Beyond Your Touch (12 page)

“I couldn't do it if I were in his shoes. But that's Chase. He may be a loner, but when you're his friend it's forever.” Tibbs's hair flopped over his face as he glanced into the bed of the truck. After a heartbeat, he looked back at me. “You know it's not just your mother who's there, right? Chase has half brothers, too—other sons of Malphic.”

“Yeah, he told me. But that's all I know. I mean, I know Malphic had full-genie sons, like Culus. I figured Malphic had lots of kids, with all his wives and considering how everyone seems to think Malphic won't notice Culus is missing, at least for a while.” I realized I was babbling, and clamped my lips together.

Tibbs's voice gentled. “He's never talked to me about them in detail either. But he did have friends, guys he trained with and—” His face went red.

My eyes widened as I caught his drift. “Ah—girls?” I wondered about this hundreds of times, but never dared ask or think about it too hard. Chase had lived at Moonhill since he was eighteen. But he never mentioned old girlfriends and nobody else did either. Still, he had crazy amazing lovemaking skills.

“I don't know much. There were girls, half genie slaves, like Chase.” Tibbs pulled his cap back out of his hip pocket, scrunching it between his hands as he went on. “You probably should let Chase tell you about that. I know they weren't girlfriends. Everything's really different there, weird.”

I laughed to relieve the tension. “You can say that again.”

His hands stilled. “Just give Chase time. You and me, we grew up here. He fakes it real good, but Chase doesn't get the same stuff we do, inside jokes about old TV shows or movies. He didn't listen to the same music we did, snap selfies, or do any of the stuff normal kids did. He grew up living in barracks, training, and watching friends die because they weren't good enough. He grew up protecting people.”

I nodded. I had realized all of this, but maybe it hadn't really sunk in—or maybe we'd spent so much of our alone time between the sheets making new history that we hadn't really talked about our pasts that much, or even our dreams for the future. I opened my mouth to mention what Chase had said on the widow's walk about him being at the age where genies mature, but shut it as Zachary came lumbering toward us, staggering under the weight of the sledgehammer.

“Here you go,” he said, giving it to Tibbs.

Tibbs slung the hammer into the back of the pickup, then cuffed Zach in the arm. “Come on. Chase will deal with the truck later. Let's get back to the house.”

With the sheep following along behind, we headed back into the cemetery. Zachary did most of the talking. “I think it's cool how you found Lotli using a feather,” he said. “I wish I could go to the djinn realm. . . .”

When we reached the top of the hill and neared the mausoleum, he stopped talking and raced ahead. Tibbs and I plodded after him in silence. We were almost to the mausoleum when Tibbs glanced sideways and whispered, “I'm worried about Lotli—about her and Chase, that is.”

I met his gaze and blinked. “You—you don't trust her?” I couldn't believe my ears. Maybe I wasn't being paranoid or crazy after all. “I don't trust her either. Did you know they were together last night?”

“They were?”

“I'm not saying they were together-together,” I corrected hastily. “But you're right. Something's off about her.”

Slowing his steps even further, Tibbs took hold of my arm. “Wait a minute.”

I stopped. “What is it?”

“I think we're worried about two different things. I think Chase is planning on going to the realm without waiting for the men to return. Now that she's here, he's got the perfect partner to help him do it.”

I gaped at him in horror and disbelief. “You're kidding. Just the two of them? That's why they were together, to talk about that? But she said she wanted—he brought her yarn.” I cringed, realizing how stupid and nonsensical that must sound to Tibbs.

“Like I was saying, Chase would do anything to protect people he cares about. Your grandfather has been more of a father to Chase than anyone ever was. He doesn't want your grandfather—or father—going to the realm, or your uncle David.” He took a long breath. “Believe me, Annie, if Chase went to see Lotli last night, it was to talk her into helping him.”

“I hadn't thought of that.”

“Hey!” Zachary shouted from the mausoleum steps. “It's locked up tight. I checked.”

“That's great, bud.” Tibbs rolled his eyes. “I'm not sure I'll ever be ready to deal with kids. Too much energy.”

I laughed, but the laugh died quickly. “Do you think we should say something to Kate?”

