by Ashley Meira
“And if I can’t?”
He shrugged. “Damien looks bad in front of his pokemon buddy, and we can finally have that date.”
Damien quirked a brow. “Pokemon?”
“There will be no date,” I said firmly.
“How about with me?” Damien asked.
Adam punched him in the arm. “Bro.”
“Her magic—” He turned to me. “Your magic is absolutely delicious.”
I was literally in the dragon’s lair.
Adam grabbed my shoulders and steered me away from his brother. “Let me show you where the Heart’s case is.”
He led me to a wooden crate filled with stuffing paper. Inside was a smaller wooden box lined with velvet. “I’m guessing the Heart didn’t have an original case?”
“No. It was on an altar. Damien’s people transported it from Egypt in this.” He looked over his shoulder. His brother was walking over. “I’ll leave you to it.”
I pretended not to notice how he dragged Damien away. Or that two powerful men found my magic delicious. Thank god Ollie served liquor. I was going to run up a tab tonight. I knelt before the crate and picked up the box.
“Holy shit,” I gasped, dropping it.
Dark magic. It tasted like tar and felt like the cold hand of death wrapped around my throat.
It was the magic from the castle I’d woken up in.
But that wasn’t why I dropped the box. There was another magical signature I recognized. It smelled like hazelnut and tasted like freshly baked sugar cookies. I didn’t know who it belonged to, just that it felt familiar — and painful, like my heart was breaking.
“Sophia?” A shadow came up behind me. I leapt to my feet and kicked out, my foot slamming into something solid. “Oof.”
Adam. He’d sensed my magic flaring. I stomped my leg down. I should’ve had better control over my magic, damn it. He was the best tracker mage in the world. Second best. Whatever. He’d have sensed my magic no matter what. But it wouldn’t have mattered if I wasn’t Fireborn. My Fire was already a soft flame, but I smothered it further, cursing my entire family for being born this way. Some curse; I didn’t even remember who I was cursing.
“Are you okay?”
I crossed my arms. “Don’t sneak up on me.”
“Did you find it?” The look on his face told me that wasn’t what he wanted to ask.
The dark magic was an undercurrent to the familiar, heartbreaking magic, so it wasn’t our kidnapper but someone connected to him. If they purchased the Heart from Cyrus, then tracking it could lead to answers about our past.
Fiona and I were afraid to look into our history. We flip-flopped between thinking it was better not to know and needing to know. I wasn’t sure which side I fell on at the moment, but I knew I couldn’t let this opportunity slide by.
I glanced at Adam. Do the job. Get out. That had always been the plan. It didn’t need to change now. He would get the Heart, and I might get some answers.
He leaned forward. “Let me rephrase that: you found something.”
“I couldn’t track it all the way. The trail hit a wall, but I know there’s something past it. I might be able to track it further if I go where the wall hits.”
“Where?”
“Egypt. Deep in the valley of Mount Sinai.”
“That’s where the temple is,” Damien said. “Are you sure you’re not getting a sense of where it used to be?”
“No, it left here and went there.”
Damien sighed. “And I was just getting used to being the world’s best tracker.”
Title’s all yours, buddy. “I’m going to go,” I said. “That mountain looks like a bitch to climb. I’ll need rest.”
“You won’t need to climb it,” Adam said. “I can get a helicopter to drop us in the valley. We can meet at your place tomorrow. I have meetings in the morning, so would it be okay if we met around three?”
“Us? We?” I took a step back. “No. I work alone. ”
Adam nodded. “I understand.”
“Good.” I walked around them toward the front door.
“But no.”
I paused. “What?”
“I understand,” he repeated. “But no, you’re not going alone.”
“I’m staying here,” Damien said. “If that makes you feel better.”
“There.” I pointed at Damien. “Why can’t you be like your brother?”
Adam pursed his lips while Damien snickered. “Because unlike some people, I prefer to do things for myself. I’m very hands-on.”
“What does being handsome have to do with anything?”
He beamed. “Hands. On. But thank you.”
