She smiled at theWizard of Ozreference.
Wyatt folded his arms. “I can’t come get you myself, but at least I’ll know where to find you if he doesn’t let you go.”
“Or find my body,” she murmured.
He put his hand on her back and led her toward the stairs. “If you ever die, go where you’re supposed to go. Don’t linger in the afterlife. You might see a light or a person or hear a voice, but whatever you do, don’t hang around.”
She smiled up at him. “I’ll hang around and haunt you.”
“You know what’s worse than dying? Becoming a lost soul. They inhabit the earth and forget their life. Even if you stayed here, you would lose pieces of yourself.”
“Are you scared of death?”
He slowed to a stop, eyes downcast. “Pain scares me. Dying? Not so much. The best advice I can give you is not to get attached to anyone.”
“Why?”
“Besides revenge, it’s the number one reason souls stay behind. Fleshwalkers never see what happens to a soul that chooses to stay. I had nine sisters who died, but they all went to the next life. Gravewalkers don’t linger, because we know exactly what a mad soul looks like.”
“But Gravewalkers can see the dead. Doesn’t that change things when it comes to family members? If you know the spirit, you can remind them about their life, can’t you?”
He shook his head. “A soul without a body is like water without a container. It has nothing to channel and move it. Imagine tossing water into space. The droplets would spread out and lose form.”
“Doesn’t water vaporize in space?”
“Smarty-pants.”
Gravewalkers had such a peculiar way of looking at death. “Have you ever lost anyone who stayed behind in the afterlife?”
Wyatt blanched and rubbed his hand down his stomach, eyes fixed on a faint trail of hair. “Just promise you won’t linger.”
“I don’t plan on dying.”
When his green eyes lifted, he gave her a grim look. “No one ever does.”
* * *
After Wyatt puta tracking device in her boot, Gem called the number Arcadius had given her to let them know she was ready. Wyatt wanted the number, and Gem didn’t see the harm since it was probably untraceable. It would keep Wyatt occupied. Just in case she didn’t return, Gem left a note in her room for Viktor. It explained her actions, removing any blame he might place on Wyatt for not intervening. Wyatt was just doing his job, and a Gravewalker was no match for these men.
Gem placed the book in a brown bag, slung it over her shoulder, and let Raven’s father drive her into the city. Crush didn’t pry into her business, but he also had no idea she was going back into the lion’s den. Her silence during the drive must have bothered him, because he kept giving her long looks at every red light. Gem wasn’t a naturally quiet person, and the first time they met, she’d talked his ear off.
“If you need help, give me a call.” Crush handed her his business card, which had the number and address for his auto shop. “My cell phone number’s on the back.”
What a loyal man he was. To do all this without asking any questions, all because he was Raven’s father? Gem would forever envy those who knew that type of love and devotion.
She thanked him and got out. As tempting as it was to accept his offer, Gem wouldn’t dream of involving Raven’s father in her deadly affairs. It was brave of him and his Shifter buddies to guard Keystone, but Gem drew the line when it came to endangering a mortal.
As soon as Crush sped away, Gem let the business card slip from her fingers into the storm drain. She couldn’t chance Cyrus finding that card.
After a short walk, she passed a tobacco shop and waited in an abandoned alley. Three minutes later, Arcadius backed up into the narrow space, and when the trunk popped open, she got in. He bound her hands in front and blindfolded her. She could have easily removed the blindfold, but to what avail? During the drive, she cried a little into the blindfold. No choice was the right choice. Every decision yielded a number of different outcomes.
She hugged the satchel and listened to the tires humming across the pavement. Arcadius hadn’t searched the bag or attempted to take it from her. It gave Gem the impression that these men who followed Cyrus didn’t think independently; all they did was follow orders. They were less like a team and more like soldiers. And Cyrus was less of a general than he was a dictator.
The car finally stopped, and Arcadius hauled her out of the trunk. As he led her into the building, he kept a tight grip on her arm. She thought about Niko’s experiences as a blind man and wondered how much information she could gain from her other senses.
Concrete beneath my feet. A curb. Smells like cigarettes. A smoker must be standing close by. Definitely in the city. Seven steps to a door. The inside smells musty. Linoleum floor. This isn’t someone’s mansion. Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen steps. Another door, but it’s locked. He’s got a key.
Gem coughed and heard the sound of her voice bouncing off walls. It wasn’t a large room or even a hallway. More like a foyer. Arcadius punched something into a digital keypad, and a lock clicked.
