Anathema (Causal Enchantment #1)(69)

I opened my eyes. Rachel’s face was now burrowed in Caden’s neck, her attention otherwise occupied. I glanced up at Caden’s face again to see that same pleading look, only more intense. I’m sorry, he mouthed slowly.

My eyes went wide in surprise. Sorry for what? For morphing from sweet and affectionate to exhibitionist ass**le?

Amelie loudly cleared her throat. I turned to look at her. She stared hard at me, as if sending me a message telepathically. I’m not your pet, Amelie! I don’t know what you’re trying to tell me!

Something very strange was happening here and I hated it. I wanted the last trip back, with its laughter, its ease. Its time with Caden. No Rachel. If only there was some way to make her go away again …

“Sofie says I can bring you back with me,” I suddenly blurted without thinking.

Everyone’s eyes bugged out, Caden’s in horror.

A plan was forming in my head. My own web of deceit. The very idea of lying to Amelie, Fiona, and Bishop made me ill but I had no other choice. I needed Rachel gone. I’d explain afterward. “Sofie thinks the answer is somewhere out there and someone needs to go looking for it,” I continued, my voice trembling.

“What the hell does that mean?” Rachel’s face screwed up.

“Well …” Think fast, Evangeline, or she’s going to see right through your sloppy efforts! “You know how the statue just appeared, out of nowhere? Sofie’s spell put it there. To create a point of origin. But something else also appeared. A portal for my necklace. It will tell me how to bring you back with me.” Not you though, Rachel.

“She’s lying to you,” Caden said, throwing a panicked glare in my direction.

I ignored him. “It could be a scroll, a book, another statue. Whatever it is, you’ll know. It won’t look seven hundred years old.”

“Where do we start?” Amelie leapt onto her feet, her typically animated personality in overdrive.

Rachel was more wary. “It could take years to find it, if at all!”

“No. It wants to be found.” By you, Rachel. Go fetch. “Sofie thinks it’s either in the mountains or in a city. Somewhere still inhabited, where someone who was familiar with the city could find it.” Like you.

“The only city left is New Shore,” Fiona began.

“Hey, isn’t that where you went, Rachel?” I asked innocently. “You know it really well, don’t you?”

“Yes, but there’s nothing like what you’re talking about there.” She bit her lower lip. “I’ll have to do some searching …”

I have her.

“Maybe I’ll go look around during my trip there next week.”

No, it has to be today. This instant! I silently screamed, my thumbs squeezed so tightly within my fists that I thought I might break them. “That’s a problem …” I said, pausing to formulate my next lie. “Sofie said that we’re running out of time. I only have a few more trips before the spell wears off.”

“Oh my God! We better start looking!” Amelie exclaimed. “Come on! Let’s go! I’ll take the north mountain, you take the south, Fiona,” she rambled.

“We can go to New Shore,” Rachel said, her arm around Caden.

No, not ‘we’! Just you! I reached over to grab Fiona’s hand, squeezing hard, wishing I could take a time–out and explain everything.

“What about using Scout and the others to search?” Fiona said. She hadn’t picked up on my panic. I wanted to cry.

“Of course! Great idea, babe!” Bishop cried, kissing Fiona.

No, no, no! This plan wasn’t going how I wanted it.

“Of course Caden is connected to half of our guard around here, so he needs to be here to communicate,” Fiona said slowly.

My panic escaped through my mouth in a long sigh. I glanced over at Fiona, who winked at me. She understood. I fought the urge to hug her, silently begging her forgiveness for lying.

“But, I just got back!” Rachel scoffed, a horrified expression on her face. “We’ve barely seen each other!”

“Fiona’s right,” Caden said, taking Rachel’s hands in his and staring into her eyes. If he was indeed feigning great disappointment at the idea of being apart, his acting skills were impressive. Rachel began shaking her head in response. “We need all the help we can get in these mountains and the valleys.” He cupped her chin. “Plus, as long as Evangeline is here, we should have as many of us as possible around for protection. You know New Shore best, out of anyone. And you’ll have no problems searching it, being part of the Council. No one will question you.”

Rachel’s bottom lip curved down in a childish pout.

“Think of this new world … human blood,” he whispered.

I could see the uncontainable lust flash in her eyes with the mention of human blood. Her dangling carrot. That Caden had previously renounced the act of killing humans didn’t phase her. “Fine. I’ll be back as soon as I can.” With one obscenely long, mauling kiss for Caden—one that I didn’t watch, instead locking eyes with Fiona—Rachel vanished.

I exhaled slowly, covering my overjoyed smile within folded hands in the small chance that it may be inappropriate. The ball of anxiety over Caden still sat prominently in my stomach but at least now I’d have a chance to find out what the hell was going on.