I swallowed. Brush off the embarrassment. Just brush it off. “Afraid I’ll steal your precious Heart?”
“Yes,” both men said with huge grins.
“I liked it better when you two were fighting.” I exited the vault. Unfortunately, they both followed after me.
“Even if you try to get a flight before me,” Adam called as I went up the stairs, “I’ll still beat you there.”
I turned around. “Look, I’ve never been in first class, but I’m pretty sure sitting there doesn’t make the plane fly any faster than sitting in coach.”
“You fly coach?” Damien scrunched his brow. “What’s that like?”
“Try it.”
“I’d rather climb Mount Sinai butt naked.”
I gave him an unimpressed look while trying not to picture what that would look like. I’d already seen him half naked. It’d be easy to imagine—
“You’re thinking about my cover again, aren’t you?” He smirked. “Would you like to see the parts they didn’t show—”
“Damien!” Adam shoved him aside as he cackled. Shooting his brother one last glare, he led me to the door. “We have a private plane. It’s faster. I’ll be there before you, so you may as well save yourself an uncomfortable coach flight and come with me.”
“You have a private plane?”
“Yes.”
“…Just one, right?”
He licked his lips. “No. Three?”
“You have three planes— Oh. Tomorrow. Right. Fine,” I said bitterly. “Three. You’re parked at the airfield, right? I’ll meet you there instead.”
He nodded. “Okay. Let me give you a ride home.”
“It’s fine. I have plans.”
“I can drive you there.” At my raised brow, he added, “It’s dark out.”
“I’m a mercenary.” I patted my handy sword. “This is usually my most busy time. Drunken pixies, grumpy vampires…the wood nymphs in the park can be assholes too.”
“Don’t baby her,” Damien said. “Or do. Chase her away. Right into my arm—”
“Pbbbt.” I blew a raspberry and gave him a thumbs down.
He raised a brow and reached for my hand. “What a lovely ring.” He turned my hand around, eyeing the ruby on my thumb. “Laying it on a bit thick, aren’t you?”
“I didn’t give it to her,” Adam said.
“Just as well,” he said. “She’s cool toned. A sapphire would be better.”
“Can I have my hand back?” I said.
“Yes.” Adam pulled my hand away. I hadn’t felt anything when Damien took my hand, but Adam’s touch was electrifying.
“How’s your lightning magic?” I asked Damien.
“Better than his,” he said.
So much for that excuse.
“Where did you get that ring?”
“Family heirloom,” I said. For all I knew, that’s what it was. “Why? Do you recognize it?”
Damien looked at me suspiciously. “Should I?”
I shrugged and used my most casual voice. “You tell me. You’re the artifact expert, and you seem pretty interested.”
“Artifact is right. This thing is definitely ancient.” He took my hand again, and Adam stepped closer. “Rubies this big are rare. Eight carats minimum. Plus, the platinum band…. What language is that?
I swear I’ve seen something like this before.” He frowned before shaking his head. “No offense, but I’m not used to seeing mercenaries carry this much money on their hand.”
The ring’s value wasn’t news to me. There were times when we considered pawning it for food and shelter, but I could never bear to part with what little connection I had to my past. “How much?”
“I couldn’t tell you without closer examination, but fine quality rubies can cost over one hundred grand per carat.”
I yanked my hand back. Holy shit.
Damien chuckled. “If you want to keep it in my vault….”
“Food,” I said, cradling my hand. “I want food. And coffee.” And copious amounts of alcohol.
“Lucky Cat or Crystarium?” he asked.
“Cat,” I said. That was Ollie’s cafe. “Alone.”
Damien elbowed Adam. “She likes me better than you.”
Adam elbowed him back. “Her magic likes mine better.”
“Good night!” I closed the door behind me.
Men.
Chapter Eight
Ollie’s cafe had a homey charm to it. A wooden sign with gold lettering proudly displayed ‘Lucky Cat Cafe’ above the windowed door. Inside, garland lights hung around the walls, casting soft shadows against round wooden tables. Hanging ivy covered the walls, giving it a warm, woodsy feel. Fiona and Adrienne were sitting at one of the window seats when I stumbled in, drained from my meeting with the Pierce brothers.
