“I won’t be able to enjoy it if I think some kid’s gone missing. Let me help,” Luca said.
I didn’t have the time or energy to argue. Finding Bea had to be the first priority. And if we found someone—or something—else with her… well, I’d cross that troubling bridge if and when we got to it.
“Okay, fine. Come on.”
We hurried all the way to the end of Hydrangea Street, pausing only long enough to peer down the narrow cobbled alleyways that ran between some of the houses, but there was no sign of her. Finally, Hydrangea spilled out onto Harbor Street, the street that ran the length of the wall along the water, toward the cove and the beaches. The street was completely deserted, with the exception of one couple sitting on a bench facing the water, and I didn’t bother asking them if they’d seen which way Bea had gone. Frankly, they looked too preoccupied to notice anything at all. I looked frantically down the street in both directions, but saw no sign of Bea or the Gray Man.
“Shit. Shit!” I hissed between teeth that felt glued together with stress.
“We can split up,” Luca said, coming to a stop so silently beside me that I jumped at his nearness. “I’ll go left, and you go right.”
“But how will I?—”
“Have you got your phone?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“I’ll call you if I spot her.”
I bit my lip, hesitating again. I really didn’t want to drag Luca into this. He was so nice, so… normal.
“Wren?” he prompted, looking confused.
“Uh, yeah,” I said, shaking my head and deciding on the spot. “Yeah, fine. Just… Luca, be careful, please.”
Luca grinned. “It’s an eight-year-old kid, I think I can handle it.”
“Please, Luca. She’s… she’s shy. If she sees you chasing after you, she might… might take off or hide or something, and then we’ll never find her.”
Luca’s smile folded into a frown. “You’re worried she’s in trouble.”
I nodded, my fear choking me.
“Okay. I’ll keep my distance if I can,” Luca said, and with a reassuring nod, he took off at a run, headed north up the shoreline.
I watched him for a few moments, heart in my throat, wondering if I should go after him, before dragging myself back into the present moment. No. Bea was the one I needed to focus on right now. She was the one in immediate danger. Finding her had to be the priority, even if it meant… well, I just had to hope that Luca could take care of himself.
19
Iran as fast as I could down the street, pausing every now and then to bend over the sea wall and scan the beach for any signs of movement. The dark was deep and velvety down on the beach. The noise and commotion of the festival were just a faint echo now, kept at bay by the wind that was whipping in off the water. The houses and restaurants that faced the water were all dark as well, their windows blank and empty, looking like jack-o-lanterns whose candles had been blown out. Everyone was at the festival.
No. Not everyone. A single square of golden light hovered over the shore in the distance, like a moon who didn’t know what shape she should be. It hung too high to be one of the squat cottages that lined that stretch of beach, and that meant it came from the Manor. I jogged toward it, knowing that it marked the southernmost border of Sedgwick Cove. As I drew closer, I pulled my phone from my pocket and texted Eva and Zale to let them know what was happening. It was a desperate action—they’d never see it. I wasn’t sure if they’d ever see anything again. Whatever the spell was that had been triggered by the pageant had been powerful—a fever dream. I didn’t really have a hope that a text would somehow find its way through to them. Still,maybe when it wore off…ifit wore off. Tears began pricking the corners of my eyes.
“Wren?”
I yelped at the sound of my own name, spinning on the spot to see where it had come from. Nova was walking down the front steps of the Manor toward me. I’d never been so relieved to see anyone in my life.
“Nova!”
“Making a run for it already? I told you that pageant is borderline torture.”
I broke into a jog again, and as I got closer, I finally reached another streetlamp. Whatever that light revealed playing across my face was enough for Nova.
“Wren, what’s going on? Why aren’t you at the festival?”
I couldn’t help it. I burst into tears. As I stumbled to a stop in front of her, I sank to my knees, out of breath and out of hope.
“Wren? Wren! Hey, what happened?” Nova asked, dropping into a crouch and putting a tentative hand on my shoulder. “Hey, are you okay?”
