Page 75 of Curses & Keys
She shakes her head.
Gatlin crosses his arms over his chest. “I’ll go with her. You stay here and figure out where the next one will be.”
Phaedra stands and glares at us both. “Neither of you is going with me. Look what happened the last time.” She motions toward Hawthorne. “If I hadn’t asked him to go, he wouldn’t be in this state.”
Gatlin steps closer. “If he hadn’t been there, maybe you wouldn’t have made it or have the panel. Ever think of that?”
She lifts her chin. “I would have found a way to start the fire.” Her hands are on her hips as she stares up at Gatlin with a defiant expression on her face. “These tests are meant for me. Remember?” She holds up her left palm.
An obstinate look crosses his face, and he crosses his massive arms. “This is not a negotiation. You’re not going alone. Pick. Me or Mathias.”
She turns toward Hawthorne, indecision warring on her face.
Jamison tugs on her hand. “They’re right. Hawthorne knew the risks. From what you’ve told me, he could have stopped at any time, but he didn’t.” His cool logic penetrates her anger.
“Fine,” she capitulates and looks at me. “I want to leave at dawn.”
Not liking the dark circles under her eyes, I start to question the timing, but one sharp glance from Jamison stops the words on my tongue. He’s right. If I ask her to wait, she’ll go without us.
38
PHAEDRA
Istare over at the bed where Jamison and Hawthorne lie. We all decided it was best to stick together in the living room, but with Jamison’s injuries, there was no way he could sleep comfortably on the couch. Having gotten used to sleeping next to Hawthorne, I tossed and turned all night. Alone. My arms felt bare like they did before I met them.
The light is barely cresting the sky when I get up. Mathias walks into the living room, fresh from the shower, toweling his hair dry, chest glistening with water, silver locket around his neck, and I almost throw my hands up in surrender. Leaner than the other three, I thought he might be skinny, but apparently, it’s all muscle. Abs stacked on abs.Damn it.
He lifts an arrogant eyebrow. “Trying to sneak out?”
I roll my eyes and stalk past him to the bathroom. “Hardly. But if we’re both up, I’d rather go get it over with.” My tone is snarky, but I can’t help it. Every fiber of my being is dreading this quest. It takes me minutes to shower, braid my hair, anddress in appropriate clothes. Tan cargoes, a tank, a long-sleeved button-down, and hiking boots.
I stalk into the living room and stop dead. The three of them are awake and waiting for me. “What? Did something happen?” I immediately look at Hawthorne, but he hasn’t moved.
Gatlin chuckles. “Easy, tiger. We’re making sure you and Mathias have everything, including extra trackers.” He mumbles something about an arsenal too.
Tucking my gun in my back, I check my backpack for the hundredth time. Unlike last time, we don’t have schematics to guide us, but we’re taking the laptop in case we need to research something. Snacks. Water. Ammo. More ammo. Matches. Climbing gear. Extra socks and a change of clothes. Ammo. I lift it up and almost groan. Seconds later, the weight is lifted off me.
“I’ll take it,” Mathias states firmly. When I open my mouth to protest, his dark eyes almost dare me to argue. “Vampire, remember? This weighs nothing to me.”
I scan his attire and see the warrior is back. The first time I was thrilled to have Hawthorne with me, especially his brain and love of history. It felt like an adventure. This time, it feels like we’re going into battle, and oddly enough, Mathias is perfect for it.
Jamison steps forward and puts his hands on my shoulders. “Don’t take any chances. If the enemy shows up, promise me you’ll do whatever Mathias tells you to do.”
“I’ll try,” I reply. His gaze narrows as he waits for the answer he wants. “Fine. I promise.”
His fingers lift my chin, and he plants a sensual kiss on my lips. “Come back safe.”
Gatlin comes over and slips a crossbody bag over my shoulder. “There’s an extra gun and ammo in there. It should be light enough for you to wear at all times.” Then, he bends down and tucks an extra tracker in my right boot.
Surprisingly, the bag is a good fit. “Thank you. It’s really light.”
His gold eyes brighten, and he wraps me up in a bear hug.Oomph.
“Shoot first, ask questions later,” he growls as he steps back. His eyes fix on Mathias, and a silent conversation passes between them.
I rub my damp palms down my pants, then take Mathias’ hand. He pulls us into the portal, and when we step out, the Apollonian sanctuary in all its ruined glory is spread out before us. The excavation of this massive site began in 1872 and is still ongoing. There are several temples and a city, complete with residences, a market, underwater discoveries, and the infamous Terrace of the Lions.
I stride up to one of the stone replicas they added to the site and run my hand down its sleek body. Lined up like they would have been when the Sanctuary of Apollo was built, the lions are said to be the guardians of the sanctuary and Sacred Lake.