“You look like crap,” Fiona said.
“What happened?” Adrienne asked.
Adrienne was the first friend we’d made after moving to Santa Fae, and our first customer at the Guild. She’d come in looking for guards for a particularly big shipment of antiques. It didn’t take her long to realize we were completely lost in the city. She’d taken us under her wing and helped us get settled. She was one of our two best friends.
“A lot.” I plopped into my seat with a heavy sigh. “Like, imagine the worst thing that could happen, then multiply it by twenty and add a dash of sheer insanity. I need a drink. And food. Lots of food. And coffee.”
Adrienne patted my hand, her ocean blue eyes full of sympathy. The taste of blueberries and the smell of fresh water perked me up. Adrienne was a nereid, and her magic was as refreshing as the ocean spray. “Fiona told me about Adam Pierce. I couldn’t find anything on the Heart, sorry.”
“Think you can find a knockoff by tomorrow?” I said, trying to decide if learning about my past was worth dealing with Adam any further.
“Is he giving you a hard time?”
“Who’s giving you a hard time?” Ollie asked, placing a latte in front of me. “I’ll kick his ass.”
The scent of fresh laundry surrounded me, and I looked up at Ollie’s smiling, freckled face. The smell of his magic always felt like home, and the taste of spiced cider added a soft warmth to it. We may have been the same age, but he managed to look like a teenager. His sun-kissed copper hair glowed under the fairy lights, and his warm hazel eyes were as kind as ever.
“I’d pay to see that,” I said. “It’s Adam Pierce.”
His brows shot up. “From the Pierce family? I could give him food poisoning, I guess.”
“Do it.” I sat up. “Make a batch of cookies or something. I’m meeting him tomorrow.”
“Don’t poison his food,” Adrienne said, draping her black hair over one shoulder. It glimmered blue in the light, like the ocean. “If it gets traced back to you, you’ll lose business. Not even Sophia can eat enough food to keep you afloat.”
“You don’t know that,” I said. “I need a lot of fuel.”
“Yeah,” said Ollie. “Have you seen her eat?”
I’d smack him, but the familiar banter was calming. The two of them were almost family. They’d been by our side for the past three years.
But it was hard. Fiona was my sister. She’d known what I was before I did. Adrienne and Ollie didn’t know a thing. They knew we’d grown up together, and though they didn’t say it, they assumed we’d had such a bad childhood we ran away from home. Which wasn’t far from the truth. Lying to them broke my heart, but it was for their own good.
I traced the rim of my coffee cup. “Is this decaf? I need—”
He nodded. “I know.”
Of course he did. Ollie was half goblin, half green witch. His green witch blood allowed him to sense what people wanted. His powers only related to homey things like food and drink, though. He wasn’t psychic. He knew I wanted decaf, but not specifically why. His gift was one of the things that made the Lucky Cat Cafe so popular. That and his delicious food and drinks.
“But it doesn’t taste like decaf, right?” I said. “Because life isn’t worth living if—”
“It tastes like decaf,” he finished. “I’m also making you a burger and some fries in the back.”
“Marry me.”
“Nah, you work too much.” He went back to the counter and pulled two slices of cheesecake out for the girls. “Drink your coffee. Food’ll be done soon.”
The bell above the front door chimed. A leggy blonde dressed in enough designer labels to fill a yearbook entered. She exuded peppiness from every pore and wore a friendly, down-to-earth smile.
“Hey, Sandra,” Ollie greeted. “I’ll be right with you.”
She nodded and flashed us a smile before going to check out the cakes. Sandra was Jeffery Corbin’s favorite piece of eye candy. They’d been in an on-again, off-again relationship for over a year. She worshipped the ground he walked on, but I had no idea how he felt about her. He flirted with everything that breathed or threatened to hit him. I had no idea how she put up with it.
