gesturing
to the bird to come out. Although Phoenix wanted nothing more than to be
enveloped in artificially created cool air, he forced himself to wait. Wedging
his tiny body behind the jar, he pushed with his chest until it tipped over. As
the jar rolled toward an unsuspecting Orano, a distorted reflection in the
curved glass caught Phoenix’s eye. He rotated his neck to check if what he
thought he’d seen reflected in the jar actually existed.
It was. Row upon row of shelves lined the wall behind
him, each jammed full of masonry jars. Apparently, Gracey wasn’t the only one
to have her powers bound. Not by a long shot.
Phoenix flew out the hatch and landed his host on Orano’s
shoulder just as his partner caught the falling jar.
********
“You’re looking a little better now. How are you feeling?”
Tori asked. She’d planted herself in the chair right next to his at the kitchen
table.
“Much improved. Thank you.” Phoenix disconnected from his
host as soon as Orano let him out the front door. Less than a minute later, the
big guy walked back in with neither the bird nor the jar. “Although, just in case
I’m coming down with something, we should probably go. I wouldn’t want to
infect you nice ladies.” Phoenix stood, thanked each of his nursemaids again,
and held his hand out to Tori. “Thank you for your kind invitation. I’m sorry
to leave in such a hurry.”
Her smile grew as she swatted his hand away and pulled him
in for a hug, her arms wrapped around his neck. “You’re welcome any time,
Phoenix.”
When she released him, a painful tug at the nape of his neck
caused him to wince.
“Oh, goodness me,” Tori spouted. “This darn watch is always
getting caught in people’s hair. I’m so sorry.”
Gracey’s eyes widened, but Phoenix didn’t need to see her
reaction to know he’d royally screwed up. The coven leader had just gotten a
lock of his hair.
Chapter 10
“Well, that was a waste of time.” Gracey slumped in the back
seat of their car, arms crossed over her chest. “We didn’t even get inside her
office.”
Phoenix glanced over his shoulder and gave her a sympathetic
smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.”
“Seriously? You guys aren’t going to hop on the next flight
out of here? You said we needed proof, and we didn’t get any.” Although Gracey
wanted them to stay and help her stop Tori, she hadn’t expected them to even
consider doing so. “Am I missing something?”
“No,” Orano and Phoenix said in unison.
Gracey’s eyes narrowed as she peered at her companions. Their
denial came far too quickly and easily. They were up to something, but she
couldn’t begin to understand what. Or why.
“You hungry?” Phoenix asked.
They hadn’t eaten since breakfast so, of course, Gracey was
starving. “I could eat.”
“Why don’t we head back to the hotel to freshen up, and then
we’ll grab something,” Phoenix suggested.
Gracey agreed, although she felt sure they were keeping
something from her. Orano should have been grumbling under his breath about the
time they’d just wasted, and Phoenix should have been recommending she go back
to the loony bin, in the kindest possible way of course. No, they were
definitely hiding something from her.
When they reached their rooms, Gracey waited for one of them
to follow her into hers. When both of the boys headed to the other door, she
stopped short.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to be left alone,” she said. “You
know, me being crazy and all.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be right next door. By the time you’re
out of the shower, we’ll both be ready to go.” The smile Phoenix wore resembled
the one he’d flashed Tori at the barbecue. She filed the image away in her mind
so she’d never forget his “I’m lying” smile.
Gracey bit the inside of her lip. “Okay. I’ll come over when
I’m done.” With a fake smile of her own, she stepped inside her room and closed
the door. She
to the bird to come out. Although Phoenix wanted nothing more than to be
enveloped in artificially created cool air, he forced himself to wait. Wedging
his tiny body behind the jar, he pushed with his chest until it tipped over. As
the jar rolled toward an unsuspecting Orano, a distorted reflection in the
curved glass caught Phoenix’s eye. He rotated his neck to check if what he
thought he’d seen reflected in the jar actually existed.
It was. Row upon row of shelves lined the wall behind
him, each jammed full of masonry jars. Apparently, Gracey wasn’t the only one
to have her powers bound. Not by a long shot.
Phoenix flew out the hatch and landed his host on Orano’s
shoulder just as his partner caught the falling jar.
********
“You’re looking a little better now. How are you feeling?”
Tori asked. She’d planted herself in the chair right next to his at the kitchen
table.
“Much improved. Thank you.” Phoenix disconnected from his
host as soon as Orano let him out the front door. Less than a minute later, the
big guy walked back in with neither the bird nor the jar. “Although, just in case
I’m coming down with something, we should probably go. I wouldn’t want to
infect you nice ladies.” Phoenix stood, thanked each of his nursemaids again,
and held his hand out to Tori. “Thank you for your kind invitation. I’m sorry
to leave in such a hurry.”
Her smile grew as she swatted his hand away and pulled him
in for a hug, her arms wrapped around his neck. “You’re welcome any time,
Phoenix.”
When she released him, a painful tug at the nape of his neck
caused him to wince.
“Oh, goodness me,” Tori spouted. “This darn watch is always
getting caught in people’s hair. I’m so sorry.”
Gracey’s eyes widened, but Phoenix didn’t need to see her
reaction to know he’d royally screwed up. The coven leader had just gotten a
lock of his hair.
Chapter 10
“Well, that was a waste of time.” Gracey slumped in the back
seat of their car, arms crossed over her chest. “We didn’t even get inside her
office.”
Phoenix glanced over his shoulder and gave her a sympathetic
smile. “Don’t worry. We’ll figure something out.”
“Seriously? You guys aren’t going to hop on the next flight
out of here? You said we needed proof, and we didn’t get any.” Although Gracey
wanted them to stay and help her stop Tori, she hadn’t expected them to even
consider doing so. “Am I missing something?”
“No,” Orano and Phoenix said in unison.
Gracey’s eyes narrowed as she peered at her companions. Their
denial came far too quickly and easily. They were up to something, but she
couldn’t begin to understand what. Or why.
“You hungry?” Phoenix asked.
They hadn’t eaten since breakfast so, of course, Gracey was
starving. “I could eat.”
“Why don’t we head back to the hotel to freshen up, and then
we’ll grab something,” Phoenix suggested.
Gracey agreed, although she felt sure they were keeping
something from her. Orano should have been grumbling under his breath about the
time they’d just wasted, and Phoenix should have been recommending she go back
to the loony bin, in the kindest possible way of course. No, they were
definitely hiding something from her.
When they reached their rooms, Gracey waited for one of them
to follow her into hers. When both of the boys headed to the other door, she
stopped short.
“I thought I wasn’t supposed to be left alone,” she said. “You
know, me being crazy and all.”
“Don’t worry, we’ll be right next door. By the time you’re
out of the shower, we’ll both be ready to go.” The smile Phoenix wore resembled
the one he’d flashed Tori at the barbecue. She filed the image away in her mind
so she’d never forget his “I’m lying” smile.
Gracey bit the inside of her lip. “Okay. I’ll come over when
I’m done.” With a fake smile of her own, she stepped inside her room and closed
the door. She
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