Page 33 of A Dagger of Twisted Starlight

“Do you two remember anything else? Anything random? Any tiny little detail?”

Maddox and Caleb looked at each other and shook theirhead in unison. “That’s pretty much it,” Caleb said. “I guess there was that weird moment when it didn’t seem like anything was happening. And it looked like the Crimson Ring didn’t even bother running toward the paintings. You’d think if the portal were active, one of them would have tried to leap through. That always bugged me.”

“Really?” Claire sucked her teeth. Dawn joined the table with Damien and Warrick in tow. All of us were here now. Tonight was family-style, with a Caesar salad already sitting on our plates. “Interesting…”

“What?” Robby asked.

“It’s just, from what I’ve read about hidden maps, they don’t normally have such a big effect when destroyed. Maybe this one’s different since it pointed to Niazatos’ prison, but it’s unusual.”

“Great,” I said. “Now we have to worry about the very fabric of time being alteredandsomething happening with Niazatos’ prison.” Blake crossed his arms. “I’m not sure this can get any more complicated.”

“Oh, I’m sure it can,” Damien answered as he shoveled a spoonful of mashed potatoes onto his plate.

“But we destroyed the map. How could the prison be compromised?” Madds asked.

“We’re not a hundred percent sure it is compromised,” Claire rebutted. “I have to ask around.”

I swallowed a mouthful of salad and croutons before speaking. “While you’re asking, can you find out what this symbol has to do with the dagger?” I unlocked my phone and showed her the screenshot I had taken.

“Hmmm.” Claire bit her bottom lip. “I haven’t really come across it much, if I’m being honest.”

“Let me see that,” Caleb asked. I passed him my phone. He looked it over, wineglass swirling in his other hand. “I’ve seen it.”

“You have?” Blake and I both asked in unison.

“I have.” Caleb handed the phone back. “A client I worked with would wear something like this quite often. I asked him once what it was about, and he went into a long diatribe about time and meaning. I tuned him out.”

“Do you have a name?” I asked, leaning forward.

“Of course I’ve got a name. Also have a number and address too. I’ll warn you, though, he’s the definition of a loose cannon. He tried to fight me because he thought I was robbing him when I was really just grabbing a towel to dry my hands with.”

Blake smiled at me. “Looks like we’ve got our first lead.”

“It does,” I said, wondering two things: how Blake’s eyes could be so enrapturing and whether or not it was a good idea to have him with me. My job felt split down two avenues. Protect Blake at all costs and retrieve the dagger at all costs. I knew which one I wanted to prioritize, but wouldn’t that just make me compromised?

“He lives in the Harmony District. You could walk there if you wanted to.” Caleb’s gaze flickered between Blake and me. “Or you can go on a dragon ride. Has Xavier taken you flying yet?”

Blake shook his head and turned those long eyelashes in my direction. “He hasn’t. I didn’t even know that was an option.”

I was going to say I’d just drive us there, but those damn eyes of his. They had me in a chokehold. I felt myself wanting to give him whatever he asked for and then breaking my back searching to give him even more. “Guess you’re riding a dragon tomorrow.”

Chapter 14

Creeping

Xavier

Sweat escapedmy sweatband and dripped down my cheek. The summer sun scorched the air. Not even the ocean could help calm it today. That was fine; I enjoyed training in the heat. We weren’t meeting with Kalen until later in the evening, so this afternoon workout helped get me prepared.

I finished off my set of push-ups and grabbed the towel, wiping my face. My breaths were coming in hard and fast. I craned my neck back and sucked in a breath, appreciating the blue expanse of sky. A flicker of movement drew my attention to a window. A pale blue curtain settled back into place.

That was Blake’s bedroom.

Had he been watching me work out?

I grinned and dipped myself into the stream of time. I swished back my hand, time reversing for three seconds.

When it returned to normal, I was looking directly into Blake’s surprised amber eyes.

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