The Inner Circle, Book 3 of the Glass Wall ( A YA Urban Fantasy Romance ) (18 page)

Jareth frowned. “The Brotherhood do not fear
her,” he answered in hushed tones. “They’re convinced their portal
will be open soon.”

I scowled, not really in the mood to share
information. Rafael was leaving. Had he even planned on telling
me?

And then Ellison came inside, and I used the
opportunity to twist free from Jareth and escape to the back.

Picking up several bags of trash, I headed
outside to clear my head. Breathing the cold air deeply, I darted
through the fat droplets of rain splattering down from the dark sky
while keeping a cautious eye out for Mesmers.

I’d just tossed the last bag into the
dumpster when I turned around and ran right into Rafael’s lean
muscular body.

“A moment,”
Rafael murmured, catching me by the arm.

I tried to pull away, but he wouldn’t let
go.

“Never forgive me if I’ve done something
wrong, Sydney—” he started to say.

I cut him short. “So you’re going to tell me
it’s not your fault that Raven was hanging all over you.” I knew I
sounded jealous. I was.

Rafael’s eyes pinned mine. “Raven means
nothing to me.”

“Maybe you should tell
her
that,” I
snapped. Twisting free, I sidestepped him, but I’d only taken about
two steps before Jareth emerged from the back door of the coffee
shop.

“I can make this simple, Rafael—” he
began.

“I can, too, Jareth,” Rafael interrupted
curtly. “Leave.”

Jareth’s eyes widened a fraction, and then to
my surprise he stepped back inside.

“Huh?” I blurted, feeling betrayed.

And then Rafael cleared the space between us
in a single step. Catching my chin in his hand, he forced me to
look at him. “Patience, Sydney.”

“Patience?” I repeated, still annoyed. “Were
you ever planning on telling me that you were leaving?” My eyes
flashed angrily.

He dropped his hand and let his fingers trail
down my arm, skimming an inch above my skin as one side of his
mouth lifted into a half-smile. “So Raven and my leaving bothers
you?” he asked softly.

“I’ll get over it,” I promised tartly. I
didn’t tell him how depressing it would be. I guess I didn’t have
to. He probably saw it on my face.

His fingers closed around mine, and the look
he gave me was a long, steady one. One that I knew would melt my
resistance if I were to stare back at it any longer.

No, I really couldn’t let him pull at my
heart anymore. There were so many reasons I had to let him go.

Summoning every ounce of strength that I had,
I told him, “We both know we can’t be together, and I don’t want to
do the wrong thing. So I’m going to walk away. Goodbye.” Each word
ripped my heart out.

And with that, I ran into the coffee
shop.

I stayed in the back for the rest of my
shift, and to my relief, everyone left me alone. Ellison dropped by
to say that they’d all left, even Jareth.

I washed the dishes, cleaned the storeroom,
and tried my best not to think of Rafael. Instead, I tried to focus
on my tulpa experiment, but it was really hard to summon the
emotion of happiness and to think of Pikachu when all I really
wanted to do was cry.

Finally, my shift was over.

Grace and Ellison had another date after
work. They offered to let me join, but I didn’t really like being a
third wheel. Besides, I had to get my Christmas presents. I’d lost
track of time. Christmas was tomorrow, and I hadn’t gotten a single
present.

I looked up the bus schedules on my phone and
found one that suited my purposes. And if worse came to worst, I
figured I could call Jareth. With all of the craziness of late, I
reckoned there was a fairly high chance he’d show up.

Hopping onto the bus, I checked Jareth’s rune
several times. It was cool to the touch, and I took that to mean
that the Mesmers were busy doing something else right now instead
of watching me. I wasn’t sure if it was an absolute indicator, but
it made me feel better, anyway.

After a short ride, I arrived at the
department store where I had made that foolish mistake of
shoplifting. Rafael had rescued me then. It seemed so very long
ago.

I couldn’t help but think of him the entire
time I picked out the presents.

I’d never bought Christmas presents before,
so it kind of cheered me up a little, and exiting the store with
shopping bags in one hand and Jareth’s rune clutched tightly in the
other, I ran for the bus stop at the far side of the parking
lot.

