“Yeah, he spends a lot of time sitting right there.” He pointed to the stool in front of me.
“Is he here?” My heart did somersaults in my chest.
“No, I haven’t seen him since last night. He was pretty pissed when he came in.” He gave me a knowing look, and guilt twisted my insides.
“Okay, thanks.” I lingered awkwardly, not knowing what to say or do next.
“Well, if you hear from him…” Emory leaned over the bar, writing her number on someone’s discarded receipt. “Could you let him know Lyra is looking for him.”
“Of course, love.” They stared at one another, and it felt like I was intruding on a private moment.
“Emory,” she corrected.
“Hayes.” He extended his hand in greeting, she took it, and he brought it to his lips like in the damn movies. “I’ll be sure to let you know if I see him.” Hayes pealed his eyes away from my sister for a split second to look at me.
“Oh, by the way, that’s my number,” Emory said with a smirk.
“Thanks,” I said dragging Emory from the bar.
“Cal is freaking out because we’re not home,” Emory said, reading an incoming text.
“Tell him we’ll be there in five.” I let out a long sigh. We still had no idea where Kenna was, and now Grey was also missing.
Cal’s Jeep was parked in our driveway. He leaned against it; arms crossed.
“He looks mad.” Emory pointed out the obvious. His glower deepened as we parked.
“They found another body,” Cal said as we got out of the car. “And then I come over here and you two were gone.”
My eyes drifted to Eli, who stood with a box of donuts.
“Also, Eli told me what happened in the church,” Cal exploded.
So the donuts in Eli’s hand were a peace offering. I turned to him and mouthed, “traitor.”
He extended the box, and I snatched it from his hand. “There better be a chocolate sprinkle one in here,” I mumbled.
“I got you two.” He said with a sheepish smile. Eli would vehemently deny it, but he was a big old softy under his hard exterior.
“We need to get inside or the entire neighborhood is going to know our business.” Emory jerked her head toward a young couple walking their dog. The dog sniffed our mailbox, lifting its leg to mark its territory. Cal gave a friendly wave, and they picked up their pace.
“You have some explaining to do, Lyra,” Cal said as we all filed into the kitchen.
I stuffed an entire donut in my mouth, buying myself a few more seconds. Sprinkles and chocolate covered my lips as the deep-fried dough dried out my mouth. I debated inhaling a second one, but Cal slammed the lid shut and pulled the box toward himself.
“Talk.” He narrowed his eyes.
I finished chewing and swallowed. The gulp audible. “I let…” I stuttered, clearing my throat. Shame sat on my chest like a crushing weight, cutting off the air and stealing the words from my mouth.
“I freed a demon from the Whitethorn’s basement the night of Kenna’s birthday party.” The words finally came out, and continued to flow. “I was helping him with a problem, and he was helping me, but then the sacrifices started. Three people are dead, and something dark and ancient is stirring.”
The room fell silent. The tightness in my chest returned the longer no one spoke. “Um…yeah—” I tried to fill the awkward silence. Heat flushed my cheeks, traveling down my neck and chest, turning me bright red.
“Good thing happens in three,” Eli muttered sarcastically, “but only in Twisted Spires does that mean sacrifices.”
Thank god for Eli’s morbid sense of humor.
“Numbers do have meaning. Three is a divine number,” Emory added. “It could have some significance.”
