“Yes?” Snowflake girl whispered breathlessly, desperately.
Lie, Falconer said and I didn’t miss the tone. It wasn’t a suggestion, but a demand. According to Owen, I should only be matching humans. It was bad enough that I was matching these Otherworldly beings, and now…now Falconer wanted me to lie. Yet, as much as it sucked, I knew I had to fib in order to prevent a war. But what would happen when they realized I lied?
They wouldn’t accept that they weren’t ripe; they thought they were above humans and therefore ready for love. In other words, they were arrogant and egotistical. I cleared my throat. “Paris. He’s in Paris, but that’s all I’m getting.”
I opened my eyes. Her face had flushed with excitement, the only color in her pale body. “You’re sure that’s it?”
I nodded, all I could do. I was too afraid to speak, afraid they’d read the truth in my tone. The way her father watched me, I suspected he had a feeling I’d lied. They’d find out soon enough. But at least it would give me time to think of another plan. Time to discuss this with Owen.
“Come along,” her father demanded.
She stood and leaned over, pressing a kiss to my cheek. “Thank you!”
Like that, leaving behind the scent of spring and flowers, she was gone. But it wasn’t over. Nope. I had about twenty other people milling around, waiting their turn, a small group inside and apparently a line out the door. The moment Snowflake left, they swiveled their heads toward me, waiting eagerly for their name to be called.
Falconer surged to his feet, weaved around a family of elves, and paused near me. “Five more—”
“No,” I snapped.
Falconer seemed startled by my outburst. Jotham stood and moved quickly toward us, sensing an argument. “She needs rest.”
Thank God for small favors. At least someone was on my side here.
Falconer sighed. “Fine. But we are starting this up again tomorrow morning.”
No surprise. Couldn’t wait. I ignored the rumble of protest coming from the other beings waiting to be matched, gave Jotham a grateful smile, and then fled toward the door. I couldn’t breathe. But as I burst into the corridor, I was startled to see a line of beings down the hallway, waiting for me. At least thirty. They all grew silent, staring hard, probably wondering where I was headed. I darted left, racing down an adjacent corridor. I didn’t care if he was avoiding me, I needed to see Owen.
“Miss Watts.” Jotham suddenly appeared next to me.
I resisted the urge to sigh. Sadly, I was so used to people appearing and disappearing that I didn’t even stumble. Just when I’d thought I’d actually escaped…
“You did well, my dear.”
I continued to walk, unsure of where I was going. Anywhere was better than Falconer’s chambers. “Thank you.”
“You deserve your rest. I’ll speak with Falconer about perhaps matching fewer tomorrow.”
“I’d appreciate that.” Seriously, did the guy not see I was eager to get the heck out of here? When Owen had said we were going to France, I hadn’t known that I’d be stuck inside the entire time. “You don’t happen to know where Owen is, do you?”
He reached out, resting a gentle hand on my arm. “Emma…we need to talk.”
I slowed my steps, my unease flaring. “You look pretty serious.”
“My dear, Owen is not your Protector anymore.”
I paused, releasing a harsh laugh. “You’re not serious, are you?”
“You heard Falconer last night.”
I threw my arms wide. “Yeah, but he didn’t mean…forever, did he?”
“He did. I’m afraid Falconer never jests.” He looked serious, so freaking serious. Oh God, he wasn’t kidding. “You’ll be protected by the Consulate now.”
My anger flared. “So they can use me?”
He didn’t respond and I knew I was right. Damn it all, where the heck was Owen? Why hadn’t he fought for me, at the least, sent a freaking letter to explain? “Where is he?”
The old man sighed. “I believe he’s in the library.”
I turned and started down the hall, leaving Jotham behind. He’d sworn he wouldn’t abandon me. He’d said he was here for me. The doors to the library were open, and the closer I stalked to them, the angrier I became. He’d said his job was to protect me. So, where the hell was Owen? I moved into the library and headed down an aisle, searching for him.
I heard the soft murmur of conversation and followed the sound. Who the heck was with him? It sounded like a girl.
