“Hey, I’m the only one who gets to call my flower, flower!” Auden pulls me close and plants a sweet kiss on the top of my head.
“That’s probably for the best,” Lita says. “It felt kinda weird. Anyway, we better vamanos. We can’t afford to miss the show now that the main act is here.”
“Right behind you,” I say, as Auden and I slip free of the car. Following Lita into the surreal swirl of the Rabbit Hole’s energy.
six
Daire
I hate to admit it, but waiting is not a skill that comes naturally to me.
Although it starts off well enough, it’s not long before I grow antsy. And once my body starts fidgeting, it’s not long before my mind gets fidgety too. My head hosting a never-ending parade of self-defeating thoughts. Doubting my abilities. Questioning my strategy. Worried that I might’ve judged Axel too harshly. That I’m being paranoid. That I got it all wrong.
After all, he did save me.
He did stop Cade from stealing my soul.
Not to mention how he’s cared for me, healed me, without once asking for anything in return.
And yet, every time the long list of possible misinterpretations stacks up against me, all I have to do is take one look at this creepy, bride-like gown that I’m wearing, and just like that, I’m resolved to go through with my plan.
Reminded of something Paloma once said, that patience is the companion of wisdom, I settle into waiting again. Using the time to scrutinize every last detail, all too aware that there’s only one shot at getting this right. If I hesitate, if I falter even slightly, all will be lost.
Axel is bigger. Stronger. With magickal abilities that far surpass mine.
There’s no room for mistakes.
The gravel crunches and shifts just outside the door.
The bolt groans and recedes.
I press against the wall, tighten my grip on the chair, and watch as the door opens wide and Axel crosses the limestone floor to my bed.
He calls out my name. Gently shakes the lump he’s mistaken for me. Having no idea that I’ve repurposed my robe along with the stack of clean towels he left for my bath to resemble the sleeping version of me, until it collapses under his touch.
He turns, lavender gaze widening in confusion when he finds me lurking behind with the chair angled high.
“Daire?”
It’s the last thing he says before I center the chair and heave it down hard on his head. Already racing toward freedom when he crumples into an unconscious heap at my feet, I spare one last look at his unmoving form, mouth a silent apology, and bolt the door firmly behind me.
seven
Xotichl
After countless laps around the club, Lita returns to our table, plunks her purse on an empty stool, claims the seat across from Auden and me, and says, “No sign of Cade. And believe me, I looked everywhere I could. Including Leandro’s office, which was awkward to say the least, mostly because he was in there. I even checked the bathroom. I wouldn’t put it past Cade to peek under the stalls. But nope, nada, niente.”
“And Phyre?” I lean toward her, straining to hear over the music.
“Phyre’s just … Phyre. I mean, I get that she’s gorgeous and all, but she’s also completely weird and totally untrustworthy. Which is why I can’t understand why everyone’s so enamored with her.”
“I’m not sure everyone sees her as weird and untrustworthy,” I say, as Auden taps his thumb nervously against mine. A sure sign that he’s more anxious about his meeting with the record exec than he lets on. “I think that’s just us.”
“Well, it wasn’t all that long ago when Daire was new and no one liked her,” Lita says. And before I can chime in with the reason, she adds, “Then again, that was mostly my fault since I pretty much turned everyone against her. Anyway, it sure would be nice if we could get some new boys in this town. You guys must be so tired of my third-wheel self always hanging around.”
Auden and I both start to refute it, but Lita’s quick to shush us.
“Oh, please. Don’t even try to deny it. Believe me, I feel the same way. And I’d be more than willing to change it, but unfortunately this is Enchantment. Which means there’s not one single datable boy in this town.” She breathes a wistful sigh. “You know what this is?” She pauses, but it’s not so we can guess, it’s meant for dramatic effect. “This is my karma.” She bumps her palm against the table for emphasis.
“Your karma for what?” I move closer to Auden and rest my head on his shoulder. Trying to temper his nerves with a nice wave of calm.
“For being a mega-bitch. For pegging everyone I didn’t approve of as an uncool loser.”
“You thought I was uncool?” Auden feigns dismay at her words.
“Well, being the lead singer in the only decent band in this town did give you a certain edge … but anyway, let’s face it, I was a witch.”
“You were, indeed,” I say, seeing no point in denying what we already know.
“And I’m pretty sure I’m paying for all of that nastiness now.”
“You’re serious?” I laugh. I can’t help it. While I definitely believe in karma, that’s not really the best example of it.
“What’s so funny?” Lita’s energy flares, her tone is more than a little defensive. “It’s true, what goes around comes around.”
“So, what you’re saying is that there are no new boys in Enchantment because you used to be really mean to everyone you deemed unworthy of you. It has nothing to do with Enchantment being a totally undesirable place to live, with falling house prices, no good job opportunities, and an evil family of Coyotes at the helm of it all.”
Lita groans. “Well, when you put it like that, it sounds a lot less like karma, and a lot more like narcissism. Like I think the world revolves around me.”
“Not the world,” Auden says. “Just Enchantment.”
