Page 103 of The Curse Breakers

“You can’t go out after dark anymore.”

I grimaced, finding it hard to agree. My manitou was now fair game. Okeus could spring his surprise on me at any time.

I only hoped I would survive it.

Chapter20

Over the next few days, David worked at the colony during the day, and I worked the lunch shift at Darrell’s. Collin hadn’t shown his face at the restaurant—he was probably still angry with me about involving David. However, he had continued to visit my door night after night, putting his mark and the new symbol in the center. David hadn’t found any reference to the symbol in the texts that had arrived from New York, and he hadn’t found Ahone’s symbol either.

I considered finding Collin and asking him what he knew about the Ricardo Estate and to define his involvement, but I knew it would be a wasted effort. Collin wouldn’t tell me anything he didn’t want me to know. And I was certain this fell under that category.

David moved out of Myra’s and started staying in my apartment full time. I expected to feel resentful about having my space invaded, but now that the mark on my back was completely gone, I found his presence reassuring, even if he couldn’t really do anything to help me if Okeus came calling. He insisted on sleeping on the sofa every night, even though I suggested that we take turns rotating on my bed.

When we weren’t working, we spent all of our time together. We walked to the inn every morning before he left for the colony site. Then he’d come straight to my apartment at around seven. We’d eat dinner and do research. His progress had been slow but steady.

Neither the badgers nor Big Nasty had made a reappearance.

“Maybe you sent them back to hell on your own, Ellie,” David suggested. “Maybe your words of protection are enough, and it just didn’t work before because the gate hadn’t been resealed. It makes sense if my theory that you’re a conjuror is correct.”

I hoped so, but I wasn’t about to count on it. I suspected they were lying low, waiting. For what, I wasn’t sure. I was scared to find out.

The researchers staying at Myra’s were planning to go home for the weekend. When I arrived at the inn on Friday morning, Myra stood in the kitchen, her forehead knit with worry.

“Something’s bothering you,” I said. “What is it?”

A guilty look crossed over her face. “How comfortable would you be if I left for the weekend?”

“Oh.” I could see why she would be hesitant to leave me after the lighthouse incident. “Please go. I’ll be fine. Nothing has happened in days.”

“Steven has invited me to go home with him for the weekend. He thought it might be a good idea for me to get away from everything for a couple of days. But I’m not sure I should leave you.”

I tried to hide my surprise. Myra and Steven had become nearly as inseparable as David and I were, although I suspected that David was right and their interest wasn’t strictly professional. “That’s wonderful. Of course you should go.”

“I was worried how you’d feel if I ever met someone other than your father.”

“Myra, I’ve seen how you two look at each other and I think it’s wonderful. Steven is a great man, and you deserve to be happy.”

“I don’t want to leave you.” She wrung her hands. “Maybe I should tell him no.”

I grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t you dare. David will be with me. You go have fun.”

She sucked in her lower lip, giving me a pensive look.

I recognized it well. She often got that look in my teen years when she thought I was about to do something she thought I’d regret. “Spill it, Myra.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

“I know. What in particular?”

“Ellie, I love David, and I know how much your father would love him too. I just worry about you jumping into a relationship so soon after your father’s death. And what happened with Collin.”

I looked up in surprise. “Why do you think there was something between me and Collin?”

She touched my cheek with her fingertips. “You wear your heart on your face.” Her hand dropped to cover mine. “I didn’t see you much when you were with him, but I saw you after. I know you were upset about your father’s death, but I could tell there was more.”

I took a deep breath. “What Collin and I had wasn’t real, or at least it couldn’t be in the long term. Collin is too selfish to be in a long-term relationship.”

“I know he’s the other Curse Keeper. Don’t you still need him?”

---