“Tomorrow, we’ll discuss DOPPLER,” he said with a somber tone, but Hailey was still transfixed by his swirling eyes—so adoring, so kind.
“DOPPLER…” she repeated dreamily. Then she blinked several times, remembering Tomas.
“Why did they kidnap my poltergeist?”
Asher nodded, seeming to already know what she was talking about. “The men there are ambitious. They seek information and leverage in their dealings with the Envoys, and they know that you’re…important…to me.”
“Am I?”
Asher trapped her in his piercing stare again. “I would reorder the world for you,” he told her softly, and Hailey caught her breath.
Hailey-Khu and Schatz—that’s what Tomas meant—she was Asher’s treasure—he protected her, body, energy, and soul. She dropped her gaze, not sure she rated such a compliment even as Asher pulled her close and moved his lips to her ear.
“I promise you, Hailey,” he whispered, “I’ll never lock you away. Forgive me for suggesting it.”
As he locked eyes with her again, Hailey held her breath, convinced he was about to kiss her.
Instead, he stepped back and surveyed her room.
“How are you adjusting to Alaska? Do you require anything?” he asked, and Hailey breathed again.
“No, I don’t think so.” She waved her arm at her school books. “Thank you for bringing me all this. You’re a life saver. And Fin’s driving me into Anchorage on Thursday for some…shopping…”
Hailey’s voice died when Asher flicked his eyes at her. They erupted, and without explanation, he stormed out of her room, slamming the door behind him.
If she had a pillow, Hailey would have screamed into it.
In the morning, Fin caught up to Hailey as she bounded down the stairs, heading purposefully toward Olde Main for her first lab with Asher.
“Whyare you wearing your wellies? It’s not raining,” was how he greeted her.
“My sneakers ran away.” She pointed at his feet. “It’s forty degrees out here—I can’t believe you’re wearing flip-flops.”
“This is Alaska, Hailey. It doesn’t matter how cold it is—if there’s no snow on the ground, it’s flip-flop weather.”
Hailey nodded, impressed.
“How’s the agony of the feet this morning?” he asked.
“Great! It’s completely healed,” she said brightly, and Fin stopped her.
“You didn’t ask Asher to heal your foot, did you?” he said, his eyes narrow.
“No,” she said defensively. “He just showed up in the middle of the night and fixed it.” Hailey’s stomach dropped. “Why?”
“Because,” he cautioned her, “if you ask for a favor from an Envoy, it’s like handing them an eternal free pass into your head. They basically make you their immortal slave forever and ever amen.”
“Well, I don’t think I asked him… I mean, I remember talking to him in my dream, but I don’t remember what we said.”
“Oh, you’d remember.”
“He’s mad at me again, anyway,” Hailey said glumly. “I told him you were taking me to Anchorage, and he just left. He slammed the door.”
Fin laughed out loud.
Hailey shot him a sharp look. “It’s not funny.”
“Ohhhhh,” Fin sighed heartily. “Sorry,” he said, still tickled.
