I rolled my eyes, and Darby snorted.
“I once again have the strangest feeling I’m missing a vital part of the conversation here,” Lugh said, his gaze darting between the three of us. “And it’s getting very annoying.”
Darby patted his arm. “I’ll explain later. Right now, you need to get our girl food and tea, or she will be unbearably cranky on the way home.”
“That is a truth I cannot deny,” I said solemnly.
Lugh rolled his eyes. “Fine. We go. Bodhrán, keep an eye out, just in case there’s a belated response from the gods to our theft.”
The dark elf nodded and moved to the front of the Cruiser, where the ground was higher.
Darby pressed her hands against my temples, closing her eyes as her magic surged through and around me. After a few minutes, she grunted, and I both saw and felt her relief.
“Most of the bites are fairly minor. Your foot and your overall tiredness are probably the worst of it.”
“Despite what you’re thinking, most of the weariness comes from calling lightning into the cavern.”
“I did wonder if those sudden cracks of lightning were you, but I still doubt they’re the entire reason for said weariness.” Amusement danced through her gaze. “So tell me, does the liminal space live up to its reputation?”
“I think it would depend on the man or woman you were with but... yes indeed.”
“Ha. Excellent. Though I would suggest next time you leave a little more time to sleep.”
“Not going to happen. Not until we prove that dream wrong.” My foot began to tingle as her healing heat ran down to it. “Haveyou had any luck tracking down drugs that can help extend brain survival?”
“Have you had any luck getting a tracker?” she countered.
I half smiled. “Haven’t exactly had the time.”
“Then do so, because if I can’t find something suitable, then finding you in time becomes even more urgent.”
“Fine. I will.”
She grumbled a soft, “You’d better,” then added in a more normal tone, “Now, climb out of those wet things before the men get back and you get a chill. I take it you did bring fresh clothes, given you were more than aware there was water involved in this hunt.”
I smiled and reached for my overnight bag. “I did indeed.”
“Good. What about the harp? Did you get it?”
“I did.” I unzipped my coat and tugged it out from under my sweater. “It’s plainer than what I expected.”
“What is?” she said with a frown. “Because I’m not seeing anything.”
“Really?” I frowned at the harp that was plain as day for me. “It’s right here. Look?—”
I grabbed her hand and pressed it against the harp. Her fingers went straight through it.
“Well, fuck,” I said. “That’s inconvenient.”
“Not really,” she said. “If no one but a god or a godling can see it, then no one but a god or godling can steal it.”
Aasym had told me that humanity could not take what is little more than air, but I hadn’t realized it’d meant it literally. “It’s still damn annoying.”
“Well, I daresay that comes with the territory when dealing with the gods.”
That was a truth I could not deny. I placed the harp beside me, quickly stripped off my clothes, and then redressed. When Lugh and Mathi had returned with coffee and toasties for us all,I repeated the process with the harp. None of them could see or touch it. Lugh tossed me a small drawstring bag to put it in, and then, once Mathi had rung his pilot to tell him to ready the plane and file the flight details, we climbed into the Cruiser and headed back to the airport. There was a slight delay in boarding, but we were in the air within the hour and back in Deva by midafternoon.
Mathi dropped me off at the lane, but I’d barely gotten through the back door when the Eye burned to life. Once again, there was a vision to be had.
