She rubbed the back of her head. “You didn’t have to knock me out,” she grumbled. “Not all of us have super healing like you do.”
I winced. I’ll bet her head was still killing her. “Would you really have listened to me if I’d tried to reason with you?” I asked.
She pressed her lips together, and after a small eternity sighed and shook her head. I could see the fight leave her. “No. I would have gone anyway. I guess that means you saved my life.”
Skye chose that moment to poof into the room.
“Actually,Isaved her life. Make sure she knows it was me and not you. You’re just the one that almost got her killed by not listening to me in the first place.” Skye put one hand on her ghosty hip.
I rolled my eyes. “Skye’s here and she wants you to know that it was actuallyherthat saved your life.”
A tiny smile hovered on the corners of Drea’s mouth. “Thanks, Skye,” she said.
Skye tried to poke me, but her finger just disappeared into my shoulder. “Don’t forget the part about how you were wrong not to listen to me.”
“Don’t push it,” I growled at her.
Drea’s gaze bounced around the room, still looking for Skye even though we both knew she wouldn’t be able to see her. I pointed to the space next to me where Skye stood to give Drea at least an idea where to look.
Drea’s gaze moved back and forth between the spot where Skye stood and me, making it clear she was talking to both of us. “I want your word that if something like this ever happens again, you’ll tell me and give me the freedom to make the choice on my own. Got it?”
Skye looked at me: “If I tell you she is going to die if you don’t knock her out, then you knock her out again.”
I chuckled.
“What did she say?” Drea pressed.
“We’ll give you a choice next time,” I told her. Hey, a little white lie wasn’t going to hurt. I didn’t want to deal with this right now when I had soul diversion and Gage on the mind.
I sat on the edge of Drea’s bed. “So, I need your help.”
“What’s up?” she asked as she set her magazine on the nightstand.
I chewed on my lip in nervousness. I didn’t want her to think I was crazy too. “I swear Gage was there last night and saved me from the hellhound.”
Drea sat up straighter. “Gage? You saw him?”
I nodded, but then sort of shook my head. “I mean, in my defense, I fell out a window so it’s a bit fuzzy, but yes I saw him. It had to be him. I was about to get bit, but Gage tackled the hellhound off me and fought it. I blacked out before I really saw what happened.”
Drea frowned. “That hellhound was found in four different pieces and Gage doesn’t have powers.”
I blew out a breath, considering her words. “He’s a trained swordsman,” I said thoughtfully.
“Okay, let’s say Gage saved you last night from the hellhound, what do you need my help with? Clearly he left you there alone after he sliced and diced the beast, so I know you’re not about to ask me to go looking for him with you.”
I winced. “Go looking for him with me?”
Drea rolled her eyes, and I put my hands out. “Maybe Dash and Marlow or even Jacob could help too. Drea, he could be hurt, and he didn’t really leave me alone, because that place was crawling with Lumens.”
I looked to my left, hoping Skye would agree with me, maybe even tell me where he might be, only to realize she was gone.
Awesome. Most unreliable ghost ever.
“Dash can’t help, he split town. Marlow is—”
“Dash split town? Where?” I sat up straighter.
Drea shrugged. “He left a weird note under my mom’s door about needing to head back to the west coast to check on family.”