“Kate's smart. She's probably already thought of it. Mostly, I wanted to know what you thought. You know Chase better than any of us.”

“Maybe.” And maybe Chase was right about keeping focus. I'd been so focused on how I felt about him that I'd failed to notice what else was going on. “Damn, I wish I knew more about magic. Then I'd zap him, so he'd have to tell me the truth.”

Tibbs chuckled. “Personally, I stay as far away from magic as I can.”

I smiled at Tibbs, letting my gaze linger for an extra second. I'd always liked him, but maybe I hadn't given him as much credit for brains as he deserved. Kind of the same way Selena had flirted and used him so she could party with Newt, and failed to see that Tibbs just might be her better choice.

CHAPTER 12

 

—General notes on existence
Journal: Hector Freemont

 

 

L
otli lowered her flute and the bonfire's smoke died back, leaving coals and crackling flames behind.

“That was bloody brilliant, absolutely astounding,” the Professor said. “We simply must do a recording one of these days. That is, if you don't mind.”

It was just before sunset and everyone had gathered around the bonfire, except the older women. Chase and Tibbs had gotten the fire going. The rest of us had hauled folding chairs, blankets, and a cooler down to the beach.

Zachary scooted up close to Lotli, his gaze fixed on the flute. “Can I try it? I'd really, really like to. Please?”

“We'd love to let you, but we must not. The magic allows only one person's lips and fingers to touch it.” She lowered her eyes as if apologizing, but a smile played at the corner of her mouth. Clearly she loved the questions and being the center of attention, perhaps almost as much as she seemed to enjoy making the smoke dance to her whims.

The Professor took a beer out of the six-pack he'd brought down and popped it open. “This reminds me of an artifact I once saw at a dig in Turkey.” Perhaps it was the beer and firelight or the abnormally casual shorts and T-shirt he had on, but right now the Professor didn't come across as that much older than Tibbs and Chase. In truth he wasn't, he just normally gave off an older, uptight vibe.

“Yeah, so?” Selena egged him on. “What about the artifact?”

“It was a copper awl, simply gorgeous. It would have produced holes similar in size to those in Lotli's flute. It had everso-odd smokelike symbols etched into it. Simply fascinating.”

Zachary leapt to his feet. “I've got an idea. If I find a bone, will you help me make a flute?” he asked Lotli.

She glanced at Chase, her eyes widening in a plea for—

I stretched and pretended to yawn while keeping my eyes on her face, intent on decoding the emotion as well as the message in her eyes: a partner asking for support, or a snake reeling Chase closer by pretending to be a fragile little girl in need?

Sparks crackled upward from the fire, brightening the beach around us and shielding her face from my view. Damn it.

“Maybe later, buddy,” Chase said. “Let's enjoy the fire right now.”

Zachary took off, away from the pebbly beach, out onto the stretch of muddy sand and seaweed left behind by the low tide. He spun around, jogging backward. “Come on. We've got just enough time to look in the Coffin before dark. I bet there are bones in there.”

“Coffin?” Lotli's voice sounded shaken.

Tibbs pointed at the distant rock outcrop. “He means those rocks—the Pirate's Coffin.”

Excitement thrummed inside me and I couldn't hold back a smile. Despite the fact that my main goal was to determine if Chase and Lotli were plotting something, I was dying to see where Chase had found the bottle with the note inside, the one he hadn't told me the full truth about.

“I'll go with Zach,” I said.

Selena bounced from her chair. “Me too. I haven't been there in ages.”

Leaving Tibbs and the Professor behind, the rest of us dashed after Zachary.

For the most part, I kept my eyes on the ground, watching out for puddles and slicks of seaweed and dead fish as the wet sand sucked at my sneakers. But when Lotli stooped to pick up a shell, I stole a sideways glance at Chase.

He was looking at me.

Our gazes melted into each other and the familiar flutter of joy flushed through me. I lengthened my strides, veered up close to him, and threaded my fingers with his. I totally expected him to move away, but his hand closed around mine and he didn't release it until we reached the outcrop.

The outcrop was fifteen maybe twenty feet high and covered with glistening black slime, seaweed, barnacles, and pretty much anything else that could hang on as the tide came and went.