“Tell us about Adam,” Adrienne said.
“And Damien,” Fiona added. “Is he as handsome in person? There were rumors that Witch Mode cover was edited.”
“Really? Makes sense.” I took a casual sip of my latte. The magic made every muscle in my body relax. Green witches were experts at potions and homemaking, and goblins were excellent at cooking. Put them together, and you had culinary heaven.
“He’s not that hot?”
“No.” I shook my head. “He’s even hotter.”
Adrienne grabbed my free hand. “Tell me everything.”
“After you left me,” Fiona said. “I already told her what happened before.”
I rolled my eyes, but told them anyway. Though I made sure to leave out the parts about my magic or the dark magic attached to the box. It took a little tweaking, but I had a lot of experience lying to my friends’ faces.
A Mojito was placed in front of me, and Ollie patted my shoulder. Sometimes his gift scared me. I took a heavy swig.
“Crap.” The sweet, minty taste reminded me of Damien’s magic. “I need to finish this job fast.”
“So, you can date Adam?” Adrienne asked, daintily sipping her tea. “You totally should.”
“That is the last thing I should do.” No matter what she or Fiona — or my Fire — thought.
“At least let him take you out once and see how it goes. I’ve known you for three years, and not once have I seen you with someone. A man,” she said before I could tell her she always saw me with Fiona. “Or a woman. Someone, anyone.”
“I’m perfectly happy,” I said.
“How about lonely? Even Fiona dates.”
Said fairy was suddenly very interested in the bottom of her tea cup. She’d made a few comments about me needing to get out more, but never pushed the issue much. She knew why I didn’t want to let people in.
Adrienne squeezed my hand. “Nothing wrong with being friendly.”
“Nereids are too friendly for their own good,” I said, finishing my Mojito.
“That’s why everyone likes us.”
“There’s also the naked swimming,” Fiona said through a mouthful of cheesecake.
“My point is—” Adrienne rolled her eyes “—you need to let people in.”
“You let them in,” I said. “The
only thing I’m letting in is a burger.”
She smiled. “I wouldn’t mind letting a Pierce in.”
“Well, you’re already letting a Corbin in.” Ollie placed the most delicious looking BLT — without the tomatoes, because ew — in front of me before walking away. But I couldn’t enjoy it after what he’d said.
“And I thought finding tomatoes in this was going to be the worst thing about sitting here.” I glared at Adrienne. “How dare you?”
“Oh please.” Adrienne frowned. “I have been happily, semi-secretly seeing — thank you very much, Oliver — Thomas Corbin for the past few months—”
“Months?” I said, slack-jawed.
“Unbelievable,” Fiona said.
“Would you rather I date Jeffery?”
“Did someone say my name?” Jeffery’s smug face peeked into the cafe.
“This proves he’s the Devil,” I whispered to them.
“Don’t you need to say his name three times?” Fiona whispered back. “Addi only said it once. He’s worse than the Devil.”
“Don’t call me Addi.” Adrienne said before smiling. Nereids all had pretty smiles, the better to charm sailors. “Hello, Jeffery.”
“Hello, beautiful.” He winked, running a hand through his slick blonde hair before fixing the white sweater wrapped around his shoulders. Smoothing his yellow polo shirt down, he smiled and said, “Sophia. Fiona. You two are looking good.”
“Thanks,” we said before turning away. Sometimes ignoring him worked…once.
“Hey, sweetie!” Sandra came over and pecked him on the cheek. “Give me one more second.”
Jeffery flashed her a smile. “Sure, babe. Hurry, though. I want to get you back to my place.”
Sandra giggled and gave him another kiss before going back to the counter. Ollie was slipping a few packs of his homemade coffee beans into a bag for her.
“Is this your usual haunt?” He looked around the place. If he were taller, he’d literally look down his nose at it. “It’s…quaint.”
“You’re here,” Fiona said.
“Don’t remind me.” He groaned. “Sandra insists on getting her coffee here instead of at Crystarium.”