Niko was offering himself to Cyrus as a slave in order to save Gem, and what generous thing had she ever done for him?
“Well, that’s going to change,” she muttered.
Different styles of black pants were neatly folded at the bottom. Gem lifted each one to search for a hidden book. She even pulled the heavy wardrobe away from the wall to look behind it. Alas, there were only a few cobwebs. Niko kept his shoes lined up against the wall to the right of the wardrobe, all below a long bench. Every other shoe had a pair of socks rolled up in it.
Wyatt and Switch were banging their fists on the door, but Gem took her time, tapping and pushing on every single wood plank in the flooring. She’d seen enough movies to know about trick floors and secret hiding spots. After that, she tugged and pushed on the stones in the walls, but none of them came loose or activated a secret hiding spot.
The bathroom had absolutely nothing of interest but a standing shower, toilet, and sink. But she checked inside the toilet tank, just to be thorough.
“Will you open the door?” Wyatt shouted, his fist still banging. “I’ve got a chain saw, and I’m not afraid to use it.”
Gem sat on the edge of the bed and thought about the countless rooms in the mansion. This could take eons! She considered Niko’s warning. He didn’t want Cyrus to have this object, even at the risk of people’s lives. Gem had always respected Niko as her elder, but was he making the right choice for Keystone? Older immortals were often emotionally detached and therefore impervious to death. They knew everyone died eventually, and so they were less likely to make emotional decisions.
Gem was about as emotional as they came. His unwillingness to compromise could bring death and destruction to those she cared about, and she couldn’t let that happen.
She wrung her hands and remembered Cyrus’s description of the book. Red leather binding and old paper. That described so many books that she’d seen in her lifetime. But the symbol… something about an ouroboros rang a bell.
The door shook when someone kicked it. After another second, it swung open and struck the wall.
Switch lowered his foot and looked at the broken frame. “I’ll fix that later.”
Wyatt hustled in and knelt in front of her. “What’s going on, kiddo? You can’t shut me out of this. Are you in trouble?”
“We’re all in trouble. Niko especially.”
“I don’t get it.”
“I have to find something.”
“You mean clothes?” He glanced at her scant attire. “Are you hurt? Never mind. You’re a Mage, so probably not. But you know what I mean.”
She slowly shook her head.
Switch remained in the hall, which put her at ease. He wasn’t supposed to get involved in their affairs, and she didn’t know him well enough to trust him. Hunter poked his head in. Switch quickly took his hand and led him away.
“Oh, Wyatt. I’m so awful at making decisions. I don’t know if I’ve made the right one.”
“I felt that way in 1973 when I bought a Gremlin. It had a red stripe down the side.”
She pulled his slouchy beanie over his face. “When’s the last time you shaved?”
“Probably the last time I slept.” He yanked the hat off his head, his hair sticking out in all directions. “What are you looking for in Niko’s room?”
Gem pondered for a moment whether she should keep Niko’s secret, but this house was enormous, and she didn’t have much time. “A book.”
Wyatt snorted. “Then you’re in the wrong room, sister. Who’s looking for a book?”
“Some guy who’s after Niko.”
“Is that who took you?” Wyatt scratched his neck. “What happened to you?”
Her heart pounded against her chest when she thought of drowning again. She’d never experienced anything so terrifying. “It doesn’t matter anymore.”
Wyatt leaned back and tilted his head to the side. “Is he Asian?”
She furrowed her brow. “How did you know?”
“I’ve seen one of his dead buddies hanging around lately.”
