“Here we go.” Kieran took the lead now.
Lexi flared out until they reached the doorway. She held up her finger to halt everyone before they disappeared inside. One of the large magical cats bounded in behind her. The other stayed near Daisy and Mordecai.
Donovan waited by the door for a moment before he went in. Jack paused and went next.
“We’re waiting out here until the coast is definitely clear,” Jerry told Mordecai and Daisy in a low rumble.
“They know the plan,Jerry,” Bria said, joining them. She put what looked like a dead rat on the ground.
Jerry made a sound likeblechbefore he shuffled backward. “Don’t do thathere! Do it over there by the van with the rest of your horror show.”
“Oh, calm down,” she murmured, pulling her backpack from around her shoulders and getting ready to animate the rat with her various incenses, candles, and sometimes bells. “It’s just a little rodent. You won’t even notice when it shakes to life.”
“It’s arat,” he groused, moving around to stand behind Daisy and Mordecai so his vision of it would be cut off. “It’s possibly grosser than a— No. I won’t even say that. It’s definitely not grosser than a dead person, especially when they’re all half rotted—” He gagged into the air and turned his back on the whole scene.
“You did that to yourself, bud,” Bria said with a cockeyed grin. “That was all your fault. I was just minding my business that time.”
“Did they tell you about the other night?” Mordecai asked Daisy in a quiet voice as the other two bickered. He turned to her, dropping his head so he could lower his voice even more. “When that guy was dropped on the lawn?”
Bria’s eyes flicked their way, and her face lost all expression. She took a step away and bent to the ground, showing them her back, readying to work her magic. She was giving them space or pretending not to hear, indicating they weren’tsupposedto tell Daisy.
She watched Dylan glance their way before disappearing inside the barn.
“I looked at the security footage,” she murmured.
“Amber downloaded that and erased it. You probably didn’t see what the ghosts did.”
“Amber doesn’t know about some of my tricks. She got that over on me once. I’ve ensured she can’t do it again. He dropped the body and looked right at the camera before placing the dove feather. He was making a statement. It was lost in my indifference.”
“And then?”
Daisy’s eyes lost focus, and she swallowed, remembering.
He’d walked around the house, sauntering almost, as though he had all the time in the world. As though he owned the house and the land it was on. Motion sensor lights clicked on and he let them, not concerned he would be seen. Not worried he’d be caught.
He’d gotten around the corner and stopped where he could stare up at her window. He’d known exactly which one it was. Maybe putting the knife there hadn’t been such a great plan after all. The golden rays of dawn reached into the sky behind him, spearing through the deep indigo and coming violet. Rose andpink and peach saturated the horizon, making him stand out in relief. The image was a beautiful tableau, the subject outshining even the glorious sunrise.
He’d stared directly at her window for a time, then at the camera next to it and mouthed, “I’ll see you soon.”
“I said I saw. He’s playing games. I told you guys that.”
“You’re in danger.”
“I’m always in danger, remember?”
“Not like this. Lexi and Kieran are talking about moving you. I think it’s a good idea. Hide you until we can get some protection in place or find a way to shut that fae down. I said I’d go with you. Not for protection but…just to keep you company so you didn’t feel like you were exiled.” He paused, looking down at her. “Daisy, Lexi and Kieran can combat that fae. They are talking to the other Demigods to organize a group effort. That’s the best bet. Neither of us can help in this. We might as well get out of the way.”
She jerked her face up to meet his eyes, solemn and serious and heartfelt. He would essentially exile himself to support her. He was such a fucking good guy.
She snaked her arm around his waist and squeezed him. He hugged her back.
“But you’re going to say no,” he surmised when she’d loosened her hold.
Dylan popped his head back out through the door, glancing at Jerry. He gave a nod.All clear.
“He’d find me,” she whispered, the weight of that assertion settling heavily in her gut. She was connected to him. Maybe had been since the ledge. Hell, maybe had been since the Demigod convention, when he’d sought her out.
You were always going to end up in this situation.
