“That’s…quick.” She checked with Linus. “Are you sure you don’t want to take another day?”
I could tell then that she was viewing this wake as a genuine farewell to our lost loved ones.
And I could also tell, I hadn’t given up on my brother or Addie or the others.
Hope is both a misery and a miracle.
“No one knew them here,” I reasoned. “They’ll expect the formalities to be observed in Savannah.”
An itch between my shoulders had me searching out Linus, and sure enough, he was watching me.
Chills skated down my spine, but I hadn’t lied to Tisdale. Linus didn’t require my consent, but he had it. It would hurt him, deeply, to clean up my mess, but he would do it. He was a good man, and a good friend.
While I respected his concern, I didn’t plan on embracing the dark side because of my loss.
Then again, I was obviously in denial. I could tell. I knew the signs. I couldn’t trust myself. Not yet.
I had to believe he would know if or when I made a wrong turn and correct it before taking extreme, but necessary, measures.
“Okay.” Grier hovered on my periphery. “I can handle this if you have somewhere else to be.”
She was giving me an out. A pass. An escape route.
A way to pretend, for a while longer, that the wake was window dressing.
Coward that I was, I took it. With both hands. And I ran with it.
“I would appreciate that.” I flashed her a wobbly smile. “Midas?”
With his hand pressed to my lower back, ready to guide me out, he said, “I’m with you.”
We made our exit without explanations or excuses. I didn’t want to lie to them, so I didn’t, but I couldn’t be here anymore. I needed open air, a purpose. I needed to make progress and not regress. I couldn’t waste another minute curled up in bed while the coven picked off everyone close to me.
No sooner had we hit the streets than Remy called me. “Did you find everyone?”
“Yeah, Lethe is clear. She left with Tisdale. Ares is good too, but yikes. I had to test her out in the hall just to hear myself think. That kid they’re watching has a set of lungs on him. I thought I might do a twofer and test Liz while I was there, but she was at work.”
“Wait.” I held up a finger. “They still have the baby?”
“There were complications with the sister-in-law’s surgery. She and Liz are on baby duty until the grandparents arrive to take over.” She caught her breath then finished her recitation. “Lisbeth was with Ford. They were staring longingly into one another’s eyes. I pried them apart long enough to test them. Both are clear. She’s got the kit, and she’ll bring it to HQ tomorrow.”
All good news. Thank the goddess. “Are you still at the Faraday?”
“About to walk out the door, why?”
“Head downstairs to see Abbott about your hands. All of your hands. All of you…and their hands? Whatever. You know what I mean.” I gestured Midas forward. “I should have made that a priority. My head wasn’t in the right place earlier. I’m sorry.”
“Fine,” she said gruffly. “Only if it’ll make you feel better.”
“It would.” A smile tugged at my mouth. “Much better.”
Grumbling under her breath, she ended the call to, I hope, seek medical treatment.
Abbott knew who and what she was, and he was the only person I trusted with her secrets and her care.
After putting up my phone, I checked with Midas. “Did you catch all that?”
“I did.” He cut his eyes toward me. “You’re a good alpha to your people.”
The praise caused heat to rise in my cheeks, and I ducked my head until they cooled.
Without a destination in mind, I fell into the old habits of walking my familiar patrol routes. I wish there had been a disturbance, a physical outlet for my helpless anger and anxiety, but the city remained quiet, as if she mourned with me. Which was ridiculous since she was still bonded to Linus.
And Linus wouldn’t regret never seeing Boaz again, would he?
Surprising no one, least of all myself, I circled back to the restaurant. I wasn’t sure how long I stood there before I noticed a peculiar gleam among the debris or when I decided to pursue it. Midas didn’t stop me when I picked my way through the wreckage to reach it, but he followed to keep me from stumbling or collapsing, one or the other.
Nestled in a pile of ash, a ring winked up at me. The thick gold band was familiar, as was the glass stone.
Once upon a time, I had begged Boaz to let me wear his class ring. Other girls had worn their boyfriends’ rings, and it made me jealous. I didn’t date much in high school. Most of my friends ended up having sex junior or senior year, which I also envied, but not enough to get naked with a guy I would have to see for the rest of school, who would ask questions about my scars.
Fear tasted metallic in the back of my throat when it hit me Midas would see them too.
Suddenly, his choice to see me as I truly was as opposed to the glamour I wore made me twitchy.
“Gold wouldn’t have survived this without warping or the glass cracking.”
Startled from my thoughts, I glanced over at Midas. “It’s pristine.”
Well, as pristine as any piece of jewelry that had survived daily wear since his teenage years could be.
“Do you want me to get it for you?”
The words hung in my throat, so I nodded, which came easier.
Midas crouched and raked his fingers through the crumbling flakes, collected the ring, then cleaned it on his shirt before handing it to me. “What does this mean?”
Along
