by D. J. Dalton
“Sure, what else are we looking for?” Her hands hovered over the keyboard.
“I found his email account. It’s that icon on the right.”
Keren clicked the icon. She scrolled through the list. Didn’t his guy ever clean up his Inbox? Her fingers froze when she found an email from Broden. She double-clicked to open it.
“Guys, look at this.” She leaned back so they could read the contents.
‘I’ve got your number, Dan. If I see you on campus again, I’ll turn your arcanum arse into the inquisitors.’
“I didn’t think to check Broden’s Sent emails.” The ice crunched as Ordell's grip tightened on the bag.
Nadria hugged her arms around her waist. “So that’s why Dan targeted Broden. He knew Dan was an arcanum.”
“Do you think Broden is alive?” Ordell’s eyes rimmed with tears.
Nadria grabbed his hand. “Stop. Of course, he is. We’ll find him.” She looked at Keren. “Won’t we?”
Their hopeful eyes stared at her. Surprised, she responded, “Of course. I’m sure he’s fine.” But she wasn’t sure he was fine.
“So, what’s the plan?” They both looked over at her.
Keren swallowed the lump in her throat. She almost got them killed today. Now, they wanted her to make the next decision. Why should they trust her?
Relief flooded her body when the doorbell rang. The distraction bought her time to think. “That must be the pizza.” She went to answer the door. Her mind drifted to Dan’s calendar. The hair on the back of her neck tingled. That initiative update meeting was key to finding answers.
She took the two large pizzas from the delivery man and signed the credit card receipt. After grabbing a slice from one box, she took a big bite. Her idea was crazy and dangerous. But this might be their one opportunity to find Broden and get information on the Dark Guild. She walked back to the guest room, putting the pizza on the ottoman. She returned to her seat next to Ordell and pointed to the pizza.
Ordell shook his head. Apparently, he’d lost his appetite.
After eating two more slices, her stomach felt better. She wasn’t able to wait any longer to let them know what she thought. “I’m guessing we need to know what’s going on in Sunday’s meeting.”
A spark shone in Ordell’s eyes.
Nadria frowned. “There’s no address or information on where the meeting is.”
“No.” Keren braced for the explosion. “But Dan knows.”
“What?” Nadria shot to her feet. “After what happened today, you want to follow Dan?”
Keren saw her eyes change from fury to fear. Nadria faced the most danger this afternoon. The pictures on Dan’s wall told the story of what might have happened to her.
“I’m saying Ordell and me.” Keren pursed her lips. “It’s too dangerous for you, Nadria.” She took another slice of pizza.
Nadria paced the floor, wringing her hands. “But I want to help.”
“You will.” Keren chewed and swallowed the pizza in her mouth. “You’ll keep in contact by phone. If something happens, you can call for help.”
Nadria chewed the inside of her cheek. “That’s not a terrible idea.”
Ordell chimed in. “I think it’s a great idea. We’ll know someone has our back.” He scooted to the edge of the couch. “Once we find the location, we can bust in and search for Broden.”
“No.” Both Keren and Nadria said in tandem.
“Broden is in trouble. He might have something to do with this initiative update.” His voice quivered. “Maybe they’ll be torturing him at this meeting.”
“You’re letting your imagination get the better of you.” Nadria sat beside him.
Keren nodded. “Us charging into a situation we don’t understand will turn out like today.” She pointed to his cheek. “Or worse.”
He huffed but said nothing else.
“We’ll follow Dan tomorrow night. We don’t know where he’s going, so we should show up early.” The neighbors will recognize the white truck. “Nadria, can we use your car?”
Nadria had haggled a good price for her red, used Prius. She kept it clean and well-maintained. The shock on Nadria’s face made her believe she’d protest. Then Nadria looked at Ordell, and her features softened.
“Sure, but only if Keren drives.”
“What? I’m an excellent driver,” said Ordell.
Nadria glared at him.
“Fine.” He slouched back on the daybed.