I turned right and found Owen and Petunia…kissing.
My heart dropped, a cold chill racing through my body. For what seemed like eternity, I could only stand there, staring. As Owen reached up to Pet’s shoulders, reality slapped me full on the face. Horrified, I spun around and started back toward the door. My entire body had grown numb. I couldn’t think; I could barely breathe. I only knew I needed to escape. Stupid, I was so damn stupid to trust him.
“Emma,” Owen called after me.
I ignored him, hurrying my steps. Suddenly he appeared in front of me. Unable to stop myself in time, I stumbled into him. “Damn it, Owen!”
The numbness fled as soon as it had arrived and piercing pain mixed with heated anger. I slammed my fists against his shoulders before shoving away and stumbling back. “Get the hell away from me.”
“It’s not what you—”
“Not what I think?” I released a harsh laugh. “I’ve been here before, remember? Seen it plenty of times in my line of work. You’re here with Petunia instead of watching after me, that’s what I think. What happened to your job? What happened to never abandoning me?”
“I was researching—”
“Don’t.” Shaking my head in disgust, I started around him. I wasn’t sure which hurt more, that he had abandoned his job so easily, or that he had kissed Petunia.
He gripped my upper arm. “Emma, please—”
“You’ve moved on. Given up.” I jerked away from him and released a harsh laugh. “That didn’t take long. So much for never leaving my side.”
“I didn’t have a choice!” He started after me, his jaw set with anger. “I’ve been researching, whether you want to believe me or not. I’m trying to figure out how the hell to get you back under my watch.”
I moved toward the open door. “Don’t bother.”
“Emma, she kissed me. Don’t do this, you know I have no feelings for her.”
I paused on the threshold, my heart begging me to believe him. If I believed him, I’d be no better than those housewives I’d worked for. Maybe someday after falling so deeply in love with him, I’d find out he’d cheated on me and then…and then I’d be destroyed. I couldn’t let that happen.
“You forget, Owen. I know better.”
“Emma.” He sighed. “We need to talk—”
“Don’t follow me, I mean it.” I stepped through the door and slammed it shut.
Frantic to escape, I raced up the steps of the arena. I heard the door open, knew he watched me, but prayed he wouldn’t follow. I needed time alone. Time to think, and I couldn’t think when he was near.
I fled through the door and into the hall, then darted right. I needed Lizzie, someone to talk to, someone who would take my side. But Lizzie was an ocean away. Alone, I was alone.
My footsteps slowed as I let the silence wash over me. Could I trust Owen? I sank back against the wall and slid to the ground, my knees to my chest. Dare I trust Owen? He was the only one I had here. My heart wanted to believe in him, but my mind…my rational mind told me he was just like every other guy. He’d kept things from me, he’d lied, he’d abandoned me.
Tears of frustration burned my eyes. My hands fisted against the floor, my anger growing with each moment I thought about him. I wouldn’t sit around feeling sorry for myself, and I sure as hell wasn’t going to let the Consulate use me.
Sniffing back my unshed tears, I surged to my feet. Time to take control of my life. I didn’t need this c
rap; I was in charge of me, no one else. I was leaving. I was going back to Lizzie, back to Michigan, back to doing what I knew best…catching cheating husbands.
Determined, I started down the hall when a shiver of unease raced over my skin. I froze. I knew without looking that someone was behind me. Not Owen. The energy was different somehow. Just as I was getting ready to turn and confront the being, muscled arms wrapped around my waist, jerking me back into a hard chest.
“If you know what’s best for you, you won’t fight,” someone whispered in my ear.
Chapter 18
Owen
“Owen, Owen, are you awake?”
I resisted the urge to sigh as I rolled to my back. Petunia leaned over my bed, wearing nothing but a short white nightgown. Bloody hell, I couldn’t deal with this right now. I rubbed my hands over my face, praying she was just some nightmare. She and I needed to have a long-overdue talk.
“Owen?”
“What is it?” I sat up, the room spinning, Pet wavering in and out of focus.
