by Ashley Meira
“Hey.” I turned to see Adam moving a large potted plant. When he knocked the ground beneath it, there was a hollow thump. “You’re the expert. Is this cliche?”
“It’s not original. Decoy was a nice touch though.”
“These protections are much more advanced,” he said. “Give me a second.”
I gave him two before growing restless and coming over. Keeping my hands off him was hard, but I managed to sit a good six inches away to watch him work.
He growled. “What a pain. I don’t know how you do it.”
I didn’t. I just absorbed the magic. Still, I couldn’t resist teasing him. “Want some help?”
“I want you,” he said without missing a beat. His words were casual, like I’d asked him if he wanted more tea. No jokes or runarounds, just plain fact. He looked up. “To unlock this.”
I stared at him in shock. Ass. Ass.
He snorted. “You can dish it, but you can’t take it.”
I’d kill him, but then I’d have to drag his body out. “Dispel the damn enchantments.”
He continued working, but reached a hand out to cup my cheek. “I choose you.”
“Pikachu?”
“Over unlocking this safe.” His eyes were serious. “And a lot of other things.”
I was so entranced by his words and the sincerity in his eyes that I almost missed the dissipated magic. Automatically, I pulled out my lockpick and got to work, hoping my hair would hide my face. Had I blushed this much before we met?
“Old parchment,” I said, opening the safe. The smell was distinct, and I recognized it immediately. “Seems authentic.”
Adam kissed my nose. “Nice job.”
“Stop that. I’m not a puppy.”
“More of a kitten, really.”
The sober part of me wanted to glare while the remnants of my magic-addled mind wanted to kiss him into silence. The difference of opinion left me staring blankly over his shoulder.
“Look familiar?” Adam pulled out a piece of parchment.
It was old and torn at the edges, like it had been ripped from a book. Part of me mourned the vandalism of a piece of history, but I was more focused on the page’s contents. Surrounded by faded symbols of a language I didn’t recognize was a sketch of a necklace. The necklace.
“Can you read that?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure what language this is. It’s definitely ancient. I recognize this type of parchment from Damien’s exhibits.”
“Aw, you’re learning.” I pinched his cheek.
He turned and nipped my wrist. “This is proof he knew about the necklace.”
“But not of any guilt. Maybe he was looking into it for Sandra. But wouldn’t he have shown her this already? If that’s the case, why would Sandra ask Adrienne to look into it?” I bit my lip. “He seemed nervous the night we met at her house. Scared, even. When he was on the phone, I thought he was speaking to the Council, but….”
“But?”
“The way he phrased things….” I shrugged. “He could’ve been speaking to an accomplice, but he also could’ve been speaking to the Council. I don’t know. I really don’t. All I do know is that whoever has this necklace dies, and Adrienne was the last person in contact with it. I also know Thomas probably lied about why he had that inhibitor bangle. Not to mention he’s AWOL and was the last person to see Adrienne.”
“That we know of,” Adam said. “But I agree that it’s all very damning. I’d think him simply a victim if he didn’t have that bangle — or this page. But why would he do this? He doesn’t need the money.” He turned the parchment over. “This probably holds the answer.”
“You can’t remotely access his phone, right?”
Adam shook his head. “Already tried.”
“I wish we knew who he was speaking with last night. An accomplice would be a great lead. Or an employer,” I thought aloud, “if this really is that mystery buyer’s ‘necklace of oceanic origins.’ Assuming he isn’t the mystery buyer himself. However, I agree with Symeon’s thought that a man like that wouldn’t get his hands dirty. Of course yesterday I’d have said that about Thomas.” I let out a weary sigh. “Who could have a Council member on payroll?”
“Being on the Council doesn’t make you infallible.”
“That’s not what—” I cut off when I saw the dark look in his eyes. He looked almost haunted, anger and regret fighting for dominance on his face. He swallowed thickly, like it would smother all the bad thoughts. I took his free hand, cradling it in both of mine. “Are you okay?”
