The Dark Calling (The Arcana Chronicles #5)(18)

Finn said, “I know I’m the new kid on the block, and my vote doesn’t really count”—Lark’s gaze whipped to the Magician’s sweating face—“and I know I’m about to be in the doghouse with the missus ’cause she’s a fan of Paul’s. But I got real bad vibes about him.”

Someone else felt the same way! I’m not crazy.

Lark’s lips parted. “How can you say that? He’s my friend.”

Finn ran his coat sleeve over his face. “Babe, when he examined me and offered to do the surgery, I turned him down flat. Maybe it’s the Magician in me, but I sense something’s not right with that dude. Figure he’s as trustworthy as gas station sushi.”

“God, thank you, Finn.” I crossed to him and took his hand. “You don’t know how much better this makes me feel.”

With his eyes on Lark, he said, “Just calling it like I see it.” Had he tottered on his feet? “And hoping my girl can . . . my girl can . . .”—he cleared his throat—“understand.” Sweat was dripping down his face now. “Whoa. Something’s off.” He coughed, then again.

I turned to Aric. His gaze remained on the road, even though Paul was no longer visible. “Aric! We need to get him inside.”

A gurgling sound came from Finn’s throat. His face was turning purple! Wait, this had to be an illusion. He’d told me they were involuntary to a degree, and the stress of this situation must be affecting him. “Is this a trick?”

When Finn collapsed to his knees, Lark shoved me away. “He’s choking!”

Aric sped into action, pulling him up to deliver the Heimlich maneuver. Nothing happened. He tried again.

Frantic, Lark sprinted to the gate. “Paul, we need help!” No answer. “I don’t see him on the road!” He couldn’t already be down that long mountain drive.

Aric said, “Fauna, send your animals to find him.”

She gave a jerky nod, and her eyes turned red as she ran back to us.

When a line of white foam dribbled from Finn’s mouth, Aric laid him on the snowy ground. “The Magician isn’t choking. This is a toxin of some kind. Maybe venom or a poison.”

Finn clutched his throat. Had he eaten something bad? Or . . . “Oh, God, Paul did this.” Gran had accused the medic of poisoning her.

Lark dropped down beside Finn. “Enough about Paul! If he was here, he could fix this!”

The Magician’s eyes were wide with fear.

“Don’t leave me, Finn! I love you.”

He released his throat to grasp Lark’s hands. He believes he’s about to die, is trying to comfort her.

Lark must’ve concluded the same. A high-pitched whine left her lips. Chaos erupted. The animals spread over the property went berserk, yips and howls filling the air.

Finn’s illusions flashed all around the courtyard. Waves . . . a sunset . . . a middle-aged woman with a stern expression . . . how Lark had looked the first time we’d all met her.

Those animal screams rang out louder and louder. I was about to howl right beside them.

“Shut them up so I can think!” I concentrated, trying to sense if some plant-based toxin was inside him. Sensing . . . Not a plant. I couldn’t produce an antidote. But some toxin was killing him. Think! Our only hope was for him to vomit whatever he’d ingested. He needed an emetic!

I yanked off my gloves, then flared my thorn claws. In my chronicles, I’d learned that I could deliver more than poison through them.

“You’re going to claw him?” Lark bared her fangs, hovering protectively over Finn. “Oh, hell no!”

“I’m going to give him something to make him throw up. Let me try to save him.”

She finally relented. “If he doesn’t pull through . . .”

I sank my claws into his neck, injecting him. Please let this work. Withdrawing them, I waited, gaze flitting over his face for any sign.

Yet Finn’s wide eyes grew sightless.

Lark cried, “I don’t hear his heartbeat!”

I turned to Aric. “You know CPR!”

He knelt beside Finn, beginning chest compressions with his gloved hands. One compression after another after another.

Teardrops spilled down Lark’s cheeks. “Finn can’t be gone. He can’t be. I-I just got him back.”

Aric was sweating by the time he drew back. “The Magician’s passed on. There’s nothing I can do.”

Finn was . . . dead.

Tears blinded me. Shock numbed my brain. There was something I needed to remember, but all I could do was stare at my friend’s terrified face.

Lark wailed, a bloodcurdling sound. “Who did this to my Finn?” Would she still not believe it was Paul?

I didn’t know how he’d gotten out of a locked room to poison Finn, but I knew why he’d done it.

The Magician had been on to him.

I barely noticed when Aric stood. “Do you feel that, sievā?” He surveyed the area. “Something is coming.”

“Richter?” Was the end here for all of us?

Aric shook his head. “This is more like what the Moon Card might’ve done—a feeling. An ominous feeling. Some power is amongst us.”

My gaze darted. “Where? How do we fight it?” The air shimmered, and a dome of hazy yellow light appeared above.