It was already dark. In Seattle, it was dark
before 5:00 PM in the wintertime, but I really didn’t mind it. In
fact, looking up and down the street, I thought it helped to make
everything look super Christmas-y. Red, green, and white lights
twinkled in all of the store windows and even on the
streetlights.

I’d almost reached the bus stop when I saw
him.

At the edge of the parking lot, I drew up
short to see Rafael’s tall figure leaning against his car, his
hands in his pockets. The mist surrounding the car betrayed the
fact that it had just been shifted.

Rattled, I said the first thing that came to
my mind and pointed to the car, “I thought you couldn’t shift.”

He chuckled deeply in reply. “There are
plenty who will do it for me.”

I supposed that was true enough. He was a
prince and a pureblood. He had no lack of devotees. It was moments
like this that really highlighted the differences between us.

And then over his shoulder, I saw glowing
eyes staring at me from the dark branches of a tree.

I gasped.

Immediately, Rafael pushed off of his car and
moved swiftly my way, looking every inch the soldier.

But following my gaze, he relaxed and said,
“It’s only a cat.”

As I watched, the cat jumped down and slowly
walked away.

I felt a little foolish.

“Let me take you home,” Rafael offered,
holding out his hand. “I’m going back there now anyway.”

As I hesitated, Ajax popped his head out of
the window and practically smiled in invitation.

Feeling like a fool who enjoyed self-torture,
I walked to the car and slid in, stuffing my bags of presents
around me.

Ajax actually wagged his two-inch
Twinkie-stub of a tail in greeting.

“What have you done with the
real
Ajax?” I asked him a tad sarcastically, but I couldn’t help but
smile a little.

He widened his grin to show more of his
teeth, and suddenly I wasn’t really sure he was smiling
anymore.

“Ah, there you are,” I said, deciding against
petting his head.

And then Rafael got in, and we were off.

Neither of us spoke. Not until we pulled into
Al and Betty’s driveway.

“You’re right,” Rafael said abruptly, before
I could even open the door. “I’ve been foolish with you, Sydney,
and I can do nothing now but claim responsibility. It’s all my
fault and my fault alone. You’ve done nothing wrong.”

I held still, not daring to look at him.

And then I felt his finger trace a light
caress along my cheek, and his voice dropped into a hoarse whisper.
“I’m leaving now, and I really shouldn’t … come back. I’m sorry.
I’m sorry for everything.”

I wanted to ask Rafael about the Inner
Circle, and the mutant tulpa, and why he was just leaving when
everything seemed to be escalating into a big mess.

But I didn’t.

I just bolted out of the car, bags and all,
and dashed into the house with the last words Rafael would ever say
to me ringing in my ears.
I’m sorry. I’m sorry for
everything.

I closed the door behind me and leaned
against it.

I wanted to cry, but I hurt too badly.

So instead, I did what I’ve done my entire
life. I pushed the thoughts away. I bottled them up to be dealt
with later. I didn’t even let myself acknowledge that most of the
time, later never came.

And then I heard Al singing in the
kitchen.

Seizing the distraction, I set my bags of
Christmas presents down and walked into the kitchen to see what he
was up to.

The table was covered with an array of
chicken wire, paper clips, a variety of wire clippers, and a stack
of baseball caps.

Al was on the floor, kneeling next to Tigger.
He was stapling paper clips onto the old bloodhound’s collar.

“What’s up?” I asked curiously.

Al stopped mid-song and glanced up at me with
a wide grin. “Just a precaution,” he replied congenially. “Jack
says that pet microchips are really devices the government’s been
using to spy on humans. It’s all part of the plan.” He tousled
Tigger fondly on the head. “I figure these paper clips will wreak a
bit of havoc on the signals in case they decide to tune in.”

I blinked in surprise and wondered if I
should do a bit of research on pet microchips myself. It might be
something the Brotherhood had dreamt up.

Sitting down heavily in the kitchen chair, I
picked up one of the baseball caps and twirled it on my finger.
“What did Jack have to say about foil hats?” I asked.

Al’s face lit up, and he got up off the floor
to sit across from me. “Looks like there’s been a big conspiracy to
phase out real tinfoil and replace it with aluminum,” he replied,
his voice straining to stay in a whisper.

“Why, what’s the difference?” I asked.

