I paced the room with the phone glued to my ear. Maybe I wouldn’t mind being a wolf. At least then I could hear what was going on.
It felt like a million years passed before Adrian picked up the phone again. “You still there?”
“Yeah,” I said. “Is he okay?”
“He’s alive.”
ached over and grabbed my hand. “It’s going to be okay.”
I nodded. “Okay.” A hint of panic hit me.
He liked me. Like liked me liked me.
Oh boy. Why is everything so complicated?
He ran his thumb up and down my hand, and I glanced at him.
He winked, giving me a different small smile. This one had hope.
I relaxed back against the seat. “Holy moly.”
He laughed. “I told you, you weren’t ready.”
“No kidding.”
Me? With Mr. July?
Oh boy…
***
By the time we pulled up to the hotel, the silence had become tense. It wasn’t the easy silence that we’d had moments—or what felt like moments—before. No. That was gone. Lucas was growing more agitated the closer we got to the hotel.
He put the van in park. “Are you sure there isn’t another way?”
I undid my seatbelt and faced him. “Maybe. But this is a real option and it’s all I have right now. A real chance to save my brother. I have to try.” I almost laughed. It seemed that no matter what I did, I was faced with impossible choices. Every time I tried to do what was best without thinking of myself. One day I’d put what I wanted first, but not today.
“If you change your mind, we can figure something else out.”
I shook my head. “There isn’t any time for figuring something else out. Tomorrow I need to get whatever it is that the mages have. Then, we’ll go from there.”
“I don’t like it, but…” He looked back out through the windshield, effectively ending the conversation.
I stared at him for a moment. At the strong lines of his face. The curve of his shoulder. The muscle that stretched his long-sleeved T-shirt. “I’ll be okay.”
“I know. I just don’t like you being with him and going to see those brujos. It’s dangerous.”
I took a breath. “I’ve been around a very dangerous witch my whole life. So far, I’m still alive, despite it all. I plan to stay that way.” Back to reality. I hopped down from the car, and slammed the door, not looking back as I stepped toward the lobby. I didn’t dare glance back and see whatever expression he was wearing now.
I checked my watch. It wasn’t quite dinnertime, and I didn’t really want to mope in my bedroom all evening. I could find Matt, but chances were we couldn’t visit the mages today anyhow.
It’d have to wait for morning like Lucas had planned.
So, what now?
I needed to check on Raphael. I felt so far away from him. We’d never been apart like this. And with everything… It was like he was gone.
I’d take an oath with Luciana a million times over if I thought it’d do any good, but I guess I’d learned that lesson. We’d always end up here, with someone I loved in danger. That was how Luciana built her power.