‘Easy,’ I said with a shrug. ‘We can probably get most of it online, if not at a health food shop.’
Dapper took off his glasses and stared at me. ‘Do you really think we could just pop down to the local store and collect the ingredients for a mortalising potion? Please tell me that comment was a misinterpreted joke.’
I sank back in my chair. Nothing like being put in your place. Dapper was normally rude, and gruff, but that was …
He sighed, looking at the ceiling for a moment. ‘I’m sorry,’ he said eventually. ‘I’m sorry. I have no right to speak to you like that. You of all people.’ He bowed his head in shame and I wondered why he’d said ‘you’ in that way.
‘Oh, stop your fussing,’ Onyx threw in. ‘She likes it when we’re mean to her, she said as much on her way in.’
I rolled my eyes, but at least he’d broken the strange tension.
‘Here,’ Onyx said, passing Dapper a mug and looking at me, trying to cover what looked suspiciously like concern. ‘He’s just pissed off because if you lot want to get your hands on these ingredients, then he’s going to have to go home.’
‘Home?’ Lincoln asked, taking the word from my mouth.
Dapper grimaced. ‘The ingredients must come from the earth and from their rightful place. Most will be found in Egypt, along the Nile to be exact.’
I shook my head. ‘Dapper, we can’t ask you to go traipsing around the world looking for flowers and herbs. We don’t even know if there’s any truth to this tale and you said yourself, we don’t have the thirteenth ingredient anyway.’
Dapper stared at me for a long time and I couldn’t help but feel he wanted to say something. But it was Griffin who spoke up.
‘Until something better presents itself, this is the closest thing we have to a plan.’
Dapper sighed. ‘I never thought I’d go back there, but this potion could end up making the difference. Travel in Egypt requires connections and a guide. I can provide both.’
I wondered how many years it had been since Dapper was last in Egypt.
‘You’re a good girl to give me the choice. But we both know it won’t mean a happy world for anyone if we don’t stop Lilith.’
I shook my head and looked at my lap. I still struggled to believe it, that my relationship with Phoenix had ultimately led to this. It was a cruel twist of fate and now everyone was paying the price. Finally, I lifted my head and looked to Dapper.
‘Thank you,’ I said, because what else could I say?
Dapper smiled weakly. ‘Griffin, with your permission, I’d suggest I take the girl with me. She’ll not be permitted with your lot and I could use her.’ He coughed, trying to hide his genuine concern. ‘God knows she won’t agree to stay behind.’
Griffin drained his coffee. ‘If Stephanie is willing, I have no objection. We’re already going to have enough trouble trying to get James in with Evelyn.’
They both looked at me.
‘On one condition,’ I said, determined to at least make sure Steph had this. ‘Graduation is tomorrow. You wait until after that to leave. She’s the valedictorian, for Christ’s sake. And since I won’t be here, I expect you,’ I looked at Onyx sternly, ‘will both be there throwing confetti.’
Lincoln gripped my hand under the table. Yeah, it sucked I wasn’t going to be there.
Dapper nodded. ‘We can use the time to translate the rest of this text and make arrangements. We’ll be at her graduation.’
‘Speak for yourself. I’d rather take a loaded weapon to my head,’ Onyx said.
‘Actually, I believe I can speak for you, since I’m imagining you plan on coming along on our little trip as well.’
Onyx rolled his eyes and gulped down the rest of his drink. Yep. Definitely more than friends if Dapper can make him turn up to a high school graduation.
‘See what you’ve reduced me to?’ Onyx glared at me. ‘My only comfort is knowing you’ll be stuck with your treat of a mother for the foreseeable future.’
I glared back at him.
‘Oh,’ he said, throwing a hand to his chest. ‘Is that your evil stare? I’m quivering.’
I looked at Linc, incredulous. The traitor was hiding a smile.
‘What’s so funny?’ I asked.
He shrugged. ‘Now all you have to do is separate Steph from Salvatore long enough to convince her not to stow away on our plane.’
‘Oh, crap.’
‘Actually, that might not be the case,’ Griffin said, capturing our attention again. Something told me there was another reason Griffin had decided we should have today’s powwow in private.
CHAPTER TEN
‘Wild, dark times are rumbling toward us …’
Heinrich Heine
‘I don’t need a babysitter!’ Steph said. Again.
She collapsed onto Onyx’s sofa bed. We’d commandeered the small flat for our conversation that was probably not so private given the volume level.
‘I know you don’t,’ I said. Again.