so.”
“You were kind to them,” Elyse said, wondering if she could coax him to let down his guard with her. “Giving them that scroll so they could call you.”
He’d told Kyros and Sindil to notify him if they or their friends noticed anything suspicious. Someone hanging around or approaching them with offers that sounded too good to be true.
What if they are true? Kyros had responded. Come on, Kyros, Arcadius had said. What are the odds the disappearing djinn end up living out their dreams?
“I wasn’t being kind,” Arcadius said. “I made them my eyes and ears. Also, I gave them your scroll.”
“My scroll?”
“The one I was holding for you so you could contact the other me if anything went wrong.”
“Oh.” Elyse had forgotten all about that. She laughed. “That was sneaky.”
“I’ll have Joseph transfer the receiver spell to me. Cade won’t have to answer their messages.”
“He won’t like that you gave away my panic button. You’ll have to make sure nothing bad happens on the way home.”
Elyse was teasing. The blue green gaze that locked onto hers was not. Arcadius’s stare was so penetrating it was hot. Her toes curled inside the slippers he’d given her. Had he seen something while they were in the bathhouse, something he liked maybe? She’d checked a couple times, admittedly shy about undressing with him present. Every time she looked, he’d been turned away. In truth, she’d caught more of an eyeful than she’d intended.
Even through a screen, Arcadius’s back view was just as spectacular as Cade’s.
“I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
His voice was rumbly. Elyse’s vocal chords didn’t feel up to telling him she hadn’t doubted that for a second. She looked away and cleared her throat.
Apart from the rustle of leaves and the chirp of birds, the shady street was quiet. The traffic sounds all New Yorkers grew accustomed to didn’t disturb this place. Magic was the power that ran things, for the most part. The hair on her arms stood up as she had the thought. A man had stepped out of the next building down the block and was walking away from them. He wasn’t close enough to see distinctly, but he was tall and wore dark blue robes. Something about his silhouette made her skin prickle.
Arcadius asked if she was ready to get back on the rug.
She heard him with half an ear. “Wait,” she said, touching his sleeve lightly.
She began walking after the unknown man. His stride was longer, and he had a head start. Even hurrying, she’d have trouble catching up.
“Excuse me,” she called. “Sir, could I speak to you one moment?”
The man glanced briefly over his shoulder. She caught a flash of dark brows and eyes she didn’t recognize. Her pulse sped up for no good reason.
“Wait!” she cried, and began running.
The man started running too.
“I just want to talk,” she pleaded nonsensically. If the man didn’t want to speak to her, this wouldn’t convince him to. Realizing this, she nearly gave up the chase, but why was he running? She was just a woman, no danger to him at all. He was acting suspiciously.
Her illogical desire to apprehend him intensified. She hauled up her tunic’s hem and pushed her trousered legs faster.
“Elyse!” Arcadius called, now sprinting after her.
Elyse kept going. The running man rounded the next corner. She saw . . . she wasn’t sure what. A sparkle reflecting off a window? A brightening of the air?
“Stop!” she yelled. Her slippers didn’t have much traction. She skidded to a wobbly halt at the intersection of the next shady street.
Her quarry had disappeared.
“Damn it,” she swore, swiveling her head to look for him. She was out of breath. She needed more exercise. Caught up to her already, Arcadius seized her arm angrily.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
She spotted a sweet shop with a few empty tables on its sidewalk. Hadn’t she heard the jingle of an over-the-door chime?
“Come,” she
“You were kind to them,” Elyse said, wondering if she could coax him to let down his guard with her. “Giving them that scroll so they could call you.”
He’d told Kyros and Sindil to notify him if they or their friends noticed anything suspicious. Someone hanging around or approaching them with offers that sounded too good to be true.
What if they are true? Kyros had responded. Come on, Kyros, Arcadius had said. What are the odds the disappearing djinn end up living out their dreams?
“I wasn’t being kind,” Arcadius said. “I made them my eyes and ears. Also, I gave them your scroll.”
“My scroll?”
“The one I was holding for you so you could contact the other me if anything went wrong.”
“Oh.” Elyse had forgotten all about that. She laughed. “That was sneaky.”
“I’ll have Joseph transfer the receiver spell to me. Cade won’t have to answer their messages.”
“He won’t like that you gave away my panic button. You’ll have to make sure nothing bad happens on the way home.”
Elyse was teasing. The blue green gaze that locked onto hers was not. Arcadius’s stare was so penetrating it was hot. Her toes curled inside the slippers he’d given her. Had he seen something while they were in the bathhouse, something he liked maybe? She’d checked a couple times, admittedly shy about undressing with him present. Every time she looked, he’d been turned away. In truth, she’d caught more of an eyeful than she’d intended.
Even through a screen, Arcadius’s back view was just as spectacular as Cade’s.
“I’ll keep you safe,” he promised.
His voice was rumbly. Elyse’s vocal chords didn’t feel up to telling him she hadn’t doubted that for a second. She looked away and cleared her throat.
Apart from the rustle of leaves and the chirp of birds, the shady street was quiet. The traffic sounds all New Yorkers grew accustomed to didn’t disturb this place. Magic was the power that ran things, for the most part. The hair on her arms stood up as she had the thought. A man had stepped out of the next building down the block and was walking away from them. He wasn’t close enough to see distinctly, but he was tall and wore dark blue robes. Something about his silhouette made her skin prickle.
Arcadius asked if she was ready to get back on the rug.
She heard him with half an ear. “Wait,” she said, touching his sleeve lightly.
She began walking after the unknown man. His stride was longer, and he had a head start. Even hurrying, she’d have trouble catching up.
“Excuse me,” she called. “Sir, could I speak to you one moment?”
The man glanced briefly over his shoulder. She caught a flash of dark brows and eyes she didn’t recognize. Her pulse sped up for no good reason.
“Wait!” she cried, and began running.
The man started running too.
“I just want to talk,” she pleaded nonsensically. If the man didn’t want to speak to her, this wouldn’t convince him to. Realizing this, she nearly gave up the chase, but why was he running? She was just a woman, no danger to him at all. He was acting suspiciously.
Her illogical desire to apprehend him intensified. She hauled up her tunic’s hem and pushed her trousered legs faster.
“Elyse!” Arcadius called, now sprinting after her.
Elyse kept going. The running man rounded the next corner. She saw . . . she wasn’t sure what. A sparkle reflecting off a window? A brightening of the air?
“Stop!” she yelled. Her slippers didn’t have much traction. She skidded to a wobbly halt at the intersection of the next shady street.
Her quarry had disappeared.
“Damn it,” she swore, swiveling her head to look for him. She was out of breath. She needed more exercise. Caught up to her already, Arcadius seized her arm angrily.
“What are you doing?” he demanded.
She spotted a sweet shop with a few empty tables on its sidewalk. Hadn’t she heard the jingle of an over-the-door chime?
“Come,” she
Similar Books