Zachary and Selena had already scaled halfway up, using narrow ledges and projections for foot- and handholds.

Selena glanced down at me. “You got your flashlight on you? We're going to need it to see inside the Coffin.”

“Of course,” I said. Leaving the light in my hip pocket, I started to climb, jamming my toes into crevasses to keep them from sliding off the slippery rocks, digging my fingers into the slime. It was wet and dirty, and stank of decaying fish. It was also exhilarating, climbing and wondering what we'd find as the sun moved closer to the horizon, the light quickly fading.

“Be careful,” Chase's voice called out.

I looked down. He was frowning up at us. Lotli was still a ways off, scavenging the wet sand for whatever. In fact, she didn't appear all that interested in what we were doing or where Chase was. Surprising, but nice.

I gave him a little wave. “Don't worry. We won't do anything crazy.”

“Hey, did you forget?” Selena shouted at me. “Flashlight.”

I rested one hip against the rock, fished out my light, and held it up to her. “Here.”

“Thanks,” she said, snatching it.

With Zachary close behind, she finished the climb and disappeared into the hollow. A second later, Selena's voice shouted, “Frick! Zachary, don't touch that.”

Scrambling faster, I got to the place where they'd vanished. It was indeed a coffin-shaped hollow in the middle of the outcrop with spires on three sides. Between the dim daylight and Selena shining the flashlight around, I caught glimpses of what was inside: sand, sea glass, strings of seaweed, shells, a plastic water bottle, the striped remnants of a buoy . . .

“I'm getting out of here,” Selena said. “You too, Zach. No bone hunting today.”

“You're no fun.” He scrambled back up to me.

“What's wrong?” I asked.

She grimaced and shined the light on a congealed bloody-colored lump at her feet. “Jellyfish. Even dead ones can shoot venom into you. They're awful things.”

“If you get stung, someone has to pee on you for first aid,” Zach said, way too cheerfully.

I cringed. “That's gross.”

“And wrong.” Selena handed the flashlight back to me. “That's an old wives' tale. What you're really supposed to do is wash the area with saltwater, then scrape the stingers off with something like a knife blade.”

“I think I'll just stay away from them,” I said.

It didn't take as long to climb down, but when I reached the bottom my excitement drained. Chase and Lotli stood farther out, almost as far as the ocean had receded. He towered over her small outline, bending low as they talked far too quietly for their voices to travel.

Selena's hand warmed my elbow. “Put it out of your head.”

“That's not what I was thinking.” Or at least her coming on to him was only part of what I was thinking.

I resisted the urge to tell Selena what Tibbs and I had discussed. I didn't need another lecture about being paranoid, at least not until I was certain what was going on.

“Hey!” Tibbs's voice echoed out from the beach. He waved his arms to catch our attention. Beside him the Professor had his arms around Olya. Her head was pressed against his chest.

“Oh, shit.” Selena's voice went shrill. “Something's wrong.”

“Kate's not with them,” I said.

Adrenaline thundered into my veins. I shouted for Chase, then took off for the shore. Selena sprinted ahead of me, her long legs moving faster than mine or Zachary's as she flew toward the beach. Zachary and I got there a second after her, Chase and Lotli a moment later.

“What's wrong?” Selena hunched over with her hands on her knees, struggling to catch her breath.

“Kate,” I asked, “is she okay?”

Olya's hands fluttered in the air. “It is not Kate. It is the men.”

I stopped breathing and stared at her, my world collapsing all around me. Dad. Grandfather. Uncle David. Oh my God. “What happened?”

“They—they are . . .” Olya pressed her hands over her face, unable to speak.

“Mom, what's wrong?” Zachary whimpered. Even in the dim light, I could see that he'd gone ghostly pale.

The Professor wrapped his arm around Olya's shoulder and snugged her close. “Take a deep breath. Everything's perfectly fine. Right, Tibbs?”

Tibbs nodded and looked at us. “There was an avalanche. The men are fine, but trapped in the mountains. Kate's trying to get through to the Slovenian authorities right now.”

Olya wiped away tears. “The helicopters, they cannot get to them—too much wind and ice. I told them, I foresaw something coming.”

Tibbs took over again. “We don't know exactly what's going on. The cell service is intermittent at best. But they're safe.”

