Clever.
“I think we’re gonna need all our hands.” He held up the paint brush. “Can you hold the potion steady, and I’ll paint the doorway and say the spell?”
It sounded like a lot of work for him to do while I just held the flask, “You sure I can’t help more?”
He shook his head. “No, pretty sure I have to be the one to do this.”
I swallowed hard, and nodded, holding the flask out for him. He dipped the paint brush into the honey-like potion, then pulled it out, dripping thick yellow ooze. He moved the brush over to the doorway and laid it on the edge of the veil. The door ‘frame’, for want of a better word.
As he spoke the words of the incantation and painted, the potion stuck, turning a bright, glowing red.
I gasped. “That looks...”Like blood.
“Yep,” Michael agreed. He knew what I meant.
He turned and repeated the process, covering the entire veil door frame and all the edges. He used every last drop we had and, as it dried, it became invisible once more.
“That’s really cool, actually,” I said when we finally stepped back to look at his handiwork.
“Yeah, but will it keep the door open if my father decides to shut the barrier once again?” Michael finally let the curtain fall and close.
He gave a great sigh. “I suppose I could just stand here and hold it open, let you rescue the guys without me.”
I shook my head. “No. You can’t do that. I need you.”
His gaze burned. I wondered if he was remembering the hot kiss we’d shared. Like I was. “You do?” he asked.
“Yes. In lots of ways...” I paused to enjoy the flare of hunger in his eyes, and the answering call in my own body. “But for now, I need you to help me rescue the wolves. I don’t even know where they are, let alone how to magic them away from your parents.”
Michael froze, the fire in his eyes dying. That hurt me to see, but I couldn’t get swept away with passion now. Xander and Kyle could be dying. We’d have time for everything else, later. When the four of us were reunited, at last.
I grabbed his hand and squeezed. “Please.”
He nodded. “Yes. I know where they are. Or... I will soon.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Michael snapped his fingers and the table, stool and flask disappeared. “I gave Xander a tracking charm to wear around his neck. I’m hoping it’ll lead us to them.”
I slapped my hands over my mouth as it gaped open, then I grinned broadly at him. “You’re amazing! How’d you even think of that?”
“I knew my father would try to hide them.” Michael pulled a little monitor out of his pocket. “And I knew you’d want them back.”
Then he added with a smirk, “I did think about leaving them lost, you know.”
I rolled my eyes. “You did not. You might put on an act of being an asshole, but you’re already proving it’s just that. An act.”
“Well,” he grinned. “Maybe a little tiny bit of me did want to forget they existed.”
I punched his arm, half-laughing. Michael was growing on me. This grown-up version was even better than the younger version I’d crushed on so long ago.
“Want to go get them?” he said.
“Ah, yes please.” I stepped close and stared down at the screen. It was black with vague shapes and lines and buttons. “I can’t tell what this is. What does it mean?”
Michael groaned and began to walk along the path. I snatched up a lantern and hurried alongside him.
“What’s wrong?” I asked as he walked and stared down at the screen.