“Well, it used to revolve around me, or at least that’s what I thought. It wasn’t that long ago when I branded Dace as a giant dork, I was hating on Daire, and Cade Richter rocked my world. And now that I’ve awakened, I can’t help but feel like I missed out all those years by not giving people like you, Auden, and Dace a chance. I was so caught up in my image, and being popular, and all…” Her voice fades as she shifts in her seat. “And yeah, as much as I hate to admit it, I was so totally and completely caught up in maintaining my relationship with Cade, I couldn’t conceive of anything else. It’s like I was possessed. And it’s so weird how like, one minute I was totally obsessed, and then the next, just like that, I was completely and totally over him.”
I sit with her words, wondering how to respond. Taking a chance on the truth when I say, “Actually, it’s not as strange as you think…” Auden stiffens beside me, urging me to proceed with caution when he presses his thumb hard against mine. Daire was always intent on protecting Lita from the truth, and she wanted me to protect her too. But Daire’s no longer here, and without her, we’re left to fend for ourselves. Which means the more people who know the truth about this town, and the Richters who run it, the better.
Lita slides her elbows toward me. I can tell by the shift in her energy, the creak of her seat. “Well, don’t stop now,” she says. “You’ve got my full attention.”
“Okay. But listen, instead of getting ready to order another soda, what do you say we get out of here?”
“How’d you know I was going to order another soda?”
“I heard you pull some bills from your wallet.”
“Seriously?”
I shrug. Amused by how easy it is for a blind person to impress the sighted.
“Sheesh. There really is something to that blind sight stuff, isn’t there? Anyway, fine by me. This place gives me the creeps. It’s filled with too many old memories and most of them bad. So, where are you guys taking me, ’cause it’s not like we have a whole lot of choices.”
“You sure about this?” Auden asks, the words spoken in a conflicted shade of puce that di
ssipates with a quick nod of my head. “Well, I would go with you, but I have to meet someone. So, Lita, I’m trusting you to take good care of my flower and get her home safely.” He plants a soft, sweet, lingering kiss on my lips, as Lita jangles her keys in annoyance. The only public displays of affection she can tolerate are her own.
“So where is it?” she says, leading me away from Auden. “Where are we going? Is this like a girls’ night out?”
“Something like that.” I exit the club alongside her. “I figured since it’s still kind of early, we can head over to Paloma’s. If you’re going to learn the truth about this town, you should hear it from the one person who can best explain it.”
eight
Daire
The moment the door slams between me and Axel, I run.
Problem is, I have no real direction in mind.
Although the plan was perfectly executed, went off without a hitch, I never really thought past the moment I’d make it outside.
Other than crashing through the veil of light, and waking up in my sickbed, I have no recollection of anything outside of the room Axel kept me in. No recollection how we arrived here, much less how I might leave.
A bed of purple stones, like tumbled bits of amethyst, roll and shift under my feet as I race toward a glossy red bridge that leads to a grove of jacaranda trees with oversized blooms, where I lean against one of the trunks and spare a few moments to rest. Reminding myself that while there’s no doubt I need to put some serious mileage between Axel and me, I also need to maintain my strength. Running around like a maniac will only serve to deplete my energy.
I fight to steady my breath as I gaze all around. Struck by how the surrounding Upperworld landscape is just as Paloma described it—an enchanting, breathtaking world bathed in a glorious, soft golden light.
Like the Lowerworld on steroids.
Paloma also told me that it’s far more difficult to access than the Lowerworld, even for the most gifted Seeker.
Well, thanks to Axel, the accessing part was a breeze. The question remains, how to leave?
I close my eyes and go silent and still, seeking the answer within. If the Upperworld truly is a place of love and light and benevolence and magick, as Paloma claimed, then surely some of my powers must still be working.
When the back of my dress begins to flutter, softly nudging me forward, I take it as a sign that Wind is now with me. Though I still sneak a quick glance over my shoulder to ensure it really is my guiding element, and not the force of Axel rushing toward me.
If he really is a mystical being, he won’t stay down long. Which is good on the one hand because it means I didn’t kill him—but bad on the other because the second he recovers he’ll surely come after me.
With my dress insistently swirling at my knees, I peer back toward the place where I came, only to find the beautiful meadow with its shiny red bridge and amethyst path … and nothing beyond.
No sign of a small cottage with large, bolted doors and shatterproof windows.
No sign of the place I was held prisoner for days on end.
The place I once found so formidable, vanished as though it never existed.
Did Axel somehow enchant it or cloak it so that only he could find it?
The thought alone is enough to spur me away from the trees and toward another beautiful bridge, this one painted a rich, vibrant cobalt, where I come across the first people I’ve seen since I fled.
I consider asking them for assistance, but discard the thought just as quickly. While the Upperworld is rumored to be friendly, the fact is, I’m a stranger in a strange land. I don’t know the rules. I can’t take the chance. So I tuck my chin to my chest and jog briskly past. Only to have one of them say, “Slow down, newbie—there’s no reason to hurry!” as the other one laughs.
Newbie?
I shirk free of the thought. Can’t afford to engage.
My heart is still damaged, my stamina fading. I need to use what little energy remains on getting the heck out of here before Axel awakes.
