Soul Seekers03 - Mystic (17 page)

He stares blankly. “I’m not sure I get what you mean.”

“Well, for one thing, are you even allowed to cross into the Middleworld for extended periods?” I ask, reminded of the time Paloma’s Wolf made the trip to the Middleworld to help restore her soul. He grew increasingly weak the longer his visit dragged on, forcing Leftfoot to rush him back to the Lowerworld as soon as the task was completed. And I can’t take the chance that the same thing will happen here. I can’t be expected to race Axel back to the Upperworld when I barely escaped from there myself.

“I’m not an animal,” he says, tuning in to my thoughts.

“Right, you’re a Mystic. A Mystic who reads minds.”

He shrugs, clearly having no concept of just how annoying, not to mention invasive, his mental eavesdropping is. “And your other concern?”

“I have no idea how to explain you.”

“I’m not sure an explanation is necessary.”

I groan in frustration, wishing I could’ve handled this alone. I hate being in Axel’s debt, and I can’t wait for our involvement to end.

“The only entry I know of is via the Rabbit Hole, and it’s usually packed. Or at least it was when I left. Which is not only incredibly risky and dangerous for Dace—I can’t afford for the Richters to see him in his current state—but also, to the outside world, you’re a bit odd. They’ll see you as a deathly pale guy with unusual eyes who’s wearing a dress. You won’t exactly blend in.”

“I’ll handle it,” he says. Responding to my doubtful expression, he adds, “Really. Consider it already handled. Just lead the way.”

“This is the way.” I motion toward the filmy veil before us. The last in a very long succession of them. He nods, motions for me to go first, but I refuse to so much as consider it. “Oh no,” I say. “No way am I turning my back on you.”

“Seems like something I should say to you, no?” He cocks a brow, challenges me with a sharp purple gaze. Still, he falls into place, stepping through the vortex with Dace braced against him as I move to join them.

“It’s late,” Axel says, the first to reach the hallway. “Or early, depending on your perspective. Either way, the place is vacant.”

“Maybe so, but it’s packed with surveillance cameras,” I tell him, remembering my first visit here, how I found my way into Leandro’s office in search of my cell phone, only to find Cade vigilantly watching the wall of TVs projecting the goings-on inside the club.

“They can’t see me. Not to worry.”

“And you know this because…”

“Because I cannot be seen by most.”

I study him, not one bit convinced.

“It’s the way the light bends around me. I can only be seen by those who are meant to see me.”

I frown. “But your magick isn’t working, remember?”

“It’s not magick—it’s just,
me
. It’s the way that I’m made.”

“Cade saw you,” I press, unwilling to give in so easily.

“And while I have no explanation for that other than it was a special circumstance, if I come across him again, I’m sure he’ll look right through me.” Responding to my look of distrust, he adds, “Ninety-nine percent sure.”

With no other option but to gamble the odds, we make our way through the club. Suddenly faced with a new set of worries when I realize there’s no way to exit without setting off an alarm.

I’ve got to find a new vortex!
It’s not the first time I’ve thought it.

“The Richters control the town and the people within it,” Axel says. “I’m sure they see no need for that kind of security.”

He makes a good point. Still, I refuse to exhale until he swings the door open and proves good on his word.

Making our way across the lot, we’re halfway to Dace’s truck (Axel swears he doesn’t need the key to start it), when I spot Auden’s old, beat-up wagon parked a few spaces away. And I’m flooded with relief to find my friends have ignored my advice and decided to wait for me.

I rap my knuckles against the driver’s side window and peer inside. Auden and Xotichl are up front talking to Lita and a boy who looks vaguely familiar who are sitting in back.

Lita sees us first. Swinging the door open, she leaps from the car. Her dark eyes flashing, cheeks widening into a grin when she sees Dace. Until she notices his wounded, weakened state, and she turns to me in distress. “What happened? Is he okay?”

“He will be. But I need to get home to Paloma’s, and quickly.” I cast a wary gaze toward her friend in the back. Unwilling to say anything more until I know who he is, and maybe not even then.

“Oh, that’s Greyson.” Lita jabs a thumb in his direction as she focuses hard to my right. “And you are?’”

I glare at Axel accusingly. So much for light bending.

Before either of us can reply, Auden and Xotichl are out of the car and rushing toward Dace. Seemingly unaware that Axel is supporting him, they barrel into his space. Causing Axel to jump away in surprise, as Dace lists precariously to the side.

“Is this the friend you were waiting for? Looks like he’s had one too many,” Greyson says, coming to stand beside Lita.

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.

“He’s remained unconscious the whole trip,” I tell her, softly running the damp cloth over Dace’s forehead and curving around the slope of his cheek, removing a thick, stubborn crust of blood and debris. “Which was for the best, believe me. Though, if he does wake up and starts acting strange, don’t be alarmed. He’s deeply traumatized. Convinced that he’s dreaming.” My voice catches, reminded of the haunted look on his face when I first found him, unable to imagine the kind of horrors he’s seen.

“Yet you were able to carry him all the way back here on your own?” Paloma lifts a brow, shoots me a questioning look.

I shake my head. Dip the cloth into the bowl. Watching as the water instantly darkens to a deep, brownish red. “Axel was there. I couldn’t have done it without him.” The words leave a bitter taste on my tongue, as I jab my thumb in Axel’s direction, illustrating his place by the wall. Watching dumbfounded when Paloma looks over her shoulder and squints into the distance. “You can’t see him, can you?” I say, stunned into silence when she shakes her head to confirm it.

Paloma can’t see him, but Lita can?

“No matter,” she says. “I don’t need to see him to utilize his healing abilities.”

I sneak a glance at Axel and frown. “His magick isn’t working,” I say. “If anything, it bears the opposite effect.”

No way is he laying hands on Dace. Not after what he did to that tree!

But Paloma ignores me, summoning Axel to her side as she covers Dace’s wounds with a thick, herbal poultice.

“He is here?” She motions to her right, sensing the moment Axel claims the space just beside her.

“Yes, but,
abuela,
you have to know, his magick—”

“I don’t need his magick.” She’s quick to put an end to my argument. “I need his intent. It is our spirit guides that allow us to perform healings. I don’t make the magick,
nieta
. I merely serve as a channel for their benevolent energy. You and Axel both love Dace. That much is clear. And since Love is the strongest force in the universe, I need you both to concentrate on that Love, while I proceed to transfer that healing energy to Dace’s wounds.” Then looking at me, she adds, “A Seeker always has something to work with,
nieta
. Even in the bleakest of times. Sometimes intent is all that’s required.”

“Sometimes? You mean like this time, right?”

My voice is screechy, overly anxious, begging for the sort of assurance she just can’t provide. Instead, she motions for me to take Axel’s hand, and at first, I can’t help but hesitate. The twins are connected in mystical ways, which means the act of energizing Dace will also benefit Cade. But with a stern nod from Paloma, it’s not long before I grip Axel’s fingers in mine, squinch my eyes shut, and project all of the Love I hold in my heart into Dace’s inert form.

twenty-eight

Dace

A welcoming wave of warmth ripples from the top of my skull all the way down to the soles of my feet. Enveloping my outsides as thoroughly as it consumes my insides.

I struggle to lift my head, needing to see the source of the heat. Counting two sets of hands hovering over my flesh. The larger ones bearing illuminated palms.