He looked at me, tortured hurricane still in his eyes. “Are you?”
I couldn’t kiss him — or answer honestly — so I pressed my lips to his knuckles. “Is there anything else in there?”
“Nothing that looks relevant, but I’m tempted to take everything just in case.”
I stood up and began looking for an empty folder. “Do it, and let’s go.”
He gathered all the files and placed them in the manila envelope I handed him. His movements were stiff and distracted. I took the folder from him and stroked his cheek. It felt hypocritical asking him to open up, so I tried communicating with my eyes. You know, the cowardly way.
“Now you know how I feel,” he said tiredly. “And I know how you feel. It’s hard, isn’t it?”
“More than you can imagine,” I whispered.
After cleaning up our tracks and exiting the office, he said. “Hey, when this is over, we should play truth or dare.”
I scoffed. “What makes you think I’ll choose truth? Never mind. I just thought of what you’d dare me to do. We’re never playing that.”
He pulled me close and laughed quietly into my hair. “I see an exit.”
I slipped out the window and leapt onto a branch, higher than the one we used to get in. I could hear Jeffery’s voice chattering on by the entrance. Did he even need to breathe? Adam joined me a moment later, less impressed with Jeffery’s talents. When I mentioned it, he told me he’d seen Damien do this kind of stuff all the time.
“Gets it from our mom. She can go on for hours.”
“Thought he’d get the schmoozing from your dad,” I said, slipping to a lower branch.
Adam pursed his lips. “My dad is a man of few words.”
We reached the lowest branch, but the ground was still too high for us to jump.
“I can use magic to get us down. We jump, and I’ll summon a burst of wind to cushion our fall.” Adam nodded toward the trunk. “More leaves over there. Better cover.”
Would I absorb the magic before it spared me the impact? I wasn’t willing to risk my legs on it. “You jump. I’ll climb down.”
“…Okay.”
I raised a brow.
“You always seem surprised when I go along with you.” He rolled his shoulders. “Arguing isn’t fun if it actually upsets you.”
I threw my arms around him and kissed his cheek. All this kindness and understanding. For the millionth time, I found myself wishing he was just another jerk.
He hugged me back. “Race you?”
“Sure. Winner buys dinner.”
“Are you agreeing to another date?”
“If you beat me.” Which he would. I was fast, but not enough to beat someone jumping directly down.
“Deal.”
I gave him one last look before shooting toward the window. Hard stone accents under my calloused grip, the smoothness of wood panelling against my palms, my feet reaching down only to touch air…. I loved free climbing.
Adam was leaning against the tree trunk with a smug grin. “I’m thinking Italian, with Ollie’s for dessert.”
I couldn’t keep myself from smiling at him. I blamed the magic high. “For a second, I thought you were going to fly us to Italy.”
“I could—”
“No. Don’t waste that kind of money on me.”
“It’s not a waste.” He held his hand out.
I took it, and we descende
d down the small slope leading to freedom. A guard forced us into hiding halfway through. We waited in the bushes for him to pass. He was about to exit our line of sight when a zipping sound came from behind us. I leapt up at the first drop of hot liquid, knocking Adam out of our cover along with me. Professional was one thing, but I refused to get peed on.
“Intruders!”
Chapter Fifteen
My hand automatically shot to my sword. I wrenched it away. These guys were definitely on the “no kill” list. That meant magic wasn’t an option either. What if I used too much power?
While I stood there debating, Adam put the man in a headlock and dragged him into the bushes. He’d already alerted the others, however, and a group of men rushed us before we could escape.
Great. First, I flipped out over a little pee, now this. If I’d been sober, I wouldn’t have reacted so strongly. I was such an idiot. Some soiled clothes were nothing compared to jail time.
One man threw a blast of frost at me. I rolled out of the way before charging forward and punching him. My fist connected with his nose in the most satisfying way. He staggered back, winded but not down. Unlike the guys I usually hit, he was a trained professional. Perfect. My arm had just finished recovering from last month’s golem stab fest.
