by Alyson Noel
I pause near the spot where Dace found me, and when the tourmaline ring starts to warm, I take it as a sign that I’m either in the presence of the vortex, or that Cade Richter has lured me into his trap.
Figuring it’s a win either way, I move forward. Instantly aware of a shift in the atmosphere, a heightened vibration, I gather my skirts and pick up the pace. Making it only part of the way when I’m stopped by a shaky hand with clammy fingers grabbing hold of my wrist.
Cade.
Cade is here. The vortex is near. Leaving me with no clear idea of just who’s controlling this stone.
He jerks me back against him, nudges his nose into the hollow of my neck, and drags a long, steady breath. “Nothing like the scent of Raven at night,” he says, his voice betraying an uneven pitch. “Though I must say, you do look enchanting.” He twists hard on my arm, turns me to face him. “Still, I can’t help but wonder where you’re headed in such a hurry?”
I wrench free of his grip, put a more comfortable distance between us. Rubbing the place on my wrist where his fingers left marks, I bite back a scowl and force myself to play along. “Where do you think I’m going?”
“I would hope you were looking for me.” He grins in a way that pulls his lips tightly, creases his eyes until they’re just barely visible, and causes his head to jerk to the right. Making him appear manic, more than a little demented, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
The sinister, snide, mocking Cade is the one that I’m used to. The one I can deal with. This unbalanced version is a bit of a mystery.
“It’s good to see you, Daire. I didn’t think you’d come.” He casts his gaze downward, drags his mask over his face as though caught in the grips of a sudden bout of shyness.
“Hard to pass up such an interesting invite,” I reply, studying his intricately detailed mask bearing a silver moon eclipsing a golden sun.
When Shadow eclipses Sun—the Seer shall fall
The choice is no accident. The message anything but subtle. It’s Cade’s way of telling me he knows about the prophecy—that he considers himself the Shadow, destined to rule.
“So you liked the invitation? I wasn’t sure if you would.” He lifts his chin, regards me with a hopeful gaze. His energy so chaotic, I can’t get a read.
“What’s not to like?” I grin flirtatiously, choose my words carefully. Convinced the slightest misstep will set him off, and it’s a risk I can’t take. For now, it’s best to play his game his way.
“I worried the raven might send the wrong message, but I’m glad you could see past all of that and glean its true meaning.” His eyes are shrewd and appraising. “It was meant to be symbolic, as you’ve clearly figured out. Something which, I have to admit, makes me inordinately proud.”
I nod encouragingly, needing to hear more. I have no idea where he’s going with this.
“It’s the end of our old roles, Daire. It’s time we shed Coyote and Raven and move into a new day. It’s time for Richter and Santos to join. With the kind of power we wield, the possibilities are endless. You and I could rule the world. And the thing is—I know that we’re ready. Your presence here tonight, wearing the dress and the mask that I sent, well, clearly you feel it too.”
My smile grows tighter, but he’s so caught up in his delusional world he doesn’t seem to notice my struggle to keep this farce going.
It’s hardly the first time he’s tried to convince me to join his quest for world domination. Still, he’s never been quite so . . . earnestly poetic before.
My gaze runs the length of his crisp white tux, his bloodred bow tie and cummerbund. Funny how Dace chose to wear black and his brother white. Yin and Yang, just like Cade stated in the dream where he slipped the blue tourmaline ring onto my finger.
“I understood immediately.” I lean toward him, hoping to foster a sense of intimacy and trust. “But what I can’t help but wonder is whether you broke Coyote’s neck as well? You know, as a symbolic gesture to signal the end of your role.” I adopt an innocent expression as though I’m merely curious and not at all baiting him.
“I’m embarrassed to say that it didn’t even occur to me. But, now that you’ve mentioned it, it makes perfect sense.” His gaze glimmers. It actually glimmers. And if I peer close enough, I can catch the tiniest bit of my reflection staring back.
I blink once, twice, ensuring it really is true—that Cade’s eyes actually mirror in the way Dace’s once did.
