Page 36 of Dark Night Golden Dawn
“I understand,” Harlow said, clinging to Axel. “I’ll pay extra.”
The cabbie glanced at her in the rearview mirror. “You two running from something bad?”
Harlow met his gaze in the mirror, and she saw the fear that she’d been suppressing surface in her reflection. “My ex.”
He nodded then, understanding in his gentle brown eyes. There were still good people in the world. People who would help someone in trouble, just because they recognized that kind of fear. The cabbie’s voice was calm when he said, “Let’s get you two home then.”
“Thank you,” Harlow murmured, giving him the Monas’ address. She buried her face in Axel’s fur and wept silently with relief. “Let’s go home,” she whispered to her cat, who still clung to her, purring softly in her ear.
ChapterSeventeen
Harlow paid the cabbie extra, just as she’d promised, even though he hadn’t charged her anything for bringing Axel. He watched her closely from the cab until she pushed the front door of the shop open, waving to him to let him know she was fine. The cab pulled away from the curb and Harlow stumbled inside the Monas. As she did, the impact of what she’d done hit her, wooziness flooding her limbs. She was surprised to find the shop empty of customers. What time was it?
Harlow tripped on the edge of the rug at the front door, righting herself quickly, but shaky on her feet. Larkin looked up from the register as Harlow stumbled toward the couches at the center of the main floor showroom. Axel leapt from her arms onto one of the green couches. She met his lamp-like eyes as she crumpled to the ground.
“Mama!” Her youngest sister’s scream filled her ears as she tried to sit up, to reach her cat.
Selene came rushing out from the back and helped her onto one of the couches at the center of the showroom floor. Axel leapt into Harlow’s lap, hissing protectively at Selene. Mama raised her eyebrows at the cat, and her voice was sharp when she issued her command. “Lock the doors, Larkin. We’re closed.”
Larkin did as she was told. “Is there anyone else here?”
Selene shook her head after a moment of appraisal, using her magic to probe the shop. “I don’t think so. Go get Li-li. Now.”
Larkin disappeared. Harlow was dizzy, but Axel’s weight comforted her. “What’s wrong with me?” Her words were clumpy in her mouth, which felt dry and swollen.
Selene held up one of Harlow’s hands, showing it to her. All of her fingers were deepest midnight blue, as though she’d dipped them in a vat of ink. “Has this ever happened before?”
Harlow shook her head.
“What happened before you came in? Tell me everything, in detail.”
Aurelia appeared, with Larkin and Thea. “The twins are double checking that we’re alone. Dear gods, is that what I think it is?”
She was looking at her fingers, not Axel. Harlow was sure Mother knew what a cat was. That struck her as funny, and she giggled, stroking Axel’s back, which was heartachingly bony.
Selene shushed her wife, sparing only a glance for the cat. “Tell me everything that happened, Harlow.”
“I saw Mark, and the vampire princess. She threatened to hurt Axel… So I went and got him.” Her head was cloudy, and she was having trouble remembering exactly what had happened.
“Keep talking,” Selene urged. “Then what?”
“I made the door fly off. Then the city guarffs came… the city guarf. The cityguard… Yes, that’s it. They came and the shadows ate them up and then I locked them in the building! A nice human drove me howl.Home.”
She felt inebriated. That was what this feeling was. Aurelia examined her stained fingers, showing Thea. “Get the Merkhov text and something for this cat to eat. The fourth volume from the new shipment—for the book, not the cat food. Get the cat some kind of meat.”
Thea nodded, apparently knowing the book Aurelia referenced, and having some idea of how to feed a cat. Thea was so smart. The smartest smarty there had ever been probably, except for Mother, and maybe scientific geniuses. Harlow’s mind swirled with the train of thoughts that careened wildly off course.
“I feel drunk,” Harlow said, her voice fuzzy-sounding in her ears.
“We don’t need the Merkhov to confirm this,” Selene said softly. “I thought my grandmother was the last of them, but this is just like what she described, down to the stained fingers. I made her tell me how it happened to her the first time—when we decided to have children… so I’d know the signs.”
Aurelia nodded. “I believe you, but I don’t think having the Merkhov on hand will hurt. Larkin, please go make a very strong pot of tea. Your sister is going to need something bracing.”
Larkin did as she was bid. Selene helped Harlow into a more upright position, gripping her chin tightly in her fingers. “Look at me. Did you use any magic? Do anything with it?”
Harlow bobbed her head vigorously. Too vigorously. Now her vision swam. “Yes, I made a lock for the door and filled the stairwell with shadows.Beautifulshadows… They came out of myhands! I got him back, my baby boy. Isn’t he such a good boy?”
Aurelia laughed softly at Harlow’s babbling, then grew serious as she spoke to her wife. “Her heart is so big; she did all this for the cat. Is this why this happened?”
