Where’s your room?
“Across from yours.”
Okay.
He started back for the door. “I am going to go for a run. Would you like to have dinner when I return?”
Sure.
He was about to leave when he paused in the door jamb. “Unless you want me to stay with you?”
I removed my sunglasses and baseball cap and fluffed up my hair. Go. I’m going to shower and maybe watch some TV.
He drummed his fingers on the wood. “Lock your door, okay?”
I rolled my eyes. I still have dust, Kajika. If anyone tries to break in, they’ll regret it.
“Still.”
I’ll lock it. Now go run. It’s getting dark.
Actually it wasn’t getting dark. It was already dark. How I missed long summer days.
After he left, I filled the beige bathtub with warm water and tortured myself by looking up hotels in the Bahamas. Maybe I could head down there after this… Spend my last moments sunning myself on a long strip of white sand. Swim with schools of rainbow-colored fish instead of with Daneelies—who might or might not exist…
What stopped me from booking a hotel was that I would take no pleasure if I were to head down there alone. Maybe Kajika would go with me. I snorted at that awry thought. What had possessed me to think it?
Cat. I’d ask Cat. She’d go with me. But if she were needed in Neverra, the closest portal was in Miami. She had a life. Duties. It would be selfish of me to ask her to drop everything. Cassidy? She’d definitely be up for a vacation, but she was working at the bakery full time now. She couldn’t just up and leave anymore. Especially not since Faith had had her baby.
Little Remo.
I scrolled through my phone and found a picture of him.
And then I swiped to the next picture and the next and began to cry like an idiot because of how happy I looked in the pictures we’d taken over the summer. It had possibly been the best summer of my ninety years, because I’d lived each day as though it were my last.
A dripping sound made me look up from my phone. Sudsy water had leaked over the edge of the bath. Shoot shoot shoot. I ran to the bathroom and spun the tarnished tap. Normally, I would’ve burned the spilled water away with my fire, but I was no longer a normal faerie. I pulled the bathmat from the towel rack and laid it on the ground, where it absorbed some of the overflow.
And then I discarded my clothes, turned on the TV so the room wouldn’t feel as oppressively quiet, and slipped into the deliciously warm water. I stayed until it turned tepid, and I would’ve stayed longer were it not for the knock on my door. I wrapped myself in a scratchy towel and walked to the door.
I stood there a moment, a tad self-consciously, wondering if I should pull on some clothes, but it wasn’t as though I could tell whomever to wait. I couldn’t talk.
Cheeks a little flushed, I pulled open the door. And then I almost lost hold of my towel when I laid eyes on my visitor.
“Hi, Lily.”
10
The Visitor
The smile on Cruz’s lips didn’t reach his eyes and lasted a mere second.
Cruz had never been a grinner. He smiled, sure, and he’d once upon a time been happy, but losing his father young had turned him bitter and wary. In a way—in many ways—he reminded me of the hunter: serious, quiet, observant, and cunning. But if I had to compare them to shapes, Cruz was a circle, gentle with no edges, whereas the hunter was a triangle, all edges.
Why in the world was I comparing men to geometrical shapes? I tightened my hold on the towel, rolled up on my tiptoes, and wrapped an arm around Cruz’s shoulder, pulling him into a hug. His hands came around me and held me lightly.
“Your skin…it really is cold.”
I detached myself from him and gazed into the green depths that had held me captive for so many years. His mouth was set into such a grim line that my pulse scrambled. I knew what that look meant. My state was dismal.
I closed the door behind him and signed, How did you find me?
He sat on the foot of the bed and knotted his fingers together. “It wasn’t easy. I asked Derek, but all he knew was that you’d left on an errand. I went to find Cassidy, and she showed me this Snapchat clip of you and Kajika at a gas station, and then I puzzled over why you’d go on a road trip. Especially with Kajika. But then I flew over the peninsula and saw the Great Spring. Menawa mentioned he was from there, so I thought maybe Kajika wanted to show you where he’d lived.” Cruz studied his overlapping fingers a moment then looked up at me. “Which I still find a little strange, but you’re in Manistique, so maybe it’s not that strange. And then this woman tweeted that Lily Wood had lunched in her establishment, so I went there, and she told me about this place.” He stared around the room. “Where’s Kajika?”