The startling sight, combined with his willingness to kill his beloved Coyote in an effort to please me, forces me to reevaluate everything I thought I knew about him.
While it’s never been clear how a spirit animal’s death might affect its owner, considering Cade and Dace’s mystical connection, I can’t take the chance. “I don’t think that’s necessary,” I purr, touching his arm briefly, before using the momentum of a group of people brushing past to take a tiny step back, inching closer to what I hope is the vortex.
“It’s your call, Daire.” His voice catches on my name in a way that’s unnerving, as though it elicits untold emotion. “You’re probably surprised to hear me say that, but how else can I convey the seriousness of my offer? Besides, you’ve pleased me immensely by wearing the dress and the mask. I never imagined you’d actually go through with it—and I have to say, it looks even better than I dreamed.” He pushes his mask high onto his forehead, filling his eyes with the sight of me. Not seeming to notice the space slowly increasing between us.
“I could never reject a gift of such generosity and beauty. I felt like Cinderella the moment I slipped it on and saw how perfectly it fit.” I gaze down the bodice, to the deep V, and smile shyly, all the while risking another step back.
Cade’s gaze follows mine. His fingers twitching, his weight shifting from foot to foot. His movements as awkward and jerky as a marionette with loose strings.
“Yet, I did find it odd that you chose a red gown for a black-and-white ball.” My right foot slides back. The left one soon meets it. “I couldn’t quite make sense of that. Care to explain?”
“Easy.” He grins, causing his eyes to flash clear and bright. “You’re not like the rest of them, Daire. Girl like you should always stand out in a crowd.” He centers his gaze on my chest, and I have to fight every instinct not to move my arm to cover it. Though it’s not long before he catches me looking and drops his gaze to his feet, doing the shy act again. Which is strange enough in and of itself, but when I catch sight of his fingers trembling and clenching by his sides, it’s a sure sign of the strange inner conflict that rages inside. “The mask—the dress—I had them made especially for you.” He scrapes the sole of his shoe against the stone-tiled floor. “But you really need to toss that ridiculous key. It’s ruining the look.” He lifts his gaze to meet mine, and I watch the glimmer fade until he’s back to being the Cade that I’m used to. The dark, overconfident Cade. The one whose eyes absorb everything around him. “And what’s with the shoes?” He thrusts a disapproving finger toward Jennika’s designer motorcycle boots peeking out from the hem.
“You don’t approve?” I sneak the hem up just a bit, allowing for a better look. The scowl on his face telling me I’ve only succeeded in making it worse. “Well, on the plus side, they’re a lot easier to run in than stilettos.”
His fists curl tighter. “And what exactly are you running from?”
“Well, normally, that would be you. But, here you are, right here before me, and I wouldn’t even consider it.” I press a hand to the outside of my thigh, ready to summon my athame should I need it. Peering past his shoulder as Auden goes through a series of sound checks and the crowd starts to head for the dance floor. Won’t be much longer until he heaves his last breath.
“Somehow, your words fail to convince. No matter what I do, you still see me as the enemy,” he says, so lost in the thought, he fails to notice when someone bumps into him and sends him reeling into my space.
So much for the progress I made.
; “I assure you, that’s hardly the case.” I wiggle my fingers by my side, hoping for a tingle of energy, some kind of hint that I’m on the right track, that somewhere nearby a portal awaits.
“If only I could believe that.” He cocks his head, shoots me a suspicious look.
“Well, for starters, I’m here, wearing the dress, and talking to you.” I chance another step back, wishing Auden would just get to it already and get the plan underway.
“True.” Cade moves along with me. Either in an effort to stay close, or he’s totally onto me, it’s impossible to tell.
“And, I’m doing everything I mentioned despite the fact that you’re responsible for my grandmother’s death. That’s got to mean something.” I stand firmly before him, the vortex now just a few feet away according to the energetic swarm playing at the back of my hands. And while I have every intention of breaching it, I need to get there long before Cade. It’s his job to chase me.
