“Agreed.” Ezra scratched his chin before adding delicately, “I think every Mys group will want a piece of her once this information’s out there.”
My lips pursed, and after a moment, I nodded once. “If King Kincaid agrees.” That had been Ezra’s way of asking if the other factions could have a hand in her death. Since she was Shifter, she was ours to deal with. Not the Vampires’, the Mages’, or the Elementals’. But I could understand their need to take part in it. Truly, she hadn’t affected just Shifters. She had brought down a possibly worldwide war on all Mysticals by taking the wrong man into her bed.
Ezra rested his heated palm on my thigh, squeezing in silent thank you, but the closer we progressed to the mammoth golden dome, the more frequently he anxiously rubbed his thumb back and forth against my leg.
Resting my hand on top of his, I gave it a light squeeze.
In the condemned hush, he twisted his wrist and entwined our fingers together.
We gripped one another’s hand, not letting go, knowing full well that the nearer King Cave loomed, the less time Pearl and Jack had for peace. Once we had entered and the chaos settled, we would have to complete the spell. Their pain would really begin.
Chapter Three
Pearl sat forward, gazing out the cracked windshield. “Just drive through it. It should be spelled to allow any Mystical entrance.”
We were driving on a gravel road, the one that had veered off from the main paved beachfront lane, which had run parallel by only fifty yards to the curved golden barrier. This road headed straight to our destination. I couldn’t imagine what a Com saw peering at this. It could have been the ocean, or trees, or they may have seen nothing at all if the prickling of the spell meant to dissuade them from glancing in this direction. Either way, we were steady on our target to enter a heavily forested area behind the golden dome, the gravel road acting as the access point to the transparent, rounded wall surrounding the area, the edge of which disappeared out into the Sound.
“Okay,” I whispered, gripping Ezra’s hand tighter. Holding my breath, I pressed on the gas more heavily, thinking it would probably be best to go at it quickly. So I didn’t chicken out. “You don’t think the Com blood all over the front of the hood will affect it?”
“Um,” Pearl murmured, sounding unsure. “I…”
Too late. My Hummer plowed right into the dome.
I gasped.
So did my best friends.
A zap like an electrical current jolted through my body. And also theirs by their flinches.
It felt primarily of spells and time — Mage magic — as we crossed the barrier.
Ezra shook his head hard, rumbling, “Keep going until we see the Elder.”
Shuddering at the uncomfortable impact of the immense protection that had zinged through my system, I nodded jerkily, but slowed our pace to scrutinize the darkness beyond the thick trunks of the trees. Gravel crunched under the tires, and two hundred yards inside the deep forest, I started braking and turned on my brights.
After stopping our progress, I stared in stunned amazement. “Is that Richard?”
Ezra’s attention was already turned in the elderly Mage’s direction, probably having heard his heartbeat. “Yes.” His lips pursed. “I didn’t realize he was an Elder.”
Jack snorted, eyeing the Mage. “We’re all dumbasses. He has enough power to light up the entire continent. We should have known.”
“Were we ever told his last name?” Pearl asked, staring hard.
Richard hobbled toward our stopped vehicle, a merry smile on his wrinkled face.
We shook our heads in unison to Pearl’s question.
This past year, all Richard had been to us was the kind, gentle ancient Mage who had allowed us to use his private beach for our entertainment. We seemed to have issues following rules when it came to sand and water, and Coms, the combination not mixing well for us when we had been attacked by Coms, resulting in us killing the lot even after the Kings had expressly stated we were not to fight. We had been ‘grounded’ and had been allowed only on Richard’s property. Once the Kings had let up on their original punishment.
We stared at Richard, dumbstruck, not believing our own stupidity.
My red brows lifted. “I wonder if he watched over us from his window.”
Ezra grunted. “Hell, he probably sat on the beach next to us without us knowing.”
Richard halted next to the front passenger door, his hands folded in front of him and his expression peaceful and patient as he waited.
I squeezed Ezra’s hand. “Roll the window down.”
Ezra continued eyeing the Mage, evaluating, before he finally did as asked. The action permitted the showy drone of crickets weighing the night air to filter through the silence.
Richard merely asked, “Would you mind giving me a ride?”
I jerked my head toward the back seat, my eyes still wide. “Hop in.”
Pearl opened the back passenger door, and then scooted over.