“It could mean several things.”His absinthe-tinged breath washed over her.
“None of which you’re going to tell me.”
“Correct.”
“But it’s not good.Because if you plucked one of your feathers and lanced someone with it, you’d retrieve it.If you could.”
His eyes shadowed at that.Bingo.
He ushered her through the doorway with his hand on her back, then pulled the door shut and jabbed the elevator button.It arrived within seconds.Once closed inside, he turned to her, and her stomach plunged.That’s only because the elevator’s going down, silly.
“You’re not coming with me.”
“Like hell.Excuse me, like heck.This is about my father.”
“I work alone.”
“Do you have a father in your life?Someone who taught you about the world, about doing the right things, and what love means?Do you have someone who matters?”She touched his forearm.
He jerked away as though she’d burned him.Damn, forgot about not touching.
The doors opened to the lobby, and he held his arm against one edge to keep them from closing.“I will let you know what I find.”
He’d let her know only what he wanted her to know.After exiting, she watched the numbers above the elevator door that indicated Archer was going down to the parking garage.
Not knowing what he drove was a problem, but when the silver Aston Martin shot out of the residents’ garage a few minutes later, she was ready.
2
Lyra did not have some fancy exotic car with thousands of horsepower, but she had something just as helpful: determination.And a smidgeon of pissed-offedness at how he was trying to cut her out of this expedition.Plus, every time Archer inadvertently forced her to run a red light just to keep up, she risked being pulled over and completely losing him.Not to mention the ticket she’d get.Three red lights later, with a big helping of luck, she followed him into an apartment complex.He parked and launched out of the car.She did the same, catching sight of him as he lunged up the stairs to the second floor.He knocked on a dark blue door and, when no one answered, inserted a key and went inside.
She ran up the remaining steps and to the door.The doorknob turned, and she carefully pushed it open a few inches.Drawn blinds cast the small living area into shadow with bars of dim light across the brown carpet.No sign of Archer.She stepped inside and carefully closed the door.The sound of footsteps sent her ducking into the bathroom.She contorted herself to go around the shower curtain so as not to move it, settling against the cool tile wall.This was perfect.After Archer left, she would take a good look around.He walked past, and she held her breath.
His footsteps paused, and in an annoyed voice, he said, “Come out, Dragon Girl.”
With a chagrined smile, she stepped out of the bathroom to find that Archer’s expression matched his voice.“My name is Lyra.”
He filled the hallway, his features cast into shadow.“Right now you’re a trespasser.I told you I would contact you.”
“Yeah, well, I don’t listen very well.”
“Clearly.You have to leave now.”
“Still not listening.”
Lyra back-stepped toward the bedroom and reached the doorway when his hand clamped on her shoulder.But the sight in front of her snared all of her attention.Glittering dust covered the dark wood in the shape of wings, as though someone incinerated the Caido but left his tattoo behind.
“That can’t be good.”She turned to Archer.“Does this mean he’s…dead?”
He pulled his hand away from her.“You’re smart to be fearful.”
“How can you tell I’m afraid?”
“I feel it.”He stepped away from her, as though fear had a pungent smell.“This is not something you should be involved in.”
“Jeremy did something to my father.I’m going to find out what.”
Archer rubbed his hand over his mouth, shaking his head.“Jeremy wouldn’t hurt your father without provocation.”
