“Protection tattoo,” Druantia said, and waved the pen-wand.

“He doesn’t have a tattoo from the last one.”

“Aye, he does. It’s invisible. Magic inked into the skin.” She stepped close to his side and Cam looked up at her.

“Add her name,” he said. “So she can see me.”

Druantia nodded and set the tip of the pen-wand on the meatiest part of his shoulder. Cam didn’t flinch, but Ana was pretty sure she saw faint lines form at the corners of his eyes. She wanted to ask what he’d meant by seeing him.

Ana held her breath as Druantia began to draw. Fine red lines appeared in the wake of the pen-wand, glowing for a moment until they disappeared. Ana’s eyes darted back and forth between Cam’s glowing shoulder and the harsh set of his lips and eyes. A drop of sweat trickled from his temple.

It all made Ana vaguely ill, and though she was desperate to ask if it was almost over, she held her tongue. Causing Druantia to slip up could only be bad.

“Right. You’re done.” Druantia stepped back, and Cam’s face finally relaxed.

Ana let out the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding.

He stood, flexed his arm and shoulder, nodded appreciatively, then dragged his shirt on.

They walked to the front of the store, where Cam settled his bill with a wad of cash she didn’t realize he’d been carrying. How did he make his money if his company was non-profit? She shook her head. Not her business.

“We’d like to speak to Logan Laufeyson. Is he here?” Cam asked.

 

; Druantia’s brows drew together. “I’m sorry, he’s not.”

“Do you know where he is?” Cam asked.

“No. He walked out a few weeks ago and didn’t leave a note or anything.” A grimace twisted her features.

Ana’s breath rushed out of her lungs, disappointment filling up her body like an overflowing jug left out in the rain. Shit.

She winced when her hand started to hurt and looked down to see that she had a death grip on her bow. The sound of Cam requesting the now-worthless potion that he’d used to Fall from Otherworld echoed through the fog in her brain. Why would they even need it if they couldn’t find Logan?

At the request, Druantia’s eyes widened, then her features went blank. “Of course. I have a bit that I could sell you.”

Cam paid for the potion—because Ana couldn’t seem to function—and turned to leave. Ana snapped back to attention and turned to face Druantia.

“Is there any other way for a god to Fall from Otherworld? Without a replacement?”

Druantia looked at her thoughtfully and Ana’s heart thudded with hope.

“No,” Druantia finally said. “To my knowledge, there isn’t.”

“Not a spell or a potion or anything? Something to hide me from the eyes of other gods, at least? Like a version of Cam’s tattoo?”

Druantia shook her head, the thoughtful gleam still in her eye. “No. I’m sorry. Gods follow different laws than other Mytheans. Most of my magic won’t work on you.”

A low buzzing sounded in Ana’s head and her vision blurred. This was it. There was no way out. As if from outside of herself, Ana felt Cam’s hand at the small of her back as he nudged her toward the exit.

They stepped out into the alley and were hit with a downpour. Damn it. Just her fucking luck. Her hair was soaked and clingy in seconds, her clothes not far behind.

“Come on.” Cam hustled her to the car.

She scrambled into the seat and sat with her bow pulled up to her chest. Eyes squeezed shut, she counted to five while he rounded the car to get into the driver’s side.

By the time she’d opened her eyes, she’d gotten rid of the worst of the knot strangling her throat and the burn in her sinuses. She wouldn’t cry. She wouldn’t.

Tags: Linsey Hall The Mythean Arcana Paranormal
Source: readsnovelonline.net