“When we get to the hunter’s place,” Lula said.“You can use magic.Maybe.For now, a clean cloth or some napkins and put pressure on the wound.”
“I can do it,” I said.
“Me.”Abbi smacked my hands away from the glove compartment.“I want to help.”
The helplessness she felt was clear in her tone.She knew just how vulnerable we were out here where every god in existence seemed intent on tearing us off the face of the Earth.
I patted the edge of the seat, telling Lorde to hop down onto the floorboards.She jumped down and turned a circle, right in front of the glove compartment.
“Wait, no,” Abbi said.“Lorde, your big fuzzy everything is in the way!”
Lordewoofed at her and panted happily.
“Move, move,” Abbi said, trying not to laugh.
I patted the seat again and Lorde jumped up and draped herself across my lap.“Who’s a good girl?”I said, scratching behind her ears.
“Too much tail!”Abbi sputtered as Lorde wagged it right in her face.“Lorde!”
“You’re the good girl,” I said.
“Brogan!Now I can’t reach your cut.”
“Sure, you can.”I turned my head.“Stretch.”
Abbi made an exasperated sound but draped herself over Lorde and pressed the cloth on my head.
The cab of the truck wasn’t really made for more than two, and with a large fluffy dog, a large man (me), Lula, and Abbi all shoved into it, it was downright crowded.
Still, Abbi made it work, laughing as Lorde pretzeled back to lick her face.“You’re making it hard on purpose,” Abbi grumped.
“Just a little.I can hold it now.How about you give Lorde a pet.She’s worried.”
Abbi dropped back into her seat.She was still frowning, but some of the fear, some of the panic had eased out of her.I could tell by the softening of her hands, the looseness in her shoulders, the narrowed eyes which held no real anger.
“Lorde likes me more anyway, don’t you, Lordey?”she said.
Lorde, the traitor, barked happily, and scrabbled to turn in the small space so she could flop on her back, her head almost in Lula’s lap.
Abbi scrubbed her fuzzy belly and chest and cooed at her.
I glanced over at Lula, and her smile, even though it was tight, told me she knew what I was doing.Knew I was trying to keep Abbi, keep Lula, hell, keep myself calm.
With Abbi fully occupied petting and laughing at Lorde, I did what Pamela had asked and kept an eye skyward.
I didn’t expect every god, or even every threat to come from the sky.But on this long stretch of the Route spooling out before us, it was more sky than earth—sky for years.
Lula sent us hurtling through that sky, following the hunters.We had hours to drive, and daylight to burn.
I just hoped Hado, wrapped around the book, could keep the power and magic of the thing hidden long enough for us to get wherever we were getting without attracting another god.
The miles and hours rolled out, one after the other.The sky remained blue, the car ahead of us kept a steady pace, and by all appearance, it was a beautiful late-summer day.
After a bit, we pulled off for a roadside meal provided by the bags Eunice had sent with us, refueled, and made it to New Mexico in good time.
When the hunters slowed to turn onto a dirt road which was nothing more than two overgrown ruts, the sun had settled in the west, not behind the horizon yet, but heavy and liquid, burning gold.
We rattled down the track for over an hour.Even with the windows up, dust filled the cab, covering the dash, the windows, and us.
