The Paladins (12 page)

“I’ll manage.”

“Why? Where are we going?” Raven asks.

“I’ll explain on the way.” Or try my damnedest.

My mind’s made up. Much as it kills me, I might have found a way to provide for her future and defeat The Void at once. All we need is a miracle. Or ten.

Dane answers to no one, but the girls need an alibi. “Clear a camping trip with Maggie’s folks. Tell them I’ve rented a cabin or something somewhere in North Carolina. We’re going to my lake house—in Grey Horse.”

Cole

To say I’m unhappy stuck in the back seat of Gideon’s Jeep with Dane and Maggie, aka the “love-fest” twins is an understatement. Raven rides shotgun. At least I have an unobstructed view of her, and my eyes stay riveted to avoid watching the mauling of Maggie by Mr. “Happy-hands” Dane.

The injustice.

The smell of petrol mixed with Maggie’s indulgent use of perfume turns my stomach. I’m carsick, heartsick, stressed-out, and hatching the mother of all headaches. Hopefully, I won’t jettison outside the vehicle to become its unwilling hood ornament.

My legs are too long for the space behind the seat. I shift and squirm, but we’re lemmings back here. I’d rather be up front with Raven. The wish gels into more than vague thought, and before I know what’s happening, I’m vibrating like a guitar string. The pressure in my head expands.
Shite. Here we go
…

I blink to clear my vision of the lovely throat I’m suddenly staring at. Nope, still there. Somehow, I’ve transported myself into the front passenger seat facing the dashboard with the incredible Raven Weathersby situated directly on my lap.

Fist bump. High five.
Yes!

“Cole!” Raven punches me in the shoulder, and though it doesn’t hurt, I believe she put some force behind the blow. She wriggles in my lap, which isn’t helping my focus
at all.

I can’t help my laugh, half glee, half shock.

“What the hell, Wynter?” Gideon growls. My body jerks as his fingers clamp my shoulder.

I’m unsuccessful at shrugging him off. “How should I know?”
Which is true
. “It’s not like I asked to be up here.”
Which is definitely not true.

He releases me to change gears, and we pass the slow moving Toyota stalling our progress.

“How did you get up here?” Raven’s voice has a hypnotic, natural rasp. The scent of her cinnamon gum fills the air between us, drawing me in, but if I kiss her, Maddox will toss me out of the window arse over elbow. I might do it anyway.

I’m at a loss as to where to put my hands. They end up clutching the seat at my sides, but I can’t avoid the pair of bright gray eyes inches away. “I get carsick riding in the back. When I thought about sitting up front, I started—I don’t know—buzzing, and poof, here I am.”

My heart tips over when she laughs. “Poof?”

“Yeah … ” I grin. “Poof.”

“That’s enough, Wynter,” Gideon warns. “Off you go.”

I’m in no hurry to respond. Especially since the prat’s ordering and not asking.

Raven angles toward him. “I’ll ride in the back, he can stay.”

“Not happening,” he says, then under his breath, “Not yet.”

“You’re cranky, Maddox, even for you.” I shrug at his trademark scowl. “Fine, I’m going.”

Easing Raven aside, I crawl over the seat. The job’s a challenge, trying to keep from jabbing Raven with my knee or kicking the gearshift with my combat boots.

Relegated to the backseat again, I try for conversation. “Oi, Maddox. Now might be a good time to clue us in on your theories.”

Gideon’s eyes meet mine in the rearview mirror before glancing at the lip-locked pair beside me. A smirk emerges.

“You’re a right foul git, you know that?”

“I know.”

“What’s a git?” Raven asks.

“Anything related to Maddox.”

“Moving on,” Gideon says. “Here’s the deal from my perspective. Either our collective sanity’s gone to hell, or we’re creating our own problems this time.”

Dane and Maggie separate and face front.
Thank you, God.

“In the library, when Cole mentioned the mirrors and Pan, I remembered something from when I was a kid. We have a country house in Grey Horse. I hadn’t thought about it in years since I’ve only been there twice in my life. Citing historical significance to the family, my grandfather bought the property and built a house on the exact site that used to be a saloon. That’s about all I knew.”

“The same Grey Horse Saloon mentioned in the journal entry?” I ask.

He finds me again in his mirror and nods. “The very same.”

“Well, that’s no coincidence, is it?” Maggie asks.

“Unfortunately, no,” Gideon admits. “Like I said, we didn’t spend much time there. I’d forgotten about the afternoon I spent with my father in his office until a few days ago. Remember when I told you that my father said magic never dies? If that’s true, then when one source of power is cut off, the properties of magic must transfer somewhere else.”

I snort. He’s trying to make his explanation sound important and scientific, but I doubt he knows what the hell he’s saying.

Raven tucks a lock of hair behind one ear and leans forward. I swallow the barb on my tongue meant for Maddox, because if his words give her hope, who am I to rob her of them?

Gideon downshifts behind a slow moving semi. “That got me thinking. What if they did go somewhere? The night the curse was broken, three people in that cellar survived. Me, Raven, and you, Wynter. Maybe we absorbed the magic. It makes sense with what’s been going on, only I didn’t see it until now.

“My father said magic is born from the elements, earth, wind, water—”

“And fire,” Rae finishes. “The fires, last week … and again today. Gideon, was that you?”

“I think so. What you and Wynter described with headaches and odd dreams, the same physical symptoms have bothered me, too, lately.”

“Why didn’t you say something?” Raven’s voice is so low I can hardly hear her over the noisy engine.

He runs a finger down her cheek. The gesture is tender and guts me to watch. “I didn’t want you to worry, and I could be wrong.”

“What if you’re not? Anyway, that’s not really the point … ” He pulls sharply away, and she looks like she might cry. “I wish you’d told me.”

