Magic Stars (Grey Wolf #1)(22)

He sat up, wrapping the blanket around him like a robe. She smiled at him.

“How long was I out?”

“The whole day.”

She had stayed with him. She hadn’t left and called for pickup; she’d just stayed here, where he’d fallen, and watched over him.

Julie dug in the bag. “I grabbed some food from the food cart passing by. It’s not deer babies, but you’ll just have to suffer through it.”

He reached out and touched her hand.

She paused and looked at him, her eyes bottomless.

“Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For staying with me.”

“You’re welcome, Wolf,” she said quietly.

He realized then that she would’ve sat by him as long as it took and that he was still holding her hand. He made himself let go.

She looked away and pulled smoked venison and a jug of iced tea out of the bag. “Eat. You’re probably starving.”

“In a minute,” he said. “The moon is almost up.”

She put the bag down and lowered herself next to him. They sat quietly on Pillar Rock, side by side, almost touching and happy to be alive, and watched the moonrise.





EPILOGUE





“ANYTHING EXCITING HAPPEN while we were gone?” Kate cut the freshly baked bread in the kitchen.

“No.” That was one good thing about living on the street, Julie reflected. You learned to lie while your eyes shone with sincerity. “And you didn’t even mention my awesome timing. You came through the door, and there was bread already baked for you.”

Behind Kate, Curran glanced at her. He’d called Derek about the Iveses, so he knew, but Kate clearly didn’t. They would have to tell her, but not tonight. Tonight she was tired and hungry, and the look on her face when she came downstairs after she took a shower to wash all the blood off was too relaxed. Julie smiled at Curran. It will wait.

“Thank you for the bread. You sure nothing happened?” Kate arched one eyebrow.

Julie remembered finishing off Adams, seeing Derek fall as he turned human again, and then running too fast up Pillar Rock. She’d dropped to her knees and put her head on his chest, and when she’d heard the strong, even heartbeat, she’d cried and then kissed his lips gently, because he was asleep and he would never know. He’d scared her so much.

Stupid wolf. Her stupid, stupid wolf.

Kate wouldn’t understand, and she didn’t need to know. “Nothing happened.”

“That’s odd. We dropped by the office on the way home and there is a check from Luther in the payment box. A large check.”

“I sold him a magic arrow,” she said. “It was very old. The arrowhead was stone. Ask him if you don’t believe me.”

Kate squinted at her.

It was time to beat a hasty retreat before more questions came. Julie headed for the kitchen door.

“Where are you going?”

“I’m going to give Peanut her nightly carrot.”

She stepped out and shut the door behind her. Escape accomplished.

The air was comfortably cool. An early evening had fallen, and the sky was a deep purple studded with stars. They winked at her as she walked.

Keep winking. As long as you stay up there, we won’t have a problem.

She opened the stable door, grabbed a carrot from the treat bag hanging from a hook, and walked to Peanut’s stall. The horse reached for the treat, and the soft velvety lips brushed her palm.

A presence appeared behind her. She felt it—a knot of arcane power, burning from within, like standing with her back to a stove, if heat were magic. That’s what old nuclear reactors must’ve been like. An unimaginable potential for destruction concentrated in one small space.

“You finally used your power,” the immortal wizard said.

She didn’t turn around. “Yes.”

“How did it feel, Herald?”

The memory of power ripping from her in a torrent surfaced in her mind, followed by a spike of pain as she said the power word after her incantation had paved the way. She heard the sound of Adams’ bones breaking and patted Peanut’s nose.

“How did it feel?”

The Herald of Atlanta smiled. “It felt good.”