Ordell was her wild card. Would he stick with the plan or act on his own again? She couldn’t go alone. That was crazy.
“Don’t you have your date with Quinlin tomorrow?” Nadria asked.
Crap, she had forgotten about the date. She could cancel. But he was her link to seeing Mom. You don’t get a second date if you cancel the first.
“It’s a lunch date. I should make it back here in plenty of time. Can I use your car in the morning too? I want to pick up some clothes at the store.”
She nodded. “That’s fine. I’m off tomorrow.”
“When do we leave?” Ordell bounced in his seat, eager to take action.
Again, their expectant eyes stared at her. She rubbed the back of her neck. This new leadership role fit her like a too-tight pair of jeans. She picked up the laptop.
“It says here Dan has a doctor’s appointment Monday at 8 am. That tells us the meeting must be local.” She looked up at Ordell and Nadria. They nodded in unison. It was cute, but they offered no comments. “So, I’d say local is within a two-hour drive?” More nodding.
Alright, she had to get the timing right. Sitting in the car for too long in that neighborhood was dangerous. Dan could meet up with someone, or carpool to the location. Heck, he might spend the entire day out of town. If she got this wrong, they’d miss their opportunity. “Let’s say 7 pm.”
Keren blinked her eyes open. She lay tangled in a mass of blankets on the floor next to Nadria. Light peeked through the blinds. Her cell phone clock showed 8 am. They had stayed awake until after 3 am last night. At some point, they had crashed at Ordell’s.
Tight muscles complained when she moved. Between yesterday’s thug encounter and sleeping on the floor, she felt as though she aged ten years overnight. After finding an escape route from the blankets, she grabbed her backpack and took Nadria’s car key off the chain. She tiptoed to the door.
Before sneaking out of the room, she glanced back at her best friend. Keren remembered the sleepover Nadria had hosted on Keren’s twelfth birthday. Nadria had infused decorations with magic. They danced to the beat of whatever music played.
One other girl came to the party. She was interracial between shifter and human. The girl’s mom was the only one, except for Keren’s, who allowed their daughter to hang out with Nadria. Kids at school treated her as an outcast, something beneath them.
Through it all, Nadria held her head high and survived the racist remarks, even though Keren knew they tore her apart. Nadria grew up to be an advocate for magical races’ equal rights. Yes, Nadria was cautious, but brave beyond anyone else she knew.
Light snoring came from the daybed. Ordell lay sprawled on his back. One arm and leg hung over the edge. The swelling on his face looked better. The ice bags and ibuprofen Nadria insisted on had done their job.
They had met Ordell in high school. As one of the few pucas at the school, and because of his short stature, he had endured harsh bullying. Keren had believed that was the reason he joined Nadria’s equality group. But after yesterday, she realized Ordell had joined to be closer to Nadria.
As kids, Broden had stood up for Ordell on multiple occasions. Maybe that was why Broden took it upon himself to protect the other kids at school from people like Dan.
She stepped out of the room, ensuring the door didn’t make a noise when she closed it behind her. While walking through the kitchen, she grabbed a piece of leftover pizza.
After getting in the car, she pulled out her phone. Maybe the hospital had an updat
e on Mom’s condition. She dialed, hoping she could get a hold of Dr. Niles.
“Orlando Regional, how may I help you?”
“I’m looking for Dr. Niles. Is he available?” She crossed her fingers.
“One moment, please.” Keys clicked in the background. “I’m sorry, he’s off today.”
Crap, now what do I do? “I’m looking for an update on Olivia Stewart’s condition.”
“One moment.” More clicking. “I’m sorry, I’m unable to release that information.”
She sighed. “But I’m her daughter.”
“I’m sorry, I can’t help you with information on Ms. Steward. Is there anything else I can do for you?”
“No, thank you.” She hung up.
Keren screamed, pounding her hand on the steering wheel. Why did things have to be so hard? She opened her contacts. Her thumb hovered over Briggs’ name. Would he get in trouble for talking to her? She bit her lower lip, pushing the call button.