Vaguely I was aware that I still wore my trainers, jeans, and T-shirt. Had I actually dozed off? No, impossible. I hadn’t slept in a long, long while. Still, the muddled feeling in my mind was odd, something I’d never experienced before. What had happened last night?
“Your reputation is vindicated!” She did a little hop, thrilled, although I hadn’t a clue what she was talking about.
Bloody hell, my head felt fuzzy. Almost as if…as if someone had drugged me. Slowly I stood, my heart slamming against my rib cage in denial. Drugged, or more likely someone had used a spell on me. I reached out, gripping the bedpost for support. Shite, I needed to find Emma and fast.
Petunia stepped closer, frowning. “Did you hear me?”
I glanced toward the windows. It was dark. How long had I been out? “What?”
How much time had passed? I searched my memory, attempting to recall the evening. Emma…I’d been heading after Emma…going up those steps and then…nothing. I stumbled across the room, my legs leaden. I couldn’t bloody control my own body any longer. Someone had wanted me out of the way. I reached for the lamp and pulled the switch. The room burst into life, making my throbbing head flare with pain.
“The nerve of them, to make it seem like you couldn’t handle her, and now…” She released a loud chuckle and paced my room, her slippers swooshing against the floorboards. Everything seemed loud…too damn loud. “That will teach them.”
“Pet, Christ, what the bloody hell are you talking about?”
She spun around to face me, her eyes sparkling with triumph and laughter. “They lost her!”
I didn’t know what the bloody hell she was talking about and didn’t have time to play her games. I had to find Emma, make sure she was well. I moved past Pet and pulled the T-shirt over my head, tossing it to the bed. When I found out who had drugged me, they’d pay.
“The nerve,” Pet continued, as if I actually cared what the Consulate thought of me.
We’d leave. No matter what, I was getting her out of here. The cottage. Clarice’s cottage would be a safe base…for now. I reached the wardrobe and pulled out a white button-down shirt.
“Owen, don’t you know?” Petunia sounded shocked, and that’s when the alarm bells went off. Something had happened to Emma.
My shirt in hand, slowly I turned to face her. “Tell me.”
“Your Matchmaker!”
My veins turned to ice, my fear so real, it brought a bitter taste to my mouth. “What?”
“Your Matchmaker is missing!”
I froze. In the middle of my room, I froze. I couldn’t move, my body no longer worked. Frantically, I reached out with my senses, trying to find her. Nothing. Hell, she was out there alone? Suddenly everything made sense. The abduction attempts, the spell that had made me sleep. “How? When?”
She shrugged as if it made no difference. “Sometime last night.”
I glanced at the clock. Four in the morning. Shite, shite, shite! I jerked my shirt on, not bothering to button it. This was my fault. All of it. I started toward the wardrobe and grabbed my dagger, sliding it into the waistband of my jeans.
“Owen, do you realize what his means? They implied you couldn’t handle her, and now they have to eat crow and accept the blame!”
“What it means,” I growled as I started toward the door. “Is that she’s out there unprotected.”
Her smile fell.
“How long has she been missing?” I asked as I reached for the door handle. I couldn’t sense Emma…why couldn’t I sense her? I felt like someone had reached inside and torn a vital organ from my body. Hell. She was off property; that’s why I couldn’t sense her.
She shrugged.
“How long?” I demanded, startling her so that her lower lip quivered. I didn’t have time for her emotional baggage right now. Would I forever be punished for those few months of dating? She either didn’t realize how important this was, or was too self-centered to care.
“I don’t know. Someone went to check on her just a bit ago and found her missing. They’ve searched the castle.”
“Shite.” I tore open the door and ran into the hall. They wanted Emma for her powers, but would they go to war to win her back? Yes, she was more powerful than most, but war would mean lives lost. They had other Matchmakers to take her place.
I turned a corner and in my haste I almost slammed into Pet. She disappeared just in time, reappearing beside me. “Owen, I want to help.”
Hell, why couldn’t she leave me alone? “Tell me everything you know. What happened? Where is she?”
