Page 50 of Sprite Wedding
“I’m going to pick up some breakfast goods down the street and then make a pot of coffee. Who knows who will end up here this morning trying to help? We could have a full house from the Network trying to help Lucas.”
“That’s a good idea.” I plugged in my phone as it was running low last night when I didn’t get a chance to recharge it.
“Do you want to take a break, Zoe?” Nova asked. “I can wait to run out.”
“No, I’m fine.”
“Zoe.” She said it in a knowing tone so similar to the one that Lucas used when warning me I was working too hard that she probably picked up from him.
“What?”
“You can take a shower or chill out on the couch for a few. I can go sit out there with Lucas if you’re worried about leaving him alone.”
A shower would feel good. I could wash off the sweat from getting hot in the sleeping bag. Besides, I had no clue what we could be facing today or how long we could be dealing with it. “Would you mind?”
“Of course not.” She smiled. “That’s why I offered.”
Since I was used to doing things on my own, accepting help wasn’t an automatic response. I smiled at Nova. “Thanks, I appreciate it.”
I didn’t realize how tense I was until I was in the shower and the hot water soothed my taut muscles. It felt good. I would have loved to stay in there longer, but I wanted to get back to Lucas.
After I got dressed and brushed my hair, my phone buzzed. It was Bryan. What now?
“Hey, Zoe, are you free for lunch?”
“No.” Could his timing be any worse? Wait, I thought of something. “Actually, yes.”
After we made arrangements to meet, I dashed outside. “Nova, can you stay here a little longer?”
“Sure, what’s up?”
I exhaled. “I need to talk to a potential suspect.”
CHAPTER13
LUCAS
Zoe dashed out of the back yard. Where was she going? Who was she questioning as a potential suspect? It couldn’t be the actual criminal, Marty, as he was likely lurking around here somewhere.
The sound of her car starting and tires squealing signaled her urgency. About what?
I should be going with her on whoever she was questioning. I was her partner. Her protector. Her mate. I attempted to break free from my stone yet remained stuck.
Nova sat on an Adirondack chair, flipping through a book on magic. “We’ll figure it out,” she encouraged me. After several more minutes, she said, “I’ll be right back.”
She dashed inside. As she did, Shadow snuck out, slinking toward me on the grass, his gray tail in the air.
Shadow, go back inside. It’s dangerous out here.
He couldn’t hear my warning. If that little sprite cursed my cat into stone too, I’d wring its little neck.
Okay, that might be difficult considering my statue state, but I’d find a way one day. Nobody messed with my furball.
Shadow sniffed around my dragon feet and even licked the stone. Did he sense me in here?
He leapt up. Since he used his claws for grip, this was the only time I was grateful for the stone exterior.
Shadow, do you know I’m in here?
