How embarrassing.She wanted to tell him she’d never been on a plane before. She wanted to explain that she didn’t do heights, and that she’d avoided travel anyone could trace for ten years. But she couldn’t tell him any of that because she couldn’t jeopardize the mission.
“Can you open your book to the page with the picture of the amulet again?”
She nodded at him and unzipped her bag. She reached inside and pulled out the leatherbound journal, flipping through the pages to the one that she’d looked at what felt like hundreds of times since the Baba Yaga had given it to her.
He turned his head toward her and leaned closer over the instrument panel on the console between them, being careful not to touch anything. He seemed to study the page for a little while before straightening once more.
“There’s a symbol on the amulet, maybe a word etched beneath the symbol in the same type of writing as the words written around the picture on the page. But it’s not in any language that I recognize. Can you read it? Do you recognize the symbol?”
He watched her closely as she shook her head at him. She had never seen those words before either, and she’d been all over the world and seen all kinds of artifacts with words in Egyptian, Sumerian, and Akkadian, all of which she would recognize, but this was like nothing she’d ever seen.
A nod was his only reaction, but his eyes pulled together as he asked, “Why don’t you talk? I mean, you clearly can because you did a few minutes ago as you, you know, lost your balance.”
So, he had heard her. Then, why hadn’t he become mesmerized? She’d never come across any man who could resist her voice, but surely there had to be some out there. Maybe he was immune to the sound of a siren. What made him special in this way?
“I mean, I don’t hear incredibly well out of my right ear, but I didn’t think your voice sounded off-putting or anything.” He cracked a slight smile at his ribbing of her. She smiled in return. A part of her was a little thrilled that he hadn’t minded the sound of her voice. Had even possibly kind of liked it. And he’d offered a possible explanation for why he hadn’t been affected by her powers. He hadn’t heard her clearly.
“Now that I know you can talk, tell me what little you know about the amulet.”
At first, she debated using her voice again. Then, she questioned whether she could trust him with the information she had. After all, he had seemed incredibly interested in the amulet. As a matter of fact, he seemed ready to turn down piloting her where she needed to go until she’d shown him the amulet. He’d suddenly gotten interested in helping her then.
Trust did not come easily to Hollyn—not after what her father had done, what he’d kept from her to get what he wanted.
She didn’t like secrets, and she got the sensation that Kai wasn’t telling her everything. But maybe if she gave a little information, he would give some in return.
She nodded and opened her mouth to explain that she hadn’t even known it existed until yesterday, but before she could say the first word, Bertie flew into the cockpit, landed behind Kai’s chair and began squawking loudly.
“Bad idea! Bad idea! Don’t say a single word!”
Hollyn shrunk in her seat slightly and crossed her arms. She really wanted to tell Bertie to back off. If she wanted to test her ability on Kai, she could. It might be important to make sure they knew everything they needed to know about the talisman.
Of course, if she put him into such a deep trance that he couldn’t fly the plane, it would be disastrous for them all. Should she play it safe and keep her mouth shut? Or should she risk it for the biscuit, so to speak?”
“What’s the deal with this parrot? Does she ever shut up?”
“Seagull! I’m a seagull, which any dimwit can see.”
“Yeah, well, you’re also about to be given a special seat reserved just for seagulls. Outside. On the wing.”
Hollyn stifled her laughter. Bertie didn’t like to be told to shut up, and Kai had done it in a way that was sure to annoy.
“Really? Really? Real mature, flyboy.” Bertie spread her wings and said, “Hollyn, don’t you dare cave. We need to get to the chain of Atlantic islands in one piece.”
“For all the saltiest salt in the sea, bird. Just back the hell off the woman. We’ve got a couple more hours, and I’m already wondering why she puts up with your bullshit.”
“My bullshit? You might not believe this, but I’m keeping you out of harm’s way. You should be thanking me. Tell him, Hollyn!” Then, she thought better of it. “Wait! Strike that! Don’t say a word.”
“Fine! Maybeyoucan explain why you two need to find this medallion so badly.”
Bertie raised her wings in a shrug-like move. “Why should I?”
But Hollyn nudged her with her hand and nodded as she looked up at her.
She sighed and said, “You might as well know, we’re in a little bit of danger.”
“What kind of danger?”
“Duh! The dangerous kind.”