“There was nothing to tell,” he snaps. “I’m theorizing, but my best guess is the night the curse was broken, the magical elements re-homed themselves in us.”

I hate eating my own words. It sucks, but I have to admit I agree with him. The evidence is overwhelming.

“Whoa,” Maggie says. “You guys are, like, crime fighting, superheroes, now. You can have your own secret hideout and catch bad guys, like on
Arrow
.”

“Stop it, Mags, you’ve seen what’s been happening.” Raven’s eyes shine. “We don’t control the elements. Right now, they control us, and there’s no one to explain how it works. If Gideon’s right, then we could hurt somebody or ourselves.”

“No, we can figure this out.” Gideon says, shifting again. “We’ll have to test my theory, of course, but personally, I hope I’m right. I wouldn’t mind having a little lightning in my veins.” His eyes brighten at the prospect. I can’t tell if he’s kidding or not, but Raven’s not smiling.

She glances out the window. “Then you’re just trading a camera for fire.”

I’m not sure anyone else heard until Maggie’s cheeks puff up. “Again? This is just so typical of you, Rae.”

“What is?”

“You’re always … freaking Princess Gloom and Doom, aren’t you? Last year, when you found out you had to move in with the big, bad Maddox heir, you and Dane were all like, ahhh! And I was like whoosah, children, he’s not
that
scary.” She waves a hand. “No offense, dude.”

Gideon grins. “None taken. I am
that
scary.”

I roll my eyes.

“If you recall, that situation turned out fine, and I’m predicting this will, too. Promise.” She crosses her chest. “I have a feeling.”

Her words are full of confidence, but I wouldn’t take those odds. Raven’s prediction we’ll end up offing ourselves is more believable. Though the image of Gideon’s perfect hair catching fire is brilliant.

“Mags, you can’t promise something like that,” Dane cautions. “What if they accidently blow—Oof.”

Maggie shoves him. “Don’t be a downer, dude.” The girl is C-4 packed into a tiny five-foot frame. “You’ll make them feel bad. Try to stay positive, please.” Her little arms fold under a disproportionately large chest rendering her push-up bra unnecessary.

“Hang on,” I say, trying to wipe Maggie’s cleavage from my mind. “Let me get this straight. Elemental magic is divided into four: wind, earth, water, and fire. So I’m what, wind?”

Gideon nods. “Probably, yes, and if Rae is Earth, then that explains her connection to the vines.”

“Our little
Poison Ivy
is just a wee bit intimidating when she gets going,” Maggie jokes.

I snort, but Gideon doesn’t even crack a smile. “My point exactly,” he says. “So, if it’s true, I’ve clearly absorbed the fire element.”

Maddox and fire’s a sobering combo. “What about water?” I ask. “Anyone have a tidal wave in the bath?” I have nothing to tell. No one else speaks either, but Gideon gives Raven a sideways glance. The accusation in his eyes has me betting she’s been less than forthcoming about her recent tree hugging experiences. Good.

“Maybe water hasn’t shown up yet,” I offer. Frankly, I hope it doesn’t. Wind is more than enough.

“Maybe not,” he agrees. “But there are four elements, and four of us initially survived the curse breaking ceremony.”

“Right, Desiree. That’s must be it.” Raven says. “But then she died.”

Dane leans forward, his brow tied in knots. “You said if the host dies, the magic latches on somewhere else. So, where did it go?”

“Hell, I don’t know!” Gideon barks. “Who knows if she had it to start with? Maybe it’s in the bottom of the pond, waiting for you. Or there’s a big ass, water-wielding alligator in my backyard.” He pauses, angling his neck until it cracks. “Like I said, I’m guessing as I go. I could be wrong—”

“I don’t think you are,” Maggie says. “Honestly, I wish I had water, because this could be amazing.” She cuts a quick glance at her boyfriend. “Eventually.”

“If we’re voting, I say we walk away.” Dane ignores her frown. “Superstitions, wives’ tales, all the warnings make sense to me now. Playing with supernatural shit is unnatural, gives me the heebie-jeebies.”

I have no earthly idea what heebie-jeebies are, but they sound freakish coming from an African American redhead with dreads.

“Dane,” Raven says softly. “I agree with you. But how do you walk away
when magic shows up on your doorstep, or in this case, in your mind, uninvited? I never went looking for trouble, but I can’t regret helping people either.” She sighs heavily. “It’s too late. We have to see where this goes and hope for the best. What else can we do?”

It’s too late.
My fists ball on my knees. I needed Gideon to be wrong, but since I’ve turned into some sort of wind-riding teleporter, the evidence seems irrefutable.

I wanted to help a girl—a sweet, pretty girl. Our transformations aren’t her fault.

Last year, I told Raven that The Void saved my life. In a way, that’s true, because the time I spent there humbled me. I thought I’d dealt with my anger, forgiven my parents for their neglect, Nathan for banishing me. But something acidic still gnaws at the lining in my gut.

Maybe it’s me I can’t forgive.

My head rests against the glass. Exhausted, the subtle vibration relaxes me. I feel myself drifting off, and with that, a vague hope that Rose will show up. Funny how often my mind turns not to Raven, but Rosamond.

Raven

Stiff and keyed up, we pile out of the Jeep at the infamous lake house. Five of us stand in the circular driveway, staring up at a huge, two story, Cape Cod style dwelling. Gideon glares at the front porch as if it told him off. When I reach for him, he moves away. Maybe he’s dealing with the same nervous tension that’s inside me, but the brush off stings. In the past, I’d call him out on it, but lately, I don’t have the energy. It’s easier to stuff the hurt. Pretend I misunderstood him.