All right, this wasn't good, but there was no need for panic. “They'll be able to get home once the weather clears, right?” I asked.

“No,” Olya said, her voice staggering once more. “They still have to get the flute and the avalanche closed the roads. It will be more than a week before they can do anything.” She looked at Lotli. “I am sorry. This delays you as well.”

“We are the last thing you should be thinking about. The men have a safe place to stay?”

“Yes, a cabin.” Olya's gaze shot toward Zachary, her expression flip-flopping from worry to disbelief. She darted to him, wet her thumb, and used it to scrub a line of mud from his cheek. “What have you been into, young man?”

“We went to the Coffin.” He grinned. “Selena's as dirty as I am.”

Olya grabbed him by the sleeve. “She is not. And she is welcome to stay here with everyone. You are going to take a bath.”

The Professor grabbed his six-pack of beer. “I believe I'll go up to the house with you, see if Kate needs a hand.”

As they started up the stairs toward the cliff top, the rest of us gathered around the fire.

“Wow,” Selena said. “I sure wasn't expecting that. I hope Dad's all right. His arm's barely mended from”—she stopped abruptly and shot a quick glance at Lotli—“getting broken,” she amended. “He really should be home, not stuck in a cabin somewhere.”

I moved closer to the fire, rubbing goose bumps from my arms. She was right. And, holy crap, Grandfather, his mind was sharp, but he was too old for this kind of stuff. And my dad, trapped by an avalanche. Even the thought made me crazy worried.

An idea built in the back of my mind, brand-new and scattered, steadily growing into something more solid. Selena's dad, my dad, Grandfather, they were too old for this kind of stuff, but—

I glanced at Chase. He and Lotli stood on the other side of the bonfire, once more whispering. They both nodded, like they'd come to an agreement. I caught Tibbs's gaze, tilted my head toward them, and raised my eyebrows to ask if he'd noticed. Tibbs nodded, his worried gaze signaling that he agreed with my concern. I pressed my lips together.
Focus, Annie,
I told myself. The fact that Chase and Lotli had formed some kind of team behind my back hurt more than anything. But I'd had enough of this crap. Chase needed to realize that I was as capable of focusing on the mission as he was. And, if he wanted to devise a plan and leave me out, fine. But I had ideas too, and no one was going to stop me from sharing them. Not even him.

Gritting my teeth, I clapped my hands to get everyone's attention. “Guys,” I said, my voice rising until it couldn't be ignored. “When my dad”—I nodded at Selena—“and yours and Grandfather were our age, they were already an active part of the family. My dad went to Central America on family business when he was my age and met my mom. Selena, your dad was how old?”

“He met Mom when he was nineteen, on business in Hungary. She was younger than I am even. What are you suggesting?”

“They aren't the A-team they once were. Your dad almost got killed the last time. And look at Kate, she let Culus overwhelm her. But what do they let us do? Go to Bar Harbor to find Lotli.” I raised a hand, indicating that I didn't mean to trivialize her. “Don't take this wrong, you are vital to this. But finding you was hardly difficult or life-threatening and they're asking you, a stranger, to risk your life while the rest of us sit at home and do nothing.”

“Annie.” Chase stepped closer to the fire, leaving Lotli alone in the shadows behind him. “What you're thinking is too dangerous.”

“I don't think Annie's suggesting we all go to the djinn realm,” Tibbs butted in. “I think she's trying to say we should all be as actively involved as the older generation.”

“Exactly.” I squared my shoulders and nailed Chase with a firm look. “You shouldn't side with Kate and the rest of them just because they let you in on most everything. Think about how Selena and I feel—even Zachary, he's smarter than the rest of us put together. It's awful to be treated like children, when we're perfectly capable of helping.”

Selena stormed forward, her voice strained. “I know it's because they've seen a lot and are trying to protect me.” She clamped her eyes closed, frustration scrunching her face into a mass of angry lines. “But I feel like I'm nothing. They don't want me to go to college. They want me to learn about the business, but they won't let me do anything. When Culus cut Kate's throat and I had to stop the bleeding and stitch her up, for the first time I felt like I was someone. I want to feel that way all the time.”