Kerenza fixed him with a stare. “You’ll all owe me a favor.”
“Done,” said Carter. He couldn’t imagine what favors she’d want, but he felt confident that no one would object.
She dumped a handful of little charms into what he was beginning to think of as the inevitable zip-lock bag and thrust it at him. “Keep them on your person. They’ve got little holes drilled in case you want to wear them as a necklace or bracelet. Good-bye!The Bold and the Beautifulis about to start.”
Kerenza scooped up Blossom and hustled them outside. The door slammed, cutting off the opening notes of the soap opera’s theme song.
Fen took the zip-lock bag from him, inspecting the charms more closely. “These are Lego bricks. With tiny zip-lock bags full of purple powder glued on them on one side, and bits of twigs on the other.”
“I think the twiggy things are actually bits of porcupine spines,” said Carter. “And… glitter? Fish scales?”
She held up a particularly hideous blue brick. “I’m not wearing this as jewelry. It can live in my purse.”
Carter tucked an equally tacky yellow brick into an inner pocket of his coat. “Same. Good thing they don’t have to actually touch your skin.”
“Or worse, have to be visible. Imagine trying to explain wearingthatat a press conference!”
They both shuddered.
Chapter 25
Fen stretched her legs contentedly,watching the fields of corn pass by. They could have flown back, but since they’d have had to rent a car and drive to the city that had the airport, they’d decided to instead re-do their road trip in style.
“So much more relaxing when you’re in a Porsche instead a giant truck,” she said.
“So much more relaxing when you don’t have a giant prehistoric fish backseat driving,” said Carter.
“Backtank driving,” she said with a grin, settling her hand on his thigh. They’d been on the road for four hours, and she was starting to get hungry. “What do you think about looking for a nice diner once we get out of the corn fields?”
“You mean if we ever get out of the corn fields. They’re starting to feel eternal. But yeah, sounds good. I could definitely go for some—” He broke off with a gasp.
“What? What is it?”
“My back.” The words were forced out through gritted teeth.
A knife of icy fear went straight through her heart. Carter swung the car to the shoulder, slammed on the brakes hard enough to throw her against her seat belt, flung open the door, and fell as much as jumped out. He didn’t even turn off the ignition; she had to take the key.
The silence once the engine stopped felt deeply ominous. Precious broke it with a high keen that was even more unsettling.
Fen tried to open her door, but he’d stopped partially off the shoulder and it was blocked by tall stalks of corn. She crawled over the driver’s seat and scrambled out, then turned back to grab Precious’s carrying cage; she couldn’t leave the dragonette alone in the car. But when she looked back, she saw that the golden dragonette had escaped the cage on her own. Still keening, Precious arrowed into the corn field after Carter.
Fen ran after her and caught sight of him. He was staggering, almost doubled over as he stumbled deeper into the field. There was obviously something terribly wrong with him, but the green stalks blocked most of her view.
“Carter! Carter!”
He didn’t seem to hear her. She bolted forward before she could lose sight of him, pushing the corn aside. Her high heels sank into the soft dirt. Sugar jumped out of her blouse and glided ahead of her, chittering urgently.
She caught up with Carter as he fell heavily to his knees. Precious landed in front of him, rubbing her face against his legs and crooning. Even in the midst of Fen’s confusion and worry, she was puzzled by why Precious wasn’t on his shoulder. That was where the little dragonette always loved to perch.
Fen knelt beside him. “What’s wrong?”
His face was white and set with pain, his jaw clenched, but she couldn’t see anything visibly wrong. He managed to get out, “Help me get my coat off.”
She helped him pull off his long black coat, then sucked in a horrified breath. The entire back of his white shirt was soaked through with blood.
Fen couldn’t imagine what had happened—a silenced gunshot?—but there was no time to waste on questions. She had to stop the bleeding, immediately. She snatched up his coat and started to fold it to create a makeshift dressing.
Carter cried out in pain. His bloody shirt seemed to explode off his body. The remnants fell to the ground in scarlet tatters.
