“You’re telling me.” A shiver rolls across Harper’s shoulders. “We’re trapped here. No phone calls. No letters. No way back to the mainland. One girl tried swimming her way there, but she got hypothermia. It was only luck that the old guy grabbed her into his boat.”
“I see.” Lincoln’s eyes gleam with promise. My man’s working on a plan. I can tell. “That’s very useful information. Thank you, Harper.”
“So that’s all you need me for?”
“Only one more thing. Never tell anyone what you saw today. The fact that people like me exist is a great secret. And if you find out anything about the codex or the boatman, find us and let us know right away.”
“I will. I promise.”
Lincoln takes my hand. “Let’s get to the docks. Quickly.” We race off into the woods, leaving a stunned Harper standing on the practice green.
“That was nice of you to allow her to keep her memory,” I say.
“I wish I could take credit for being kind, but I’m not. We might need her again before this is all over.” He rubs his hand over his shoulder, and the wings disappear, which is a bummer.
It takes me a few beats to stop focusing on the missing wings and go back to what this means for Harper. I know my guy well enough to know that he doesn’t break tradition easily. Lincoln has more in store for Harper. “So that means…what?”
“Once this is all over, I’ll come back and wipe her memory clean.” His hand tightens in mine. “As long as I live, no one except you will ever recall seeing my wings. They are the essence of my soul, and as such, they are yours alone to see.”
I can’t help it. My heart warms with those words. And even though we’re racing off to find a crazy old man who may have a coin-shaped key to Hell, I can’t help but feel mighty pleased with myself.
It’s not every girl who gets to see her man’s wings before her wedding day.
Chapter Twenty
Lincoln leads us on a zigzag path through the woods. This is yet another bonus of being in a relationship with an expert hunter—you never get lost in the forest. In no time, we reach the dock. It’s late morning now. A low mist hangs over the lake. The mainland lies hidden under a shroud of white. Above us, the sky hangs heavy with clouds.
There’s no sign of Jeeves. Or whatever his real name is.
I turn to Lincoln. “How will we summon him?”
“Jeeves is a protector, just like Cryptan was. Once we’re on his territory, he’ll sense us.”
“That’s right. He said he could sense the items he protected as well as when people came close.”
Too bad he didn’t detect and block whoever killed him. A weight settles into my soul. Cryptan didn’t deserve what happened to him.
Focus, Myla.
I press my palms into my eyes and get my head back into the game. A memory appears. “Harper told that story about the girl who almost drowned. That’s what this is all about, isn’t it?”
“Yes. Cryptan could tell when someone was approaching the Vault. Perhaps the boatman has a similar skill and used it to rescue the student.”
“Makes sense.”
“Only one way to know for certain.” Lincoln marches onto the gravel-heavy shore, crouches down, and sets his hand in the water. When he speaks again, his voice is low and regal. “I call to the protector of Lucifer’s coin. You are needed right away.”
Long seconds pass. Nothing happens. Bummer.
I scan the shoreline. Lincoln’s supposed to be teaching gym class right now. Will Prescott notice that my guy has taken off? Another agonizing minute passes before Lincoln leans back on his launches. “We’re missing something.” He looks over to me. “Any ideas?”
Rubbing my neck, I consider the possibilities. “No offense, but maybe it’s you.”
His brows lift. “It’s never me.”
“Seriously. I’m certain that the old dude noticed my tail before. Did he ever look at you strangely?”
“Not at all.”
“So, maybe he can sense my supernatural side more easily. My great scala-ness. Let me give it a try.” Kneeling beside Lincoln, I gently set my hand into the water. Cold liquid prickles across my skin. I’m about to repeat the words that Lincoln said when my tail decides to get into the act. With a great splash, it dive-bombs into the lake, sending a plume of spray over Lincoln and me. Looks like someone is excited to get into the action. I roll my eyes. “Thanks, boy.”
Suddenly, a rhythmic splashing echoes across the lake. My heart kicks into overdrive. That’s definitely the sound of oars hitting the water…And I didn’t even say anything. A moment later, the small red rowboat breaks through the mist. It’s Jeeves.
I exhale and turn to Lincoln. “We were right. He is definitely a protector, same as Cryptan.”
“And he’s still here, which means that the coin remains.”
The boat moves smoothly across the water until it pulls up beside the dock. Jeeves tosses a heavy rope across one of the cleats, keeping his small vessel in place. Lincoln and I rush to stand nearby on the dock. This is the kind of conversation you want to whisper.
“Good morrow to you both.” Jeeves looks as old and wrinkly as ever. His gray beard seems extra-fluffy today. “I can greet you properly now, Great Scala.”