Page 45 of Blades of Ice

Lydia pointed at Dooley with her beer. “You know who Lucy is but not Goldilocks?”

Dooley ran his hands through his shaggy hair. “I was raised by my father who had a thing for the 1950s and ‘60s. He still wears tie-dyed T-shirts, will argue with you that malts are better than milkshakes, and he listens to Elvis on repeat.”

“There’s nothing wrong with tie-dye and malts.”

Dooley arched a dark brow. “And Elvis?”

“I’m more of a Cyanide Sweetness fan.”

“Yeah, those cats can rock one out.” Dooley gave devil horns and banged his head.

“You help me find Beck, and I’ll introduce you to Desmond Rothchild.”

“Excuse you? You know the fanged furioso?”

It had been a long time since Lydia had heard Desi’s nickname. When he first started out with the band, he didn’t know he was a half-blood Gargoyle, but he used his fangs as part of his stage show. Everyone assumed they were props. “He’s one of my Clan.”

Dooley slapped his hands on the table. “Get out!” His outburst brought Kennedy into the kitchen. She sidled up to her mate and wrapped her arm around his shoulder. He pointed at Lydia. “She knows Desmond Rothchild.”

Kennedy’s eyes lit up. “Really?”

“And she’s going to introduce us, but first we must find Beckett. Not sure how we’re going to manage that.”

Lydia took a drink of beer, and her bracelets fell down her arm. She made sure Dooley was looking and held her right arm out, calling forth a dagger.

Kennedy squeaked, and Dooley said, “Goddess, that will never not freak me out. You said it was magic.”

“It is.” Lydia explained about Lilly turning her bracelet into a wand, then Luna taking it a step further. “You help me find him, and I’ll take care of the rest.” Lydia called forth a sword made of ice, and Dooley gasped, scrambling out of his chair.

“What the actual fuck? That’s… How?... Goddess help us.”

Lydia released the magic, and her bracelets were back. “Beck told me.” She polished off her beer. “Now, I’m going to turn in. Even though I had a nap, I’m wiped. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Lydia,” Kennedy said as she turned to check on Dooley whose mouth was still open and his eyes wide. He didn’t say anything as she walked away. Before she left the room, Lydia turned.

“Just so you know, Ricky Ricardo never spoke those words onI Love Lucy.It’s a Mandela effect. Goodnight.”

Lydia stopped off for her laptop before heading to her bedroom. She sat against the headboard with her computer on her lap. First, she opened the link Locke sent and checked out her parents’ new house. It wasn’t as large as the one they currently lived in, but it had plenty of room for Gio and any other kids they might have someday. Lydia then checked her emails, declining the new job requests since she had no idea how long it would be until she found Beck. She worked on her current projects, finishing all but one. That one she sent to Harlow because Lydia could barely hold her eyes open. Setting her laptop on the nightstand, she flipped off the lamp and slid down to her back.

Once she was under the covers, any calm she’d held onto faded. The longer she was away from Beck, the more agitated her Goyle became. It wasn’t as though Lydia could run back out and search for her mate without knowing where to look. If she was right, he’d been hauled off on a snowmobile and was miles away from where the Sagan helicopter had landed.

Can you reach his Bear?

I’ve been trying. I feel him, but it’s weak.

Lydia had been afraid of that. She’d tried several times to reach Beck through their bond. The faintest thread was there, but the more she tried grabbing onto it, the more it frayed. Fretting wouldn’t find him, though, so she closed her eyes and went back through everything they’d learned thus far. It was all a jumbled mess.

“Lydia?”

“Beck? Oh, my gods, Beck! Are you okay? Do you know where you are?”

“I’m—” Beck grunted, then nothing.

Lydia searched the darkness, but even with her Gargoyle eyesight, she couldn’t see anything. “Beck? Dammit, Beck!”

“You’re too late,” a female’s voice taunted.

“Who’s there?” Lydia called upon both swords, gripping the hilts tightly.

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