“Blaéz, wait!” Echo shot out through the side door.
“Dammit, Echo.” Aethan strode after her. “You can’t do anything here. Let me take you back—”
“In a minute,” she panted, stopping near Blaéz. “I want to try and help find her.”
What could she, the Healer of the Veils, do, when a powerful tracker like Dagan, and his own damn precog wouldn’t respond?
Her bi-colored eyes held his. “Hear me out, okay? My abilities are awakening. So…” She glanced at Aethan. “I now have another power along with my healing one.”
“What are you talking about?” Aethan’s brow creased in confusion.
“It’s the angelic runes. I inherited one this evening. Lore calls itThe Locator, said it would help me trace rifts in the veils easier. If it can locate rifts, shouldn’t it be able to help me find Darci?”
Hope was all Blaéz had. “Please. She’s with that bastard, thinking it’s me…”
Her eyes bright with empathy, Echo said gently, “I’ll do my best. She’s my friend, too.”
“Do you even know what to do?” Aethan demanded, looking like he’d been punched in the gut.
She shrugged. “No, but I’ve studied about the rune’s capabilities, and I’m damn well gonna try.” Her gaze lowered to Blaéz’s hand. “Give me that. It’s Darci’s, right?”
Frowning, Blaéz realized he’d taken the cross from his pocket. He handed it over.
Echo shut her eyes and concentrated, the pendant concealed in her fist.
Seconds later, she gasped and stumbled back a step. Aethan grabbed her around her waist, steadying her. “Dammit, Echo. What the hell—?”
Her hand started to glow, prisms of light escaped from between her balled fingers. “I think my rune’s making an appearance.”
She pushed away from him, making him scowl. Her eyes wide, she appeared equally dumbstruck as the radiance inside her fist brightened.
“What the hell are you talking about—what the fuck is that?” Aethan demanded, his eyes dark in fear.
Echo didn’t respond. She opened her fingers, revealing a glimmering, complexly inscribed sigil burned on her palm. A handful of golden sparks hovered above her skin, the cross no longer corporeal.
Echo’s brow creased in thought, then she flung out her hand. A quiet hiss sounded, and the night air split into a series of transcendent colors swirling at the edges of an opening portal, revealing more darkness on the other side.
His heart in his throat, Blaéz started forward. The golden sparks suspended in the air darted through the gap like fireflies.
“Hurry!” Echo waved to the portal. “Follow the sparks, I feel they’re from Darci’s cross. I don’t know how long this magic will last. But I pray you find her.”
Blaéz stepped through the gateway and tried to get his bearings.
I’ll find you once I get Echo back to the castle, Aethan telepathed him.
No, you cannot. He will kill her if he senses any of you close.
Damn!Aethan grunted.Call if you need me. Hell, Blaéz, I’m fucking sorry. I really thought the asshole was you when you said there was trouble and to check it out while you took over the females’ protection.
This wasn’t Aethan’s fault; but his for underestimating his damn brother.
The error’s mine, I’ve been at Finnén’s bloody mercy too many times. I should have remembered the way he operates.
The portal hissed shut. Sounds of rushing water reached his ears. Finnén wouldn’t risk being close to New York, probably the Catskills. Christ, he hoped so, and not some far-off place or another continent.
The gleaming fireflies darting between the branches in the thicket of trees snagged his attention. Blaéz dematerialized and followed.
Several minutes later, the golden sparks flickered and died out. But he didn’t let it deter him, he continued moving in the same direction, concentrating on the other part of his soul that always drew him whenever Darci was close…