“Oh, aluminum foil won’t work,” Al said, his
brows coming together in a frown. “There’s been some research on
that, kiddo, but they’ve tried to quash it so the word don’t get
out.”

“Doesn’t,” I corrected automatically and then
asked, “Word about what?”

His blue eyes were bright as he whispered,
“Aluminum actually helps transmission. They’re tricking everyone
with foil hats into thinking they’re protected when it’s just the
opposite
.”

I stared at Al. It sounded exactly like
something the Brotherhood
would
do. “I bet you’re right,” I
agreed wholeheartedly.

Al rubbed his hands together. “But we can get
around it easily enough. We can use chicken wire. I’ve almost got
this one finished.”

He picked up one of the baseball caps and
turned it over. I could see that chicken coop wire had been
attached to the inside and secured in place with staples.

“Any metal grid is going to make a Faraday
cage,” Al explained as he pointed inside the cap. And then he
cocked a humorous brow. “For example, you don’t have to worry about
Jerry falling victim to any mind control. He
lives
in a
Faraday cage.”

The way he said it made me suddenly recall
how the mutant tulpa had drawn back from Jerry’s cage. Had it been
because of the Faraday cage or something else? I was so distracted
that I missed some of what Al was saying and tuned in at the last
second.

“And we should really be prepping the house
as well,” he said, tucking the last bit of wire into another cap.
“But we’ll have to make do with these for now.”

I knew that for Al, he was showing remarkable
restraint. I was surprised he hadn’t figured out a way to turn the
house into a big Faraday cage, despite Betty. But I did wonder how
I could use the roll of chicken wire under my bed to at least
protect my bedroom.

And then Al gave a nod of satisfaction and
held up the hat. “Finished. What do you think, kiddo?” he
asked.

I grabbed it and stuck it on my head. I
didn’t care how I looked in it. I needed some way of protecting my
thoughts other than standing in the chicken coop.

“I want this one,” I said. And looking
earnestly into his eyes, I added, “Let’s do one for you now. And
promise me that you’ll always keep it on.”

“I will.” Al looked at me with a shrewd gleam
in his eye. “You know, I think you’ve been right all along, Sydney.
I think we’re dealing with the supernatural here.”

I nodded vigorously in agreement.

But then he added with a chuckle, “Not that
the government isn’t in on it, too.”

I wasn’t so sure about that, but it wasn’t
beyond the realm of possibility, I supposed. Resting my chin on my
hand, I watched him cut more wire.

I adjusted the baseball cap on my head,
relieved I could think without the fear of being overheard anymore.
Or at least I hoped that was true. I needed every advantage I could
get since I figured I was on my own where this mutant tulpa was
concerned.

Rafael … well, I couldn’t think about him
right now.

And Jareth. I knew he meant well, but I
couldn’t trust him completely right now since Melody seemed to have
some sort of control over him. Not to mention his connection to the
Brotherhood. They might be able to make him do things against his
will, too.

Thinking about the Brotherhood of the Snake,
I helped Al clip bits of wire.

“How do you deal with snakes, Al?” I asked as
we worked on his hat.

Al hardly blinked. “The number one snake
safety rule is to avoid them, but if you can’t, remember sudden
moves make them attack.”

Avoid them. How I wished I could avoid the
Brotherhood of the Snake.

“Why don’t you get us some ice cream and have
a look through my Wilderness Safety notebook, kiddo,” Al suggested.
“It’s the red notebook in the drawer over there.”

After dishing out two bowls of Neapolitan ice
cream, I found the notebook, returned to my spot at the table, and
began flipping through it.

“Don't assume just because birds and other
animals eat it, that it’s safe,” I read aloud. “In a forest fire,
the smoke will show you which way the wind is blowing, and that‘s
the way the fire is moving. Fire travels faster uphill, so don’t
make for high ground. Take refuge in a river if you can.”

That was interesting, though I wasn’t sure
how useful it was to me.

I took a bite of ice cream and continued,
“Always remember that earthquakes can trigger tsunamis. If the
water recedes from the beach, a tsunami is on the way, and if
you’re close enough to see one, you’re too close to escape it. The
only way to save yourself from a moving wall of water is to get to
higher ground.” And then written in big red block letters, there
was an additional note. “Don’t return to the danger zone after the
first wave, tsunamis are not a one-shot deal, they come in
packs.”