He went for a run, I signed.
“Is he staying…with you?”
I blinked, then blushed. I shook my head, then turned away from Cruz and rifled through my suitcase for clothes. I was about to explain that it had been my idea to come and seek more Daneelies, but then realized how cracked that would sound. Cruz would remind me there weren’t any other Daneelies and force me to return to Rowan.
I didn’t want to abort my adventure.
I didn’t want to give up hope.
I grabbed underwear, a pair of skinny black jeans, and a gray v-neck sweater, then turned back around and extended my palm to signal five minutes. After spending even less time than that in the bathroom, I reemerged and sat next to Cruz, one leg bent underneath me.
Why are you here? I wrung out my hair that was still a little damp—sadly, it no longer dried as quickly as my skin.
“I came to give you news.”
My hands stilled on my ponytail. I didn’t dare hope he’d found a way to get me back inside Neverra. And yet, I couldn’t help myself from hoping…
“We know what the lock looks like.”
I waited.
“A golden acorn. Your mother remembered hearing about it from Linus.”
My mother? Since when did Cruz trust my mother? Half the time, she was surfing on some mallow-wave. The other half, she was drinking herself into a daze.
Cruz must’ve sensed my thoughts because he placed his hand on top of mine. “I know you think she could be making this up, but maybe she’s not, Lily. Maybe she truly does remember it. She’s been sober for almost a day.”
What an accomplishment, I thought bitterly.
In the end, I signed, How did that happen?
“Ace locked her in his old apartment and stationed lucionaga all around.”
My brother did what? Sign language was tedious. Speaking into Kajika’s mind was making me lazy.
“Your mom is the one who sent the faeries to retrieve her dust from Kajika, so Ace chastised her.”
Mom sent those faeries?
Cruz nodded.
Whoa. That wouldn’t earn me brownie points with Kajika. I chewed on my bottom lip.
“She gave us the tip about the lock in exchange for a couple mallow leaves.”
So she’s no longer sober?
“She is. Ace tricked her. The mallow leaves he gave her were made out of wita. They disintegrated before she could rub them against her gums.”
My brother was turning out to be pretty ruthless. In a good way, though. Tricking my mother, locking her up, and detoxing her was sure to peeve my blonde genitor.
I seized my phone from the bed and typed: How is he doing as a king? Do the people like him?
“The people who wanted change are pleased with him, but the ones who supported your father find him too lenient and young. They favor Gregor.”
Isn’t that dangerous? Isn’t Ace worried Gregor will stage a coup with his backers?
“If he did, Ace would make a public announcement about Faith’s lineage. You remember what happens to bastard children?”
They were killed. My fingers tapped on my phone’s screen. Wasn’t Ace amending that law?
�
�He’s been putting it off to enrage Gregor. Especially now that Faith has had her baby. Gregor desperately wants to bring his daughter and grandson to Neverra but won’t dare until the law is ratified.”
Politics were no more than a game of chess—each move was strategized, its various impacts calculated and analyzed for ripple effects.
We spoke about hunters next, and how they were adapting. They’d chosen to settle in the valley between the Five—five gray cliffs. One of them had flanked the Hareni. I hadn’t been a fan of the Valley because of the solitary pilgrimage my father had imposed upon me.
As we talked, I realized how much I’d missed Cruz. Not romantically but as a friend. We used to talk so much, spend hours in each other’s company.
A curl of black hair fell into his green eyes, and I lifted my fingers to brush it away, but stopped. His hair wasn’t mine to brush away.
I balled my fingers, then spread them and signed, What about girls?
He frowned. “Girls?”
