In Dace’s current, unconscious state—he really does appear to be suffering from a hard night of excess.
“He’s fine,” I say, stepping in to take Axel’s place. I clutch Dace tightly to me. The sharp edge in my tone warning my friends to say nothing more while Greyson is here. “But we need a ride home.” I shoot Auden a pointed look, and the next thing I know, he’s slipped behind the wheel with Xotichl beside him, as Greyson says an awkward good-bye to Lita. Clearly longing to kiss her, but settling for a handshake instead.
Dace and I settle into the large space in back, as Lita claims the space beside Axel in the row just before us and greets him by name.
I balk, Axel goes paler than I’ve ever seen him, as Xotichl tilts her head toward us, and Auden squints in the rearview mirror, trying to discern who she’s talking to.
“Am I missing something?” he asks, as Xotichl shifts until she’s fully facing them.
“Nope.” I sigh. “There really is an invisible man back here. I can see him, Dace can see him, and, apparently, Lita can too.”
“Kind of hard to miss a guy with platinum hair, pale skin, and purply eyes. I knew right away it was you.” She pokes a finger at his shoulder. “You’re exactly like Daire described you.” She studies him in a way that’s a little too appreciative for my comfort.
And I’m just about to say something, anything, to distract her, when I notice the glimmer in Axel’s eyes when he returns Lita’s look.
twenty-seven
Daire
After calling Paloma to give her a recap and tell her we’re on our way, I turn to my friends and say, “So, any news? Any sign of Cade?” I keep a close watch on Dace, alarmed by his irregular breath, the way his skin remains clammy, despite my attempts to warm him.
“Oh, we saw him. We talked to him too.” Lita glances at me. “He was acting all flirty. Trying to convince me to take him back. As if.” She peeks at Axel sitting beside her, her lips sneaking into a grin. And I don’t know what bothers me more—Cade’s attempt to win her back or the way Lita leverages it to get Axel’s attention.
“He hit on you in front of your date?” I ask, the question undeniably pointed. “That’s pretty aggressive, even for Cade.”
“Greyson stopped by later.” Lita switches her focus between Axel and me. “Besides, it wasn’t a date. Or at least not on my part—”
Before she can go any further, Xotichl interrupts. “None of that’s newsworthy,” she says. “But this might be.” She drops something into Lita’s hand and urges her to pass it to me. “It’s a tourmaline,” she explains, as I stare at the shiny blue stone on my palm. “What do you think? Are you getting anything?”
I focus on the stone, trying to glean from it all that I can. Noting how it feels disturbingly warm. But that might be because it was in her purse, or because I’ve grown used to Dace’s icy-cold touch. The only thing I know for sure it that it came from Cade’s ill-fated mine.
“I’m not sure what to think.” I rub my lips together and continue to study it. Unable to detect anything out of the ordinary. Or at least not on the surface. I’ve no doubt there’s more to this thing than meets the eye. Cade?
?s not known for being altruistic. A gift from Coyote always comes at a price. “Did he say why he gave this to you?” I curl my fingers around it, close my eyes, and strive for a deeper impression, but come up empty.
“I guess he misses me. Can’t envision a future without me.” Lita sneaks another peek at Axel. “So he’s determined to win me back, and he thought a priceless gem might help. As if I could be bought so easily. Please.”
Worked for Marliz. The image of Marliz gazing at the new tourmaline engagement ring Gabe gave her blazes in my mind.
“The stone has a strange and troubling energy,” Xotichl says, cutting into my thoughts. “And while I can’t get a clear read on it, I figured we could give it to Paloma and see what she says.”
I continue to flip the stone in my hand. “It feels warm,” I say. “That’s all I’ve got. Then again, I’m not as good with the energy reading as you are.”
“Can I see it?” Axel reaches for it. His lips pressed and grim, he assumes a thoughtful expression as he makes careful study of it. “You said it feels warm, but for me, it’s just the opposite. Almost like it’s been refrigerated or something.”
“That’s how it felt to me too.” Lita grins, eyes flashing flirtatiously. “It felt as cold as Cade Richter’s heart. Yet another reason I was eager to ditch it.”
I snatch the stone from Axel and drop it into my bag. “I’ll show it to Paloma and see what she thinks,” I say, already swinging the car door open the second I spy Paloma’s blue gate, well before Auden’s had a chance to properly stop.
Paloma meets us at the door with a darkened gaze and grave face. Casting a concerned look at Dace’s wounded, unconscious state, she hurries us into her office where we get him settled on the padded table she saves for more serious cases. Then we quickly edge out of the way and give her enough space to work.
“Where’d you find him?” she asks. Having assessed his energy, she wipes her hands on the sides of her housedress, and busies herself with her numerous jars of potions and herbs.
The grim expression she wears causing my voice to shake when I say, “Found him just where I expected—in the deepest, darkest recesses of the Middleworld. Have you been?”
With a curt nod of her head, she gets to filling a bowl with purified water, while instructing me to retrieve a clean cloth from the top drawer near the sink, so I can use it to cleanse Dace’s skin.
It’s busywork. Meant to help quell my nerves, distract me from my growing list of concerns. Still, I’m grateful for something to do, so I’m quick to obey.