"As a god, sometimes when I get mad my words become edicts." Pan explained, not seeming to have noticed her and Zale's silent moment. "I didn't mean to curse him. I was speaking out of anger and what was done is done."
"Yeah, so." She faced the others. "Can we go?"
"Not so fast," Pan clasped her shoulder and turned her to face him, then he retrieved a heavy silver-handled dagger in a leather sheath out of his jacket pocket and placed it in her hand. "All curses can be broken, Sage. I'm not quite sure how we can solve this, but we will. We need to get him back."
She nodded and slipped the dagger into her back pocket, hoping it didn't fall out as she pulled her sweater down over it. There wasn't more to be said. They were going to find Adonis and Ariston—alive. They had to.
Unease filled her gut as they strolled out the door and down the steps to the sidewalk below. It occurred to her that Pan was still in glamour. Must be a perk of being a god.
"Okay," he said as they made it out to the street. Melancton, you and Zale head down to River Street and start where it's the most crowded. We'll start toward City Market and the area around it." The other two split away, and she followed Pan.
"Why crowded areas? Wouldn't it be harder to hide them on River Street or in City Market?" Those were the most popular touristy spots at night, though there were enough restaurants and bars scattered downtown, not to mention all the ghost tours, to keep people busy all over the area.
Pan stuck his hands in his pockets and his eyes held a slight red glow to them before they looked normal again. Maybe it was a trick of the light… "It would be, but you'd be amazed how many ways we have adapted to hiding in plain sight."
"Yet you sent the two without glamour to search for someone else with horns in a crowded area."
Pan didn't respond. She had the feeling he wouldn't be too talkative if she kept criticizing him. At some point she would ease off, but he'd caused Adonis so much additional pain. Not the curse so much as denying him a support system when he needed one. It was beyond cruel to banish someone who became a danger if left without those resources. They had their reasons, she was sure, but it had been handled poorly.
"Why'd you pair up with me?" she asked.
His flat tone was far from helpful. "Hope you don't have to find out." He didn't elaborate any further either.
What the hell did that mean? "That's ominous."
Pan huffed out a breath and faced her as they waited for a horse-drawn carriage to pass so they could cross the street and cut through a city square. "If Theron did what I think he did when he poisoned those people at the bar last night, then yeah. You'll want me with you. I can get you to safety faster than the other two."
"Because you can teleport?"
"That, and I can fly."
Nearly tripping as she stepped off a curb, she paused briefly and stared at the back of his head. She hadn't expected that. What else could he do? Since it wasn't the time to ask, she kept her questions to herself despite having about two dozen.
They searched in silence, going down side streets, checking parking garages and gated courtyards. City Market was a bust, and so were the areas around it. Two hours passed, and her legs were getting a little tired from all the walking. She groaned as they approached yet another parking garage. Was he really going to make her hike all the way up to the top of this one too? Seemed like it would be far easier to take the elevator to the top and walk down, though she supposed it saved time if they found them near the bottom and therefore didn't have to go up any additional levels.
A scream tore through the air, and Pan looked at her, then—disappeared. Vanished. Skedaddled. Split.
"Great. Just leave at the first sign of danger." She ran toward the sound. Someone was in trouble. Sage rounded the corner of the parking garage as Pan pulled a man off a woman and flung him against the building, and she skidded to a stop to take in the scene.
"Did he bite you?" he asked the lady who quickly got to her feet. She was clearly shaken, tugging down the hem of her short dress and staring around wildly.
"N-no."
"Good. Get out of here. Before he gains his feet again."
The lady didn't need to be told twice. She ran past Sage, not even sparing her a glance. Looking down, Sage realized she was standing in the grass. Invisible again. Damn it.
Okay so she was slightly rattled herself. It was a normal reaction to witnessing an attack to go into a defensive mode. That didn't mean she'd have hidden the whole time.
Wait…
"Did you ask if she was bitten?" Sage joined Pan as he pulled a sword out of—where had he been keeping that? She'd seen the others leave with swords, but not him. It had looked like he'd opened up a pocket in reality and simply plucked it out. A neat trick, but she wasn't of the mind to truly appreciate it. Now, he stalked toward the guy that had been attacking the lady.
The man on the sidewalk sprang up and barreled toward them, arms outstretched, mouth gaping open. He smelled like garbage. Like rotting meat. Impulsively, she covered her mouth and nose with one hand while pointing with the other. "Whoa, what the—"
Pan shoved her back and swung the sword at the man. It sliced through his neck far easier than she thought a sword could
