Page 36 of Curses & Keys
“Thank you for asking about my daughter,” he says with a warm smile. “I love talking about her.”
He pauses and looks from me to Jamison and back. “All four of us know what it’s like to be alone in this world. Unable or unwilling to ask for more. To reach out to another. Jamison made us into a team, trusting we would find our way, and we did.” He closes the laptop. “Sometimes the fates place us exactly where we’re supposed to be.”
After delivering his message, he leaves me sitting there, thinking about him and our conversation. Do I dare find what Iwant in this life, or will the gods continue to punish me? In all these years, not once did I ask them for more.
Eventually, I drift off to sleep, only waking as we begin our descent into London. “Where are we staying?” I ask Gatlin, who’s sitting across the aisle, studying me.
Big arms stretch high above his head. “My place. Lord de Vere has Jamison’s house under constant guard. Mathias lives like a vagabond, rarely settling in one location for long. The press regularly follows Hawthorne.” Folding his massive arms across his chest, he stares steadily at me.
“Why is the press so interested in Hawthorne?” I ask.
His scowl disappears, and he gives me a strange look. “He’s royalty.” When my eyebrows rise, he elaborates further. “Brother to the Elven king. Most supes know this.”
The weight of his scrutiny is intense. I’ll have to watch what I say around him. “I see. Guess I’m not up-to-date on who’s who.”
“It shouldn’t matter here, but Hawthorne says the Elves like to cling to the old world,” he explains. “They see him as a symbol of prestige.”
Poor Hawthorne. I shudder thinking of all those eyes on him, watching his every move. Royalty isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.
Without thinking, I stare at Gatlin, wondering what type of shifter he is. He screams predator, and because of his size and golden eyes, I immediately think of a lion, but he isn’t the least bit friendly. Cara’s family is full of cats, and they all want to rub up against me. I can’t imagine Gatlin wanting to do something so playful.
Although with his body, a woman would probably give a lot to rub up against him. I lick my suddenly dry lips. “What did you think of Cara?” I force myself to ask. He gives me a lazy shrug. “She’s incredibly cool. Has a huge family that’s wonderful. Smart. Owns the gym. Fantastic friend.”
He stiffens. “I only joined the gym to keep an eye on you, not to flirt with your friend.” His gaze turns dismissive. “We’ll be landing soon.” With those words, he gets up and moves to the back of the plane.
A minute later, Jamison joins me. “When we land, we’re splitting up. You’ll go with Gatlin and Mathias. Hawthorne is going to run a few errands. I’m going to make my report to the council.”
“What are you going to tell them?” I ask tentatively.
The silver coin I saw the first night appears in his hand. “I’m going to tell them about the panel, but I’m not going to reveal the image Kline gave us. I’ll tell them about your place getting ransacked, but explain you were gone when it happened. Maybe you can send a message to your department head telling her you need time off?”
“I have a flexible arrangement with the university,” I inform him. “As long as the university continues to receive artifacts and endowments, I can come and go.”
He slides the coin in and out of his fingers. “Gatlin has a lead on a training camp in Greece. I doubt it’s our enemies’ camp, but it doesn’t hurt to have a team check it out. Plus, it will assure the council that we’re investigating every lead.”
“You’re worried,” I say, watching his hands. “Why?”
“The council will try to label you as their prime suspect, and I’m not sure I can stop them. Right now, they need to divert the public’s attention away from the human group. A single person is less of a threat, and your anonymity will likely play against you,” he explains, a deep line between his brows.
Sliding my hand over his, I carefully pluck the coin from his fingers. “We all have our roles to play. You lead the council’s security forces, and if you don’t do your job, they’ll become suspicious of you. Label you a traitor.” I carefully slide the coininto his palm and place mine over the top of his. “We both knew this wouldn’t be easy. You’ll find a way to protect us all.”
His jaw firms as he stares down at our hands. “You’re from there, aren’t you? Ancient Greece.”
“I lived there,” I reluctantly admit, giving him as much information as I can without lying. With the tip of my finger, I circle the ring he’s wearing. This is the first time I’ve seen it on him since the night we met. “Do you know your ring is cursed?”
A mocking smile twists his face. “Yes. Several of my ancestors gifted me with their magic instead of my father. So, he had this ring made to suppress mine. It took me a while to figure out why I felt so powerful whenever I took it off and muted the rest of the time. I only wear it around him.”
Appalled, I stare at him. “That’s diabolical. Do you want me to remove the curse?”
He chuckles. “One day. Only because I actually like the ring.” He plays lightly with my fingers. “I appreciate the offer, but I can deal with my father.”
I wink at him. “So can I.” It would be a pleasure, too. Let him see how it feels to have a curse laid against him.
21
PHAEDRA
Hawthorne and Jamison leave the jet together. After a quick perimeter sweep, Gatlin pulls the second SUV close to the plane for me to hop in. It takes thirty minutes to reach his home in the heart of London. I’m not sure what I expected, but it isn’t the industrial-looking brick building sitting in front of us. With its massive windows encased in a startlingly cobalt blue color, Gatlin’s home stands out from its mundane neighbors.
