Anathema (Causal Enchantment #1)(75)

“Now, imagine walking down the street on the first warm day of spring, only to catch the aroma of a big, fat, juicy steak grilling on a barbeque.”

“Oh,” I moaned, recalling the countless times I had been tortured with that exact mouth–watering situation.

“Now multiply that by about a million,” Caden added, not a hint of exaggeration in his voice.

“How are you going to fight that?” I whispered.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, Evangeline,” he said softly.

“Rachel!” Bishop hissed, flying off the bench.

I blinked, startled by the sudden change of topic.

“How?” Fiona asked, shock in her eyes.

Caden’s hand moved from my back a second before I caught sight of raven black hair flying into the cave.

Rachel was back.

20. Immobilized

“You’ve found something already?” Amelie said, feigning enthusiasm. She’d make a great actress.

Rachel ignored Amelie, her shrewd eyes surveying the room, taking in everything. “You look like you’re getting settled in,” she said slowly, her steely yellow gaze falling on me and, more importantly, my close proximity to Caden.

I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. That gaze made me want to shrivel up and die.

Rachel’s eyes darted to the sleeping bag. “Planning on napping while we run around, looking for this portal?”

“Oh, that … Sofie likes to prepare for every possibility. She’s a worry wart.” I rolled my eyes dramatically, trying my hand at acting as well. I was sure any average five–year–old could have outperformed me, but I had to keep her distracted. I didn’t want her noticing the two giant bags of Merth. “Did you find anything?”

She ignored the question again, instead turning a sickly sweet smile toward Bishop. “What’s wrong? Big Brown didn’t tell you I was on my way?”

“No, he’s busy searching the forest. Like Eve told us to,” Bishop responded slowly.

Her lips twisted in an unflattering, pensive expression. “Partway there, I asked myself what would happen if you found this portal in the woods. Would you wait for me?” She stalked slowly toward me. No one moved. Worried glances flitted between them.

She stopped in front of me, taking a relaxed stance. I forced my eyes up to meet hers, my terror likely shining like bright neon lights within them.

Suddenly she was forcing herself onto Caden’s lap, straddling him as if ready to perform a private show while managing to shove me off the bench at the same time. Luckily Amelie caught me before I hit the ground and made room beside her for me, wrapping her arm protectively around my shoulder. My eyes dropped to where the camera had been lying. It had vanished.

“Of course Caden would never do such a horrible thing as leave me. But the rest of you,” she threw a hateful look at Amelie and Fiona, then a withering one in my direction, “I don’t trust.”

“Of course we’d wait for you,” Caden insisted. I sensed the nervousness in his voice. He was having a hard time hiding his shock at her return.

Rachel snuggled against him, her voice turning sultry. “I couldn’t risk it.”

My stomach constricted into a painful knot at the sight.

“But what about searching New Shore? It’s important that we find this artifact, and soon,” Caden said calmly.

“It’s taken care of. I met up with two Council members on my way and sent them back to search.”

“What did you tell them, Rachel?” Caden asked, his voice slow and even, but I saw the flash of alarm in his eyes.

“Oh, nothing important. They’re not smart enough to put two and two together. Like they’d ever figure this out.”

Caden exhaled, visibly trying to control his anger.

“They were on their way here!” she added quickly, a rare hint of desperation in her voice. “You should be happy I’ve deterred them.”

Caden reached up to brush her hair from her face. “Of course, yes. Good thinking.”

Don’t touch her with those hands! I screamed in my head.

A relieved smile stretched across her face. “I’ll head back to New Shore in a week or so to double–check. They’re getting eight others to help. You can come with me then, of course. Your scouts will have covered these mountains.”

“You shouldn’t have done that, Rachel,” Amelie growled.

Rachel waved her hand dismissively in Amelie’s direction. “We don’t care what you think. Do we, Hon?” she purred into Caden’s ear, her arms wrapping tightly around him.

He smiled lovingly at her.

I clenched my teeth as I felt another spasm in my stomach. Caden was right. This is worse. Way worse.

Amelie’s arm squeezed my shoulders.

“We’ll have to test that comfortable bed out later,” Rachel said, giggling seductively, discretion obviously not part of her DNA. “Should be much more comfortable than the last time …” She turned to appraise the bed Caden and I had shared the previous night. Then her gaze fell on the mountain bags.

My stomach—already battered from watching her maul Caden—dropped to my feet.

“What did you fill those bags with, Evangeline?” her voice had turned sickly sweet. Rachel only addressed me directly when she was torturing me about my feelings for Caden, or if she wanted the truth. She likely assumed that I couldn’t lie credibly. An accurate assumption, I’d say.