I sift through my memory. Try to dredge up anything I might’ve forgotten about how we arrived. Remembering the feel of Axel’s arms folding around me … rocketing me high into the sky, until we pierced through a glorious, silken spun web, bursting into a world of bright golden light …
And then …
And then?
There’s a big empty gap yawning between that first glimpse of the light and the moment I awoke in the bed. Though while the memory may be irretrievable, one thing is sure: If I flew upward to get here, I’ll have to glide downward to return.
I shift my search for something that descends—anything—a ladder, a slide, a large tree with long roots. And it’s only a moment later when Wind stirs, prodding me toward a warm, incandescent glow beaming off to the right that looks a lot like the golden web that landed me here.
I race toward it without question, convinced it’s my exit. So mesmerized by the inviting way it pulsates before me, I nearly miss the group of girls cutting my path.
“Slow down!” one of them calls, but I keep my chin lowered and brush past.
Gaining a handful of steps between us, when she says, “Daire?”
I push my legs faster, causing my heart to quiver in protest.
Just two more steps and I’m there …
“Daire Lyons-Santos?”
I pretend not to hear. If she knows my name, that can’t be a good thing. It might mean she’s connected to Axel.
She rushes up from behind me. Her movements quicker, lighter, more fluid than mine, she catches me by the shoulder with ease and spins me until I’m staring into a pair of deeply appraising eyes that remind me of the color of the sea at sunrise. Her silvery/pink gaze so astonishing, it’s a moment before I manage to take in her soft brown skin, long, dark ringlets, and the tall lithe body clothed in a dress that’s a close match to mine. Only instead of stark white, hers is the same shade as her eyes.
“It is you, isn’t it?” she says, her surprise at finding me here visibly marked on her face. Though while it’s clear she knows me, I have no idea who she is. “What are you doing here? Where have you been? I’ve been searching everywhere—I lost track of you in all of the chaos.” She tugs on the slim strap of my dress. “And why are you wearing this? Who gave this to you?”
I duck free of her grip and take a step back. While I have no idea what’s going on, or why my dress could be of any concern to her, I know better than to answer.
I chance a quick glance over my shoulder, needing to reach that shimmering veil more than ever. Regretting the act the moment she catches me looking.
“Oh, no,” she says, closing the space between us with one fluid step. “I don’t know how you got here, Daire. Or how this even happened, but you cannot go back there. Not now. Not ever.” Her friends call to her, asking if they should wait, but she waves them away and returns her focus to me. “Come, Daire. Come with me.” Her fingers circle my wrist. Her gaze locks on mine. “I’m here to help. There’s nothing to be afraid of. It won’t take long to get this all sorted out.”
I nod like I mean it. Going so far as to return her smile in a bid to win her confidence. While I’m sure she means well, she has no idea what’s really going on. No idea what’s at stake back home.
No idea of what Axel has done.
And I’m in no mood to enlighten her.
She turns on her heel and tugs on my arm, and I pretend to drop my resistance and follow along. My willingness to obey causing her to slacken her grip just enough to allow me to jerk free and bolt toward the veil, using every ounce of strength that I have.
Aware of her voice calling out from behind me—high-pitched and frantic, urging me to stop.
But it’s too late for that.
I’m already soaring, diving, bursting through the web.
Already in gravity’s clutches, plunging toward earth.
burnt offerings
nine
Xotichl
After several knocks on Paloma’s front door go unanswered, Lita and I head around back where we find her tending to a bed of strange hybrid plants that continue to thrive no matter the season.
I tilt my chin high and take a long, greedy inhale. Filling my nose with their lush fragrant scent before I say, “I’m a day early and I brought company.” I nod in Lita’s direction. “I hope that’s okay?” The question asked more out of politeness than any real concern that Paloma would turn us away. She likes having us around. Sees us as a link to Daire, much like we see her.
She grasps the basket of medicinal night blooms and struggles to stand. The scene unfolding before me in a grim, sludgy, stream of energy with a luminous glow at the tip of her fingers.
“Here, let me get that.” Lita rushes up beside her in a streak of vibrant orange that veers toward Paloma’s listless gray. The contrast providing a bitter reminder of just how frail Paloma’s become in the past few days.
While she never fully recovered after her soul was returned, and while there’s no doubt that Daire’s disappearance has taken a toll on each of us, Paloma’s clearly the most affected of all.
Despite having firsthand knowledge of the hazards of being a Seeker, she holds herself responsible for the loss of her granddaughter. And no matter how many times I remind her that the prophecy was in motion, that it couldn’t be stopped, it doesn’t do much to alleviate the guilt.
Lita takes the basket and helps Paloma to the back door as I follow them inside. Moving past a kitchen that’s rife with the scent of something healthy and delicious warming in the oven, past the continuous crackle and pop of the wood-burning kiva fireplace, and up the ramp to her office where she settles us at the old wooden table, before she returns to the kitchen to grab us a snack.
“I could get used to this,” Lita says, when Paloma places a steaming cup of ginger tea and a vegan cardamom cupcake before us. “What do you say tomorrow, same time, same place, same snack?”