Page 83 of Love Heals
Jared found Luke and Puck facing each other in the middle of the living room, both of them standing, Luke gesturing wildly as he spoke. "The point is I thought I could trust you, and now I don't! I definitely don't!"
Remy stood to the side, his hands raised as if he'd already tried—and failed—to placate the two. He wasn't the only spectator either. Aldrich and Collin stood a few feet away from the arguing pair. When Collin noticed his older brother's gaze, he greeted Jared with a helpless shrug.
"I never did anything I said I wouldn't do," Puck said, studying the rings on his left hand instead of looking at Luke. "You should have done more research before giving your blood away. Besides, Vlad hasn't hurt a hair on your precious little head, has he? There's no reason to make such a big deal out of this little... misunderstanding."
"That's not what this is about!" Luke insisted.
"We need Puck," Jared spoke up, silencing both his little brother and the witch as all eyes turned to him.
"And what exactly do you need me for?" Puck asked, intrigue coloring his voice.
Jared pulled the gem out of his pocket. It gave off a subtle blue shine. "This thing told me where we have to go, but we're going to need magic to get there. It's not a regular place." It was difficult to explain what that knowledge looked like in his head, except it was there. Not in words, not even in images. It was more of an intuition. Like a single, clear piece of a memory otherwise long forgotten and barely remembered.
Puck stepped closer to him, eyeing the stone like a kid in a toy store might eye a new videogame. "That's quite the interesting artifact you have there."
Jared held it out of his reach. He might need magic, but that didn't mean he trusted the witch. "We're looking for a fairy. She has an antique shop in a pocket dimension." If the words hadn't been put on his tongue by the Seeker Stone's magic, Jared wouldn't have believed them. What even was a pocket dimension?
Puck tilted his head this way, then that. "What is the name of this antique shop?"
"I..." Jared was about to say that he didn't know, but then the name rolled off his tongue. "Old Treasures."
Puck made a face.
"You've heard of it," Vlad's voice sounded from behind Jared.
"Who hasn't heard of it?" Puck waved his hand in the air dramatically. "I don't know what you want from Sage Adryn, but she'll rip you off."
That line got Luke going again. "You mean the way you ripped me off?"
Puck glanced at Luke, but didn't take up the fight again. Thank God. Jared knew his little brother had a valid point, but they could discuss that later.
Jared focused on Puck again. "Are you going to take us there?"
"That depends. How much are you willing to—"
"We've given you enough," Luke cut in, glaring at the witch. Jared had rarely seen his little brother look quite so fierce. Maybe Puck was impressed too, because he relented.
"I suppose I could do this one on the house. But don't say I didn't warn you. Whatever price she'll ask, it'll be too high."
"This prophecy is worth any price," Vlad asserted.
Jared wasn't sure if he agreed with him there. After all, there were a lot of things he wasn't willing to sacrifice. Especially since he didn't know if this prophecy was really going to help his family. He could only hope so. It would be great if none of them would ever have to fight vampires again.
It would be great if Silas never had to face off against another vampire. Jared turned back to Puck. “Are you going to take us to this antique shop?”
Puck turned the ring on his middle finger this way and that, as if deeply in thought. “I would need a few hours to prepare if we’re going on an interdimensional journey. I also can’t take more than four people.”
"I'm going," Vlad announced before anyone else could speak.
Aldrich crossed his arms in front of his chest. "If he's going, I'm coming too."
Collin and Remy both sighed. Neither of them expressed a wish to go, though.
"I should go," Jared said, because he felt like he had to. He'd started this whole thing, so he needed to see it through. “Is it safe?”
“No helmets or seatbelts required.”
Jared nodded, filing this information away in case Silas wanted to come.