Briggs answered in a flat, distracted tone. “Captain Briggs.”
“Hey, it’s me.”
“Keren,” his voice softened, “how are you doing? Are you alright?”
Just hearing his voice brought tears to her eyes. So much has happened over the last couple of days. She felt overwhelmed.
“I need to know how Mom’s doing. The hospital won’t tell me.”
“Hold on a minute.”
He must have put the phone on mute since she heard nothing. When he came back on the line, she heard street noises.
“I’m back. I had to step outside. But I’ve only got a minute. Your mom is doing better.” His voice lowered. “She’s more lucid.”
Tears rolled down Keren’s cheeks. “Really, that’s great news.”
“Have you thought about a lawyer?”
A chill ran down her spine. “No, I haven’t had time.”
“I have a friend of a friend, he’ll contact you. Just keep this between us.”
“But I don’t have the money to hire a lawyer.”
“Don’t worry about it. He’s paying back a favor.”
She sniffed, wiping her face with her hand. “Thank you.”
“OK, hang in there. We’ll get through this. I’ve got to go. Talk to you later.”
“Bye.” She hung up.
After turning on the ignition, she drove to the premium outlet mall. She had to get Quinlin to help her see Mom.
Chapter Seventeen
Keren
As Keren pumped gas into Nadria’s car, she felt relieved her credit card continued to work. She glanced in the backseat at the pile of packages. That purchase nearly put her card over the limit, but she needed to make an impression on Quinlin. Her torn jeans and T-shirt wouldn’t do. She needed something with a little more punch. After checking her phone, she figured she had just enough time to change and get over to the Osprey.
At Nadria’s, she took a quick shower. After styling her hair in long, loose curls, she slipped into the dress she had purchased. It was a light blue scoop-neck with plenty of visual cleavage and ruching at each side. The just-above-the-knee length made it sexy but respectable, and the cotton and spandex mix fabric flattered her figure. It had been a while since she treated herself to a pedicure, so she purchased closed-toe beige pumps. Some guys had foot fetishes, and she wasn’t taking any chances.
After walking out the door, she took slow, deliberate steps toward the car. High heel walking should be an Olympic event.
She made it halfway to the car when she heard someone call out.
“Hey, cutie. You wanna take a ride?”
Keren turned, pivoting on her toes for balance. A man in flip-flops holding a frozen fountain drink walked toward her.
“I saw you take your time struttin’ by me.” He stopped in front of her, reaching his free hand out. “I’m all yours.”
Her stomach did a back flip. She stepped back. Her foot landed on an angle, and her ankle collapsed.
The guy grabbed her arm, keeping her from hitting the asphalt. “Whoa, hey. I said you’ve got me.” His eyes locked on her breasts. “My truck is across the street.” A filthy grin spread over his face.
After regaining her balance, Keren tried pulling free. She looked around the parking lot, but no one else was around.
His fingers squeezed tighter. “You’re not changin’ your mind, are ya?”
Her heart pounded. These crazy shoes. She could ditch them and run. But first, she’d need to get free of this jerk. And what shoes would she wear to her date? Barefoot wasn’t an option. She gritted her teeth. Guys like him thought they had a right to push women around. She’d show him how wrong he was.
While smiling, she stepped closer. She pushed her breasts up as if caught in the tractor beams of his eyes. Then, with all her strength, she drove the heel of her shoe into his foot.
The guy screamed in pain, losing his grip on her arm. After jerking his foot back, his drink hand flew forward, spilling it down the front of her dress.
Shocked from the cold and mortified he ruined her new dress, Keren stood there with her mouth hanging open.
The guy’s face tightened into a snarl. He jerked forward, then paused, not sure what to do.
Not wanting to be there when he decided, she ran on her tiptoes to the car. Better to look ridiculous than risk spraining an ankle. Once in the car, she locked the doors.
The guy glared at her, throwing his empty cup on the ground. He turned and walked away. She watched him until he crossed the street.