He dismisses my words with a shrug. “I know what she meant to you, but Paloma was determined to keep us apart, and you have to admit, we wouldn’t be here now, just you and me, if I hadn’t killed her.” His delivery so matter of fact, I know without a doubt that whatever is going on with him is far worse than I thought. The old Cade would’ve taunted me to no end. Detailing exactly how much he enjoyed killing her. This new Cade is completely unpredictable, which makes him even more dangerous.
“I loved her,” I say, knowing I shouldn’t push it, shouldn’t veer from the script. But it’s impossible to fake my feelings where Paloma’s passing is concerned. Besides, it’s just a matter of time before Cade Richter is history. “Not a day goes by I don’t miss her,” I add. Despite Chay’s warnings, with each spoken word I can feel my anger mounting until it’s all I can do to keep it in check. “Yet, it’s true that Paloma never would’ve understood these . . . feelings . . . we share for each other.” The words taste bitter on my tongue.
Cade makes a conciliatory face and reaches for my hand, and as repulsive as I find him, I need to play along for just a few seconds more.
“People die, Daire.” He huffs under his breath, his face reddens with outrage, as though angered by the lack of justice in the world—as though he doesn’t actually wear Paloma’s blood on his hands. “It’s the circle of life. You, more than anyone should know that. Sheesh.” He drops my hand, his fists curl in outrage. The burst of anger lasting only a moment, before he softens and says, “It hurts, I know. But I’m so glad to see you getting past it and focusing on the future you deserve.”
I cast my eyes downward, use the pause to sneak another step back.
“You’ve lost so many so quickly, it almost seems unfair. Still, there’s a reason for everything and each step leads to the next. Now that you’re on your own, with Paloma gone, Dace having moved on, and Jennika—”
“What about Jennika?” I cut him off before he can finish. The sound of my mom’s name on his lips is enough to make me forfeit my whole plan and kill him right here.
“Relax.” He slips the mask over his face and laughs, making a strange, muffled sound. “I was just about to say that even Jennika will one day move on. Jeez, Daire, when’d you get so sensitive?”
But the way his head tilts, the way his voice catches, leaves me to wonder if that’s all there is to it. He’s unstable. Untrustworthy. Which makes him capable of just about anything.
“Anyway, enough of all this. It’s time we set aside our differences. Come.” He reaches for my hand again. “You’re lucky I found you when I did. Do you know there’s a kill order issued with your name on it?”
“Yeah. You’re the one who issued it. Remember?” I drop the façade, having reached my limits for him and his madness.
“Don’t be ridiculous. You have no idea what’s really going on here. But, if you stick with me, you just might get out alive.”
I look past Cade’s outstretched hand and glance toward the stage.
The game is over.
The plan is in motion.
And little does he know, I’ve got him right where I want him.
With the sound checks complete, Auden introduces the band, as Xotichl uses the amethyst pendulum she wears at her neck to locate the Richters. While Lita plucks two of the three feathers in her hair and uses them to enhance herself, Auden, Xotichl, and Axel with magickal and transformative powers, saving the eagle feather—the one for sending wishes and prayers—for later. And Axel pulls the rattle from Lita’s bag and readies it before him, waiting for Auden to launch into his song.
When he reaches the drum solo, Auden butts the head of his guitar into Paloma’s drum he’s propped up beside him, as Axel shakes the rattle. The two of them sending a mystical vibration throughout the room, as I brace myself, praying it works.
This is it.
There is no plan B.
I close my eyes for a moment, say a little prayer of my own, and when I open them again, I turn on my heel to see that it worked.
The vortex is just a few steps behind me, and thanks to the drum and the rattle, it’s visibly illuminated in a way only my friends and I can see.
I spin on my heel, begin to sprint toward it, when Cade grabs hold of the back of my dress and I respond with a fist aimed straight for his jaw. My knuckles slamming hard into his flesh, sending him reeling, spinning, slamming onto the floor with his mask knocked clear across the hall.
Though it’s only a matter of time before he’s on me again—or at least that’s the plan.
I need him to chase me.
But not before I put a solid distance between us.
