“Bird brains?”
“Hey! I resent that!”
Kai laughed at the bird’s reaction and was pleased to see Hollyn’s lips spread in a genuine smile. It transformed her face. Where she had seemed somber and serious before, she now seemed relaxed and like a beautiful dream.
Maybe he had been hypnotized.
“Look, I’m not really comfortable having all of us here. Let’s get back into the cockpit and continue this conversation. I definitely have questions.”
Chapter 6
HOLLYN COULDN’T BELIEVEthe plot twist. She’d never met a man to whom she could actually talk. It was...refreshing...but scary. She’d never had to worry about saying the right thing or thewrongthing because she’d never said anything. Now, as they settled back into the cockpit, her mind had gone blank, and she couldn’t think of anything to break the silence.
“So, who do we have tied up in the back, and why is he after you?”
With a deep breath, Hollyn began, “My father sent him. He won’t rest until I’m back in his dungeon.”
“Whoa! When you said he kept you locked up, I thought you meant to keep you from danger. What kind of father is that?”
“The evil warlock kind. He wields dark magic powerfully, and, to put it frankly, he wants to make me cry.”
Kai continued to fly the plane, a puzzled look on his face. Finally, he asked, “Why does he want to make you cry?”
Bertie hopped up onto the headrest of Hollyn’s seat and said, “Siren’s tears amplify his spells. He kept Hollyn prisoner for years and collected her tears each time she cried for her mother or her aunt or other...reasons. She’s been on the run for years, but Baba Yaga made it clear that the medallion is the key to her being free of her father forever.”
“I’m hesitant to ask, but what happened to your mother and your aunt?”
“I...don’t really know. They both sacrificed everything to free me and keep me safe, and I...can’t help them. But maybe if I get the medallion, I can find a way to defeat my father once and for all. Maybe, then, I can at least learn their fates. And, if possible, find them alive and free them finally.”
Kai nodded, but then he straightened in his seat and said, “What if you asked the UFC fighter wannabe we have tied up back there? With your special abilities, you might get him talking, find out what he knows about them.”
Without even thinking, she reached across the low instrument panel between them and rested her hand on his forearm as she said, “My goodness! You’re right. He might be able to tell me something useful.”
His gaze dropped to her hand, and she was suddenly very aware of how small the cockpit of a plane was. She looked at her hand where it touched his bare skin. He’d rolled up his sleeves before takeoff. She raised her gaze slowly, just as he did the same, and when they were staring at each other in charged silence, Hollyn grew self-conscious. She could feel her cheeks flush, and she released a soft breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. His gaze dropped to her lips, and Hollyn knew things were headed in a dangerous direction.
She pulled her hand back quickly and cleared her throat loudly as she said, “I should go back there and try to get him to talk.”
