The Curse (Belador #3)(49)

“Are you not well?”

Guilt pinched her over his instant concern. “Yes, just tired.”

Snagging her suitcase on the way, she led him to the shade now that clouds were gone and sun was out. Dusting off a spot on concrete wall, she sat down not far from Kell.

With Quinn settled between her and Kell, she could see them both while she spoke to her cousin. “I did not mean to cause you trouble.”

His eyebrows climbed in a show of disbelief, then he seemed to dismiss whatever he was going to say. “Then let me charter a private jet to get you home. It’ll be more comfortable than commercial flying. You can sleep the whole way.”

She shook her head. “That could be dangerous for others.”

“Why?”

“When I was upset on way here, airplane had bumpy ride.”

“What do you mean?”

“I think my majik shook airplane. Elements do not like when I get upset.” A side effect of Grendal’s potion.

Quinn leaned down, speaking in a tight voice. “You rocked a commercial flight? With storms?”

She hoped he saw how she felt bad about this. “The pilot said weather was clear. One hour later, I am dizzy. Very sick and plane started to bounce and shake. People stumbled around. Much screaming. I am sick everywhere, in bathroom, walking, at seat. I try to sleep, anything to fix problem. When I calm down, plane calmed down. Happened many times on way here. My fault. I do not want to hurt anyone.”

“Oh, good goddess.” Quinn put a hand on his forehead and closed his eyes.

She muttered, “Much praying on flight, too.”

Quinn washed his hand over his face, looking more tired than before. “When did this start happening?”

She couldn’t tell him about Grendal, but she had to make Quinn understand one thing. She could not return to Transylvania. “This is why I can not go home. My majik … has problems.”

“What exactly do you mean?” he asked.

“Long time ago, you were right. You said I need teacher for majik.” She held up her hand to stall what she knew he would say. “Not in Transylvania.”

“Why not? They’re your people.”

“My majik caused small fire to explode and burn neighbor’s barn. Village is afraid of me.” All of that was true enough.

“Did someone threaten you?” her cousin asked in soft voice that would raise fear in demons.

“No, but they think I am dangerous.” She shrugged. “I am sorry to burden you, Cousin, but I have nowhere else to go.” And you are the only one who can keep Grendal from taking me again if he finds me. “Mama asks you please help me.”

Quinn had a look that said this couldn’t be worse timing.

Lanna hated to be trouble, but she would make it up to him. Her cousin had messed-up aura. He was unhappy. She would work hard to make his life better while she was here.

He finally said, “I’m not sure what I’m going to do. We’re in the middle of something major right now. I don’t know—”

He would not help her? She must have looked like she would cause storm again because her cousin hurried to say, “Don’t get upset. I’ll figure out something. Give me a minute.”

He started typing on his phone, and she let out tight breath she was holding.

Just then, another Kell raced past her, sliding to stop beside first Kell. Boys looked exactly alike. Twins. But second Kell was free spirit. Full of energy. Excitement.

So not like his quiet chess-master brother.

What luck to find two attractive young men her first day.

The new brother said to Kell, “We’ve got to clear out of the shelter.”

Kell asked, “Why? What’s wrong, Kardos? Did you get into trouble?”

Kardos shook his head and jostled something in his hand. Dice? He rolled the cubes around and around. “Not this time. It’s the gang wars going on. Child services is rounding up any underaged kids around the shelter.”

That surprised Kell. “We look eighteen. They don’t know we’re seventeen.”

“Doesn’t matter. We’ll get hauled in for public loitering if we don’t have an ID.”

“We have to tell Evalle.”

Lanna thought about Quinn’s call. Her cousin spoke of an Evalle. Is that common female name in this country?

Kardos argued, “She can’t help us right now, not until after sunset.”

Why would she not help Kell and Kardos until sunset?

Kardos kept jiggling dice in his hand, more like nervous action than anything else.

Kell made grumbling noise, then apologized to his opponent for not finishing game and stood up. He followed his brother to statue of woman with firebird. The boys spoke too soft for Lanna to hear.

Moving her lips with silent chant that Quinn would not see, she heard what Kardos whispered to his brother.

“… too risky to hide in the places we know. There’s a badass group of trolls in the city.”

“What, like some weird kind?” Kell acted annoyed, but Lanna could tell he worked to hide his concern.

“Don’t know what kind of trolls they are, but Jurba said—”

Kell growled at his brother, “We don’t have the money for you to be gambling with Jurba, and he is a troll!”