Freeing my buckskin pouch from my hair, I loop it around my neck, gather my skirts in my hands, and charge through the vortex.
TWENTY-SEVEN
XOTICHL
Auden steps away from the drum, and leaps from the stage. Grasping my hand tightly in his, we run alongside Lita and Axel in a race toward the vortex, while the Richters race to catch up.
Problem is they’re not exactly alone. From the looks of things, they’re taking half the club with them.
The idea was to lure the Richters on a chase through the portal while the elders worked their magick to block off the exits. Ensuring the safety of the citizens of Enchantment, while trapping Cade, Leandro, and the rest of them to deal with Daire’s wrath, while we serve as backup in case she should need it.
But with all of these people joining in on the chase, it’s not going as planned.
Lita shoots a worried look over her shoulder, searching for Auden and me, but a crush of people rush past, and the next thing I know, I’ve lost Auden’s grip and I’m stumbling straight for the floor. My hands out before me, just about to connect, when someone hitches onto the back of my dress and yanks me to safety. Sparing me from what surely would’ve been a case of death by trampling.
“Thank you.” I push my hair from my eyes and fight to catch my breath. “I think you may have just saved my life.”
“Perhaps it’s me who should be thanking you.”
I look into the face of a man with black, opaque eyes and a hideous grin. Despite the evidence before me, I tell myself it’s not what I think. I’m clearly imagining things.
“I thought you were going to Albuquerque?” I take a quick inventory of his squinty mean gaze, absurd middle-aged ponytail, and wannabe hipster double-hoop earrings. Could only be Luther.
“Turns out I was needed here.” His grin grows as wide and empty as the look in his eyes.
“Who needed you—Auden?” My gut churns with dread as my mind searches for an easy explanation.
“Auden?” He makes a face of distaste. “No, flower. As it turns out, Auden’s offered all that he can. Gotta admire his level of ambition though. If you must know, it was Leandro who called.”
My gut roils, practically screaming I told you so! “How do you know Leandro? I don’t understand.” Though the second it’s out, I realize I do. In fact, I’m beginning to understand more than I ever wanted to.
“O
h, but you’re beginning to understand now, aren’t you, flower? Clever girl that you are. The record company I work for is owned by the Richters. Leandro’s my cousin. Thought for sure you would’ve figured that out. But I guess you can’t really see nearly as well as you used to. You can’t really see much of anything, can you? Or at least nothing of any real importance or depth. So sad to watch someone with so much power, and so much unlimited potential, become as dumbed down as everyone else in this town.”
“You did this! You’re behind this!”
“While I’d love to claim all the credit, turns out it was all you. Think, flower, what was always the one thing that kept us from altering your perception until now?”
My stomach clenches, a stream of bile rises high in my throat.
My blindness.
As Paloma once told me, The Richters need your sight to alter your perception. If you can learn to look upon your blindness as a blessing, I can teach you how to see that which remains hidden to most . . .
“Oh, and it goes even deeper.” He grasps my hand in his, and before I can stop him, he sends a stream of images into my head. Images so awful, so horrific, my knees buckle and give.
No.
My hands find the floor.
The rest of me follows.
No, it can’t be!
I look up, my gaze pleading with his. “You have to undo it! You have to—”
He looms over me. Shoots me a malevolent grin. “A signed contract is binding. A contract sealed with blood is binding for eternity. And, speaking of blood—” He reaches toward me, swipes a thick finger across my cheek. Tracing over the exact same place where Auden accidentally bled on me. “Looks like someone’s been marked.” His sardonic laughter bleats in my head. “Turns out, this was one of my best, and surprisingly easiest gets. A twofer—who would’ve guessed?” He ducks his head. “Now, if you don’t mind, I hear there are worlds to breach, not to mention a Seeker to kill. Can’t think of a better way to celebrate the end of your world!”
He races toward the vortex, vanishing as quickly as he appeared. As I struggle to my feet, struggle to digest this hideous turn of events. Vaguely aware of a hand shooting out from behind me, as a hurried voice says, “There you are, flower. I’ve been looking all over for you!”