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!”