Antonio reappeared holding that brown leather book in his hands while reading from it.
As that was never a good thing, everyone froze, staring at him. His gaze was avid, eyes darting back and forth, before he flipped the page. He blinked. Snapped the book shut. Sluggishly, his golden gaze found mine. And instantly, my blues eyes were as guarded as his, void of all emotion. He didn’t say anything, and I didn’t ask. It was there in the set of his shoulders. Something nasty — possibly on this trip — was about to transpire for me.
Surrounding me, everyone held their collective breaths, like I was a dead woman walking.
Ezra’s predator growled wildly, his eyes flashing at Antonio. “What do you know?”
“It’s not for me to say,” Antonio murmured, his head dipping to stare at the sand.
“Bullshit!” Ezra stated harshly. “If you know she’s going to encounter trouble in this, take more protection with you!” He brushed off Elder Venclaire’s hand when the Elder tried to quiet him.
Antonio’s chest heaved, and shaking his head slightly, he stated quietly, “She travels the journey alone.” And he turned his back to everyone, rubbing his forehead.
Tense silence ensued at his cryptic words while I tried to regulate my breathing.
“You know what? Fuck your damn rules,” Ezra spewed, frustration and anger — and fear — riding his features, hardening them. “I’m going with her.” He pointed between me and him, starting to stalk my way. “And she’s going with me afterward.”
Taking a calming breath, I placed the swords back in the case, closing it carefully. My hands were shaking the tiniest bit, but I kept it together, not dropping the case as I picked it up. Nor did I drop it when Elder Zeller blurred directly in front of the stalking Ezra. I managed to keep a firm grip on the case when Ezra completely lost it, taking a swing at his dad, who had tried gripping Ezra’s shoulders to keep his son in place.
His dad ducked, cursing under his breath before plowing into Ezra’s middle and taking him onto his back, sand flying in all directions from underneath them. Cahal held an instant forearm to Ezra’s throat, restraining him when Ezra’s fangs extended. I was pretty sure the only thing that kept this from becoming a real fight was the fact that they were father and son. Elder Venclaire was correct not to intervene.
“Stop,” Cahal said in a deep, calming tone. “Just stop, son.”
Ezra growled, but stared up at him, not throwing any more punches. “Give me one fucking reason other than ‘it’s the way it has always been done’ that proves we can’t,” a pause, “all go together to protect the other.” His nostrils flared.
Instant. “The spell doesn’t work if you have another Mys, other than the Prodigy, nearby. It’s not only an ancient spell of finding; it’s also one of protection.”
Truth.
Ezra’s jaw clenched, his eyes closing as he figured this out on his own.
“Well, now that the fun and games are over,” Elder Harcourt clapped his wrinkled hands together from the entrance of the cave, startling me because I hadn’t even realized he was there, “it’s time to do the spell.”
Elder Nelson’s wide gaze went from Cahal and Ezra to Elder Harcourt, and he quickly herded Pearl over to him, probably praying she didn’t pull any of the theatrics that were happening out here. If he only knew. Elder Fergus even physically shoved Jack toward Elder Harcourt in his haste, muttering under his breath about Bonnie and Clyde bullshit. Which was more right than he knew.
I stared as Cahal whispered something at Ezra’s ear, to which Ezra slowly nodded. My heart swelled because I probably would have lost it just like Ezra with our emotions as raw as they were. Cahal whispered something else, getting the same response from Ezra, before he lifted his arm off his son’s throat. Ezra lay there for a few seconds longer than necessary after Cahal stood. His dad lowered his hand to him, and Ezra smashed his into it, letting his dad yank him to his feet.
“Well,” King Kincaid cleared his throat, gently nudging me in the direction of Elder Harcourt, “I think it’s safe to say you’ve been lying to me.” He rubbed his chest. “At least the others haven’t figured it out.” He didn’t seem too upset that I had been devious.
A hysterical giggle almost escaped, but I quickly bit it off and turned my back to him, heading toward the Mage. The only few out here that didn’t know about Ezra and I were Elder Harcourt, Elder Fergus, and Elder Nelson. There was nothing else to do but walk headlong into a fate I knew was going to be filled with turmoil, sans a furiously protective Ezra.