Are you seeing someone?
His features tightened. “No, Lily. Once you’re safely back—”
Don’t stop living because of me.
“Because you believe I can think of anything, anyone else right now?” He reached out and enveloped my hand with his. “I did this to you.”
I shook my head, snatched my hand back so I could answer, Not true. The decision wasn’t just yours. It was also mine. Don’t blame yourself. I certainly don’t bl—
A knock on my door made me pause mid-sentence. I got up and walked over, imagining it was Kajika, back from his run.
I guessed right.
His black hair was slicked back, wet from a shower, and he’d changed into a v-neck t-shirt that hugged his sculpted chest, and low-slung jeans that revealed the elastic waistband of his briefs.
“Are you rea—” Kajika flattened his palm against the door and shoved it open. “I am interrupting.” His already rough voice turned as coarse as the bed sheets.
I shook my head. Cruz was just filling me in on what was happening in Neverra.
“What is happening in Neverra?”
Cruz stood up and slung his hands inside his leather jacket pockets. “They have a new lead on the portal lock.”
They think it’s an acorn, I added excitedly.
Kajika would get to see his family sooner than anticipated if my mother’s information was accurate.
“A tree nut?” the hunter said, hiking up his upper lip. “Unless it is as big as one of your calimbors, that will not be easy to locate.”
It’s made of gold. Besides, we don’t have acorns in Neverra, so it should stand out.
I turned around, suddenly animated with an idea. I turned toward the bed, gripped my phone and was about to type when I remembered Kajika was here. I didn’t have to type or sign. All I had to do was ask him to transcribe my words out loud.
Tell Cruz to requisition everyone’s jewelry.
Kajika raised a brow but spoke my silent words.
Cruz blinked at me.
Actually, tell him not to seize the jewelry, because if someone does own the acorn and knows what it is, they might hide it. Tell him to throw an Earthly nature-themed dinner where the most original jewel wins a prize. Seelies love those sorts of contests.
Kajika stared at me as though my head had been unscrewed from my neck.
Please tell him.
Shaking his head, Kajika related my thoughts.
Cruz listened. “That’s a sound idea, Lily. I will organize it as soon as I get home.” He began walking toward the door but paused beside me. “We arrested the faeries who attacked you, Kajika.”
The hunter’s eyes turned searing. “Who sent them?”
Cruz hesitated. He looked at me, as though checking if it was all right to tell him. When I shrugged, he said, “Adison Wood.”
Shock rippled over Kajika’s face. “Your mother did this, Lily?”
Cruz shifted to stand protectively in front of me. “Don’t take it out on her, or I’ll end your little trip down memory lane and fly her back to Rowan.”
“Our what?”
“This excursion of yours,” Cruz said.
My pulse quickened. He assumes you took me to visit your home. Please don’t tell him the real reason for our trip. He’ll laugh at me…or he really will take me home.
Cruz placed his hands on my shoulders and switched from English to Faeli. “Vis ade dumu sua?”
“I would never harm her,” Kajika growled. “Unlike you.”
I peeked past Cruz. You understand Faeli? Or had he read it from my mind?
Kajika didn’t answer me. He was too busy glaring at Cruz, who’d pivoted to glare right back. Worried he might react to the hunter’s implication, I stepped between them and pressed my palms into Cruz’s pumping chest. It took several minutes for his heart to quiet.
When it did, I released my hold on him and signed, Go to Neverra. Find the lock. I’m fine. I promise.
I pressed up onto my toes to stamp a kiss on his cheek, but he turned his head, and instead of his cheek, my lips landed on his. It caught me by such surprise that I was slow to react. But so was he. When we broke apart, a new light seemed to have flicked on behind his green irises.
I touched my lips and blushed. I’m sorry, I signed.
A slow smile appeared on his face. “I’m not.”
Oh, no, no, no… Now he wanted me. Now? After all those years I’d spent pining for him, he chose now to reciprocate. I lowered my eyes to the navy rug that had been bleached in spots.
