” he finished.
Willow rested the spark plugs to one side. “Are you asking me to go there with Seb? And see what I can get psychically?”
“Yeah,” he said after a pause. “I guess I am. ”
He could see she knew exactly what this was costing him. “Of course I’ll help,” she said. “And Alex, it’ll be okay. ”
“I know it will,” he said. Picking up a wrench, he rapped it hard against the floor. “Because I’m going to have the whole damn team in there, covering both of you. ” Especially you, he thought, and was grimly grateful she couldn’t read his thoughts as easily as she seemed to read Seb’s.
Choosing a screwdriver, Willow removed the air cleaner cover, ducking her head down to take a look. “Ah-ha,” she muttered as she extracted a plastic bag that had somehow gotten caught in the filter. Then, as if to prove what Alex had just been thinking she looked over at Seb, who hadn’t even moved as far as Alex could tell. Her mouth moved in a faint smile. “Hey – I won’t be in any more danger than you are, you know. ”
Seb didn’t deny whatever he’d been thinking. With a sigh, he shoved back the brown curls from his brow; Alex saw again the scar on his forearm. “Yes, that’s probably true – but you see, I don’t care if I’m in danger,” he said. “When?” he added to Alex.
Sometime next decade, Alex wanted to say. “Day after tomorrow,” he said instead. “That’s when the special service is. We couldn’t wait any longer anyway, in case we need to use the security code after all. At least it gives you a little more time to practise,” he added to Willow.
She nodded. “I will, but I really think I have it now. ” She darted him an impish look, her green eyes dancing suddenly. “What’s your favourite colour?”
He couldn’t help smiling. “Blue. ”
“Okay, check it out. ”
He concentrated, and Willow’s aura came into view – a clear, sky blue, with lavender lights floating through it. Alex stared. He’d been expecting it, but wasn’t prepared for his own reaction. Seeing Willow’s aura looking so different, as if she was just an ordinary girl, not the girl he loved. . . it was as if she’d somehow moved far away from him, to someplace where he couldn’t get her back. As he took in her life force’s gentle blue glow, he felt ridiculously close to tears.
“Alex?” She rested her hand on his thigh, then winced and pulled away, glancing down at her smudged fingers. She wiped her hands off on a rag, giving him an anxious look. “Are you okay?”
“It’s great,” he got out. He was uncomfortably aware of Seb, who sat watching with an expression that seemed to understand far too much. He cleared his throat. “Seriously. . . it’s great. How about one that the angels wouldn’t want to touch?” He’d barely gotten the words out before her aura turned a sickly greyish-brown. It shrank in front of his eyes, hanging listlessly near her body.
Alex blinked. “Wow,” he said. “That’s – pretty amazing. ” The realization rushed through him: no matter what else this meant, he’d never have to worry about Willow’s aura again. For the rest of her life, she could walk down the street and be safe from the angels.
“Thank you,” he said to Seb, and he could hear the relief in his own voice. “That’s going to save her life someday. ”
“You’re welcome,” said Seb. “I didn’t teach her how to do it because of you, though. ”
“Yeah, I know you didn’t,” said Alex. There was a beat while they regarded each other – then they both seemed to remember at the same time that Willow was there. Alex saw her watching them with a faintly exasperated look. She shook her head and scrambled to her feet, grabbing up the spark plugs.
“I have to go find a wire brush and clean these off; they’re way too dirty,” she said. “I’ll just be a few minutes. ”
She left the room, her short cherry-gold hair gleaming in the light. Alex watched her, taking in her narrow shoulders; the green straps resting on her smooth skin. Then, turning, he saw that Seb’s eyes were following her too. He’d known they would be, but suddenly it felt like the last straw.
As Willow’s footsteps faded away up the stairs, he said in Spanish, “You could give it a rest sometimes. I mean, you don’t have to watch her every move, do you?”
Seb’s voice was mild. “I don’t know. Maybe I do. ” He closed his eyes and leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest.
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