Her eyes went back to the cup. She got out of the car, tiptoe-running to the cup. Bending to pick it up made the wet, cold fabric press tighter against her skin. On her way back to the car, she tossed the cup in the trash.
Keren checked her phone. Even if she had enough time to change and make it to the Osprey by 1 pm, which she didn’t, she had nothing to change into. Nadria’s wardrobe resembled hers, jeans and T-shirts. She touched the front of her dress. The frozen drink ruined it. What was worse on a first date, showing up with a frozen drink stain and a funny story, or being late and risking your date thinking you stood him up? She drove to the restaurant.
Chapter Eighteen
Quinlin
Quinlin tapped on his menu. He chose a seat by the window so he had an unobstructed view when Keren arrived. The Osprey was one of his favorite restaurants. The modern design and high ceiling gave the place a homey but up-class feeling. He looked outside at his new model BMW. Witnesses who saw his car at that woman’s house had forced him to discard his previous model.
He arrived early, a habit he learned from Uncle Rob. ‘If you’re on time, you’re late.’ All Quinlin’s habits and behaviors stemmed from Uncle Rob. He felt grateful he had such a powerful role model in his life.
Uncle Rob, his mom’s brother, moved in with them after Father’s murder. Quinlin’s young age prevented him from taking over his father’s role as Dark Guild leader. So, Uncle Rob acted as regent on his behalf until his eighteenth birthday.
While running the Guild with a stern hand, Uncle Rob recruited only the strongest sorcerers. Like-minded humans were taken into the lower arcanum ranks. The arcanum trained for the day Quinlin assumed his role and led the Dark Guild in completing Father’s vision.
Quinlin’s homeschooling comprised not only customary academic courses but intense devotion to developing his magic skills. Because of Uncle Rob’s high standards, he allowed nothing short of perfection.
Personal grooming, clothing choices, and even his choice of friends required approval. Life had a plan and a schedule. Once he was of age, Quinlin’s life partner would be chosen from the top ranks of the arcanum.
Growing up, he had never challenged the rules. The duty and urgency for fulfilling Father’s dream of sorcerers controlling elemental magic had resonated in every lesson.
A red Prius pulled into the parking lot. Keren stepped out. Although only able to see her back, he noticed she took the time to dress for the occasion. This was a mark in her favo
r since most women wore jeans for everything. When she turned and started up the walk, he scowled. The front of her dress had a large red stain.
She hobbled on the high heels as if it were the first time she had worn them. Women should be seductive and intriguing, not sloppy, staggering messes.
After she entered, he waved her over to the table. He stood, moving to her chair.
“Hi, Keren.”
She looked stunned as he pulled the chair out for her. What ever happened to learning proper etiquette?
“Hi.” She glanced at the chair. “Thanks.” She sat, and he helped her scoot to the table.
After taking his seat, he placed his napkin on his lap. Equal edges fell to each side of his legs.
“Thank you for coming.” He kept eye contact. “How’s your day been so far?”
She looked at her dress. “I had a run-in with a jerk and a frozen drink.” After looking back into his eyes, she smiled. “I thought showing up with a stained dress was better than being late.”
He gave her points for punctuality. “Don’t worry about it.” He smiled. “Perhaps you’ll start a new trend.”
She laughed. It appeared they were off to a good start. He handed her the menu.
“I recommend the lemon ricotta pancakes. We can start out with the smoked salmon board.”
Keren opened the menu. She stared at one spot for a minute, then closed it again.
“That sounds great.”
Maybe she was distracted by thoughts of that woman.
“So, any word about your aunt?”
She fidgeted in her seat. “They won’t let me visit her. I called to get an update on her condition. They said she was conscious.”
Quinlin’s stomach dropped. Conscious? That was unexpected. He had hit her with a powerful magic blast that she should never have lived through, let alone be conscious.
“Wow, that’s great. Have you spoken to her?”
“No, not yet.” She acted nervous.
The server came over to the table. “May I take your order?” She smiled at them, then focused on Quinlin.