You should go, I signed.
“I thought…” He didn’t tell me what he thought. He simply cleared his throat. “I’ll come back as soon as I can.”
I stepped aside to let him pass. Only then did I realize Kajika was gone. Skies, I hoped he hadn’t jumped to the conclusion that I’d wanted the kiss.
After Cruz left, I took a moment to regroup before crossing the narrow hallway and knocking on Kajika’s door. No answer.
Was he avoiding me or had he left the motel?
I knocked again, calling out his name in my mind.
There was only silence behind the flimsy piece of wood.
Glumly I returned to my bedroom and closed the door, then leaned against it and thought about sending him a text message to ask if he still wanted to get dinner, but that would surely come off as needy. I wrapped my arms around myself and waited almost an hour before giving up hope that he would return.
Stomach as hollow as my chest, I tucked myself into bed. Even though I didn’t have many nights left, I willed this one to be over quickly.
11
Hippies
I awakened to thunderous knocking. It sounded as though someone were trying to tear down my door. I shot into a sitting position, clenching my fingers around the abrasive cotton sheets.
I let the hunter’s name slip into my mind. Is it you?
The pounding stopped. “Good. You are awake. I will wait in the car.”
I loosed a heavy breath. What a way to get someone out of bed. I dragged the sheets off my legs and got up, pulled on the clothes I’d worn the night before, brushed my teeth and hair, then splashed water over my face. Like every morning, I inspected my lashes because those would be the first to go once my fire died. That and my hair.
Thankfully, both were still there.
I rid the hairbrush’s bristles of the long blonde strands. It felt like there were more of them, but that was probably just my anxiety making me see things. I tossed all my belongings into the suitcase, zipped it up, then put on my leather jacket, baseball cap, and sunglasses, and wheeled my little bag out of the room.
I handed my key back and started for my wallet, but the clerk behind the front desk told me the bill had already been settled.
The sky was a limpid summer-blue, which had me thinking about the sun-soaked beaches lined with palm trees and turquoise water I’d researched yesterday. After Ace and Cat’s Beaver Island nuptials, I would be brave and make a
one-way trip out of Rowan. It would be easier on everyone if I vanished before truly vanishing.
No one wanted to see someone die.
The Porsche’s engine was already rumbling when I walked toward the trunk and popped it open. I set my bag down next to Kajika’s black duffle, then got into the passenger seat.
Thanks for paying for the room.
Kajika grunted, then stomped on the gas pedal.
Can we grab breakfast? I asked, as I clicked my seatbelt into place. I’m starving.
He didn’t so much as glance my way, let alone answer.
Are you mad at me?
That won me a glance. More of a glare than a glance, really.
My pulse quickened. You are. Why?
“You could have told me Cruz was coming.”
I had no clue.
He snorted.
I’m telling you the truth. I’ve had no communication with him for almost a month.
“How did he know where to find us then?”
The lady in the café tweeted I’d eaten at the place.
Kajika’s jaw was as sharp as the sunlight pouring through the sunroof.
I waited for you for dinner.
The hunter side-eyed me but quickly taped his gaze back to the road.
We didn’t stop for breakfast.
My stomach rumbled, and my mood flattened like the landscape. This was going to be one long drive. I toyed with my phone, deciding that I might as well make the most of it. I booked myself a suite in the fanciest Bahamian hotel. I considered booking a flight but decided I would use my residual fire to get down there.
An hour into the trip, he finally talked. “More Daneelies in the Bahamas?”
No.
“Then why are you going?”
I looked at him then, really looked at him. Because there is nothing and no one there.
“I do not understand.”
What don’t you understand, Kajika? That I’d want to be alone? How could you, of all people, not understand this? My thoughts hissed out of my mind.
“Why are you in a mood? Did you not have a pleasant night?”
A pleasant night? Are you serious?
Raging Rival Hearts Page 6