Page 126 of Harnessed in Gold

Leo nods in agreement. “They could’ve been following any of us.”

“Burdock must be a bird weaver,” Rime says, jaw tight and eyes narrow.

“I was thinking the same thing,” Topaz admits. “He must’ve recognized your crows and given them new orders.”

He blows out a breath. “Then the safest thing to do is to all stay together until this job is done.”

We agree that Avery’s apartment is the best place to set up camp. Although both she and Aaron are the least likely to have been shadowed, it’s her place that’s in the ideal, central location. No driving required.

Rime straightens and jerks a thumb over his shoulder. “I’ll take Betts and Olivia back to their dormitory to clean up and grab their things. The rest of you do the same and meet us back at Avery’s.” He claps Leo on the shoulder. “Pack me a bag.”

Leo nods and pats him back.

Rime would’ve given up his life to get Leo out of that tunnel. If I didn’t know otherwise, I’d think they were brothers.

Liv is quiet on the short walk to our dorm, while I squirm and fidget, unable to fathom the thoughts and questions swirling around in her head. Sure, I was blindsided by the truth about what Leo is. Abruptly, brutally, mercilessly set straight the morning Rime and Topaz arrived. But there were no snakes or rats involved.

And no one held a dagger to my throat.

I wish we had the time, the privacy, and the security to talk as long as we needed. The comfort of our own room and our own beds. Instead, Liv’s being thrown into the care of strangers, forced to trusther lying best friend and three ‘people’ with pointy ears and magic powers.

When we reach Newberry, Rime orders us inside. “I need you two to be quick. Get the dirt off you, grab whatever you need for a few nights, and get back out. I’ll guard the door.”

I know by the pointed look he shoots me that it’s our room door he intends to guard, not the one in front of us. I nudge Liv around and urge her into the building first, slipping behind her and holding the door for a now invisible Rime.

A few minutes later, when Liv and I leave our room for the bathroom, he’s there, leaning against the wall opposite our door. He nods as we pass, and I offer him a slight smile in return.

Numb and silent, Liv showers in the stall next to mine, then packs her bag while I cram another change of clothes into the tote I packed this afternoon. The only words she says to me are, “I don’t really want to talk to you right now,” although they’re surprisingly free of anger.

As I lock our door, Rime kicks off the wall. “You ready?”

“I think so.” I wave Liv ahead of me, but she’s gone rigid, eyes huge and frightened.

Fuck.

In a strangled whisper, she asks, “Where is he?”

Behind her, Rime sweeps a hand in front of his face. “Right here.”

“B-but?—”

“It’s a glamour,” he explains. “Just a trick of the eye.”

Shell-shocked, she nods. “Okay.”

It’s not okay. None of it is okay. She stares, zombie-like, into the distance as she walks with us across campus and into town.

We arrive at Avery’s before the others, and she welcomes us in, paying special attention to Liv, offering her a seat on the couch and handing her a mug of tea. “Chamomile,” she says. “It’s relaxing.”

I sit beside Liv, grateful she doesn’t recoil, while Rime politely remains in the entryway until he can shower.

Avery looks up from her phone. “I’m ordering pizza. Mushrooms, yea or nay?”

Rime and I both sayyea. Liv sips her tea.

On the coffee table in front of me sits Browne’s journal. Aaron must’ve passed it into Avery’s safe keeping. Hesitantly, I reach for it.

“Careful, witchling,” Avery warns. “That thing’s a wild card. When I touched it at the library, it didn’t show me anything, but when I was setting it there on the table, I saw a pillar of fire fifty yards high.”