“What do I need that for?”I eyed the phone Axel handed me, refusing to take it from him. Not that I didn’t know what it was, but I’d managed to avoid needing one on all my other visits here. I saw all the people I needed to communicate with on a daily basis, and it wasn’t like I could use it to contact the high court.
He rolled his eyes. “In case you need to call someone, obviously.”
“Like who?”
“Anyone!” Axel looked at me like I was being ridiculous, but I didn’t see the problem.
“I live with you. I see Max and Gabriel all day long. If I need to contact anyone else, I can ask one of you to do it since you all have phones. So, again, why do I need one?”
“You might want to talk to someone without any of us knowing about it.”
“Then I’ll go do it in person.” I frowned at him. “Why are you staring at me like I’m stupid?”
“Because you are!” Axel yelled, then pinched the bridge of his nose. “For someone revered for his intelligence, you’re being incredibly obtuse.”
“Explain.” I stood, hands on hips, and waited for him to elaborate.
“I know this isn’t your first time through the gateway.”
“Far from it,” I huffed. I was no novice.
“Exactly. So, you know very well you can’t contact people as easily as you do back home. There isn’t the magical infrastructure for that.” He held up the phone again. “Which is why we have these. It’s their equivalent.”
“Yes, I know all that. But who do I need to contact outside of you, Gabriel, and Max?”
Axel looked shifty.
I glared.
He’d been acting strangely ever since held returned from his shopping trip.
I knew he was referring to Nick Parker, but I’d already made my mind up about that. I couldn’t trust myself around him, judging by my recent behaviour.
Narrowing my eyes, I closed the distance between us. Magic stirred under my skin as I got closer, senses on high alert as I studied him. “What have you done?” I murmured, watching him for any telltale signs. While I couldn’t pull the truth out of him, I knew how to look for signs that he was hiding something. Magic infused my instincts, barely ever steering me wrong.
And Axel was definitely hiding something.
He scowled and took a step back. “Don’t use your magic on me, D. Not in my own fucking house.”
That pulled me up short.
“Sorry.” Backing off, I did my best to not read him, but now I’d focused on him, it was virtually impossible to turn it off. My magic wasn’t responding like it should. Like my magical tap was stuck in theonposition.
Axel shuddered. “I can stillfeelyou.”
I shrugged. “I can’t help it.” I waved a hand around us. “It’s this place. I can’t control it as well as I normally can.”
Axel set the phone on the kitchen worktop and ran a hand through his hair. “I went to see Nick today.”
I stiffened.
He and Nick were friends. I couldn’t think of one good reason why he’d need to specifically mention the fact that he’d visited him. Clearly I wasn’t going to like what came next. “Why?”
Were they seeing each other again? I dismissed the idea as soon as it entered my head. Axel had already told me they werejustfriends, and he didn’t lie. But something must have shown on my face because he shook his head.
“Not like that.”
“Like what, then?”