Adam had no problem knocking his guards out with rocks and wind blasts to the head, but I’d need to put more muscle into it if I wanted to keep up. I twisted my lower body, swinging a kick into the guard’s face. He hit the ground, and I punched him out before he could rise.
A pair of arms grabbed me from behind, the scent of dirt hitting my nose. On instinct, I shoved my head back, hearing bone crack against my ear. The guard let go and got a kick to the chest for his effort. Before I could follow up, he hurled a boulder at me. I dodged by the barest of inches, grass coating my clothes. Those stains would be a bitch to clean.
Leaping to my feet, I kept moving. The earth mage was sharp and picked up on my strafing pattern immediately. My nose itched from the dust of a rock spear he’d thrown, the shaft stabbing the ground less than a millimeter in front of me.
Deciding defense was for suckers, I ran toward him. My zigzagging wasn’t much to figure out, but I was quick — and the closer I got, the more nervous he seemed to get. Taking advantage of his distraction, I tackled him to the ground. I unleashed a flurry of punches at his face, relenting only when he stopped moving.
A blast of wind roared past my ears. I ducked down and kicked up. The pained yell that followed told me I hit a sore spot, and the guard folded over holding his crotch told me which. Why didn’t I kick people in the nuts more often? It worked really well.
“You aren’t using your magic,” Adam said from behind me.
When I turned, the ground was littered with men in suits. Aw, I kind of wanted to kick more people in the junk. “Told you we should’ve worn masks.”
“I didn’t want to cover your pretty face. One that was nearly destroyed by a burst of wind and impaled by a rock spear.”
“Nearly,” I said. It was almost worth telling him I was Fireborn so he’d stop worrying about mages killing me. “And using magic wouldn’t have made me move any faster.”
“No,” he agreed. “But it would have taken them out faster.”
“And probably killed them.” I crossed my arms. “Which would be very bad.”
“Not if you learned—”
“I’m trying.”
“You—”
“Guys, what the hell?!” Jeffery sprinted toward us. “They’re not dead, right?”
“No,” Adam said, “but we need to get out of here.”
Jeffery nodded. “There’ll be reinforcements.”
“Stop, intruder!”
I sighed as an army of men rushed toward us from the other side of the house. “You mean those guys?”
“Run!” Jeffery sprinted toward the gate with us hot on his tail.
I activated my communication ring and called Fiona. She got half a greeting out before I yelled Thomas’ address and told her to open a portal. Confusion was plastered across her face when she appeared in a flash of green. My speed meant I’d passed the men and was charging for her. She wasn’t fast enough, and our bodies slammed into each other as I reached the portal. A burst of green flooded my vision. When it cleared, I was on my back with Fiona on top of me.
She sat up. “Come here often?”
I grinned. “No, but now that I know a cutie like you hangs around here, I’m considering coming back.”
She smiled back. “Sweet talker.”
Our romantic interlude was interrupted by Jeffery and Adam stumbling over us. They hit the floor a foot away while Fiona rubbed her butt, pink swirling around her free hand.
“Whoever tripped over me first is a dead man.”
The men pointed at each other instantly. “It was him.”
“Then you’re both dead.”
“Fiona doesn’t withhold punishment,” I said. “Ask Ollie what happened when he took her last slice of pizza.”
Fiona helped us up and scoffed. “He locked himself in the bathroom.”
“And after you dragged him out?”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Ollie said, exiting the kitchen. He shuddered. “Ever. Don’t piss Fiona off. Or Sophia. Or even Adrienne. Why are all the women in my life terrifying?”
“Surrogates for your mother, probably,” Fiona said before turning back to glare at the men. “Get up and tell me what happened.”
“I forgot how abrasive you can be,” Jeffery said, helping Adam up. “Don’t get me wrong: it’s hot. I just didn’t remember.”