She rested her hand on my shoulder. “It’s bad news.”
Now she cared? It wouldn’t work. I shrugged off her touch, in no mood. “What happened?”
She shook her head, her lower lip quivering as if on cue. Bloody hell, how had I not noticed how fake she was? “We don’t know, but we do know she’s gone.”
Gone. Emma wasn’t here. I couldn’t sense her. It was as if a very part of me was missing, leaving behind something cold, and empty. I moved past her, knowing she’d follow, and headed down the hall toward Emma’s room. Halfway there I disappeared, reappearing inside her chamber. It still smelled like her…warm vanilla with the slightest sweetness of lilacs. But she was gone, I could sense it. Feel it in my soul. Gone from the castle, maybe even the town. A cold numbness washed over me. My fault. All of it was my fault.
“How did she leave?” I asked, my voice catching with emotion. “What about the guards?”
“No one saw a thing.”
Numbness gave way to anger. Furious, I spun around to face her. “They’re lying! Someone is lying!”
She nodded, looking startled by my outburst. “They’ve sent men to Michigan in case she returns home.”
“She’s not there, they know that.”
“How do you know for sure?” She spread her arms wide. “She wasn’t happy here. There is hope.”
But she was happy…with me. Wasn’t she? Until that moment she’d spotted Pet and me kissing. I’d ruined everything, all the trust she’d had in me. The truth was, I’d been so shocked I hadn’t pulled away from Pet as quickly as I should have.
For one long moment I stood there, fighting for answers. Hell, maybe she had returned home. I started to turn toward the door, intending to transport to Michigan and see for myself, when I spotted the stuffed animal on the floor. Half hidden under the bed, it could have easily been overlooked.
“She left her cat.”
Pet stepped closer, those perfectly plucked brows drawn together in confusion. “Her what?”
“Her cat.” I moved across the room and knelt by the bed. The blankets were still smooth, not a wrinkle. “She didn’t sleep here at all last night.”
I reached out, picking up the worn gray cat, soft with age. “She never would have left without the stuffed animal. Which means last night someone took her.” Most likely after she’d seen Petunia and me kissing. Someone had taken her. I wa
s sure of it.
She’d been unprotected and it was my fault. My anger flared, burning through my body. I dropped the cat to the bed. “I will find her, and when I uncover who has taken her, who has betrayed us, they will pay.”
I spun around, intending to leave, when I met Petunia’s gaze. Her pupils were wide, her breath coming out in shallow pants, a fine sheen of sweat, so fine a normal human wouldn’t have noticed, glistened across her forehead.
Suddenly, I knew.
It all made sense, didn’t it? I disappeared, reappearing directly in front of her. Before she could scream I had her by the throat, slamming her against the wall. “Where the hell is she?”
Pet clawed at my hands, her gaze pleading. “Owen, please, you’re scaring me!”
I tightened my grip. “Don’t lie to me, tell me now! Where is Emma?”
Pet flinched but didn’t answer.
I felt Falconer’s energy right before he addressed me. “Owen, dear God, what are you doing?”
I released Pet and spun around to face the man. He wasn’t alone; I could see the guards in the hallway, drawn to Pet’s frantic energy. “Emma is missing.”
“Yes, we will find her. There is nothing to worry about—” Falconer broke off as he got a look at Pet’s pale face. “Are you well, my dear?”
I didn’t give a shite if she was okay. “Someone took her, and Pet knows who.”
“I don’t!” she cried out, pressing her hands to her throat as tears streamed from her eyes. “He’s gone insane! Crazy!”
Falconer’s gaze shifted to me, a wariness there that had me wishing I’d left the castle and searched on my own when I had the chance. “Owen, you are being ridiculous.”
I ignored Falconer, focusing my senses on the man, taking in his pupils, his breathing…had he been involved? My heart slammed wildly in my chest. I wanted to scream; I wanted to kill someone. Hell, I didn’t know who to trust anymore.
Falconer started toward me, his steps slow and cautious as if he approached a wild animal. “You don’t know—”