Fiona leaned over to me and whispered, “I’m starting to think all rich dudes are into being destroyed by women.”
“I’m sure some prefer being destroyed by men,” I said dryly.
“They’ve broken you, haven’t they?”
“Feels like it.” I lowered my voice even further. “I absorbed way too much magic back there. Protections. Adam didn’t see, but I feel like shit. Actually, I feel amazing, which is making me feel like shit because I feel great.”
“Sometimes I feel like I’m the only person in the world who can understand you.”
“Adam tastes like heaven.”
She blinked slowly. “Ollie, get Sophia the strongest cup of coffee you’ve got. Or a sedative.”
Ollie stared at us, utterly baffled. “Those have completely different effects. What are you trying to do?”
“Reset her brain,” Fiona said.
“That’s a great idea,” I said, wide-eyed at her genius. “But it’s okay now. The guards are gone, so I don’t have to be all serious. I can have fun. With Adam. Oh—”
She slapped a hand over my mouth. It tickled, and I let out a few muffled giggles before licking her hand. Mmm. Cotton candy.
“Why don’t you all sit down?” Ollie said slowly, trying to understand everything. “I’ll get drinks, and we can discuss what you found.”
“That’s a great idea. I got her,” Adam told Fiona as he pulled me to him.
I licked his bicep. “Does every part of you taste good?”
“What did she say?” Jeffery asked.
“Nothing. She’s just hungry.” Fiona dragged us to the booth we’d been in earlier. “Are you guys okay?”
Jeffery nodded. “There was a setback. My brother increased his security. By a lot.”
“A lot,” I agreed, curling up against Adam. “Hi.”
“Hi,” he said sweetly before turning to Jeffery. “Did Sandra ever mention the necklace to Thomas?”
“I don’t think so,” Jeffery said. “They don’t really speak. Just at formal functions and stuff. He did stop by to pay his respects. It might’ve been mentioned in passing — a comment about the will.”
“She never asked him to look into it or give him any details? Did she mention what it looked like? Did he see it?”
Jeffery’s brow furrowed as he thought. “No, no, no, and I’m not sure.”
Jeffery’s pleasant smelling tea was a direct contrast to whatever was in front of me. It looked like coffee. It even kind of smelled like coffee, but the aroma was hidden under layers of bitter flavors that made my hair stand on end.
“I don’t want it,” I whined.
“I know,” Ollie said. “I don’t think anything you want right now is edible.”
“I disagree.” Magic was plenty edible.
“Drink it,” Fiona ordered. “Or I start blabbing your darkest secrets.”
“I’ll start blabbing yours.”
She didn’t even blink. “Which do you care about more: Adam hearing my embarrassing secrets or yours?”
Wide-eyed, I grabbed my cup and took a sip. Hmm. Now I knew what despair tasted like. The responsible part of me kept drinking, while the magic-licker I was currently channeling tried not to tear up at the torture. It was like all the joy had seeped from my world — along with part of my high. Which was all the joy in my world right now.
“I have no sister.”
Ollie patted my hair and sat down. “What’d I miss?”
“Fiona being mean,” I huffed. “Hey!”
Adam rolled his eyes as I pinched him. “I’m just grabbing the folder.”
“Then ask,” I said, fixing my clothes. “Don’t just take, Mr. Grabby.”
He grinned. “That’s one of the very first things you ever said to me.”
“She called you Mr. Grabby when you first met?” Jeffery asked. “Dude, nice. Not nice,” he quickly said when he caught Fiona’s glare.
Adam snorted and placed the envelope on the table. He pulled out the page we found. “This is the necklace Sandra inherited, right?”
Jeffery nodded. “It’s a family heirloom from her step-father’s side, but no one in the family seemed to know much about it. They think one of their great-great-great-great—”
“We get it,” Fiona said.
“—grandfathers picked it up during their travels through Japan.”
“Anything else?” Adam asked.
He shrugged. “It’s covered in diamonds and has an aura of mystery to it.”