A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil 2)

His foot is snatched out from under him. Because he wasn’t expecting it, his other leg crumples. He doesn’t go all the way down, managing to catch himself with one knee, but he makes a deadly mistake. His arms come up instinctively, thinking I’ll strike at his face again as I flutter the whip free of his ankle, but I have other plans.

I rush him, shooting out like a bullet from a gun. His eyes flare with surprise, but I use my left arm to hook around his neck, sling my body around to his back, and, at the same time, depress the raised rose on the handle that releases the iron dagger inside. It pops out and locks with an audible snick. With one smooth motion, I turn it sideways and plunge it straight into his right ear.

It slides in like butter, no resistance whatsoever, and I know the iron destroyed his brain almost immediately as he slumps over to the ground. Unfortunately, I’m still holding around his neck so he takes me down with him.

But the incubus is dead. I lay on the grass for a few seconds while I gather my breath, not even caring Wade is lying heavy on my left arm.

I don’t waste much time though. Pulling my arm out from under the dead fae’s body, I lurch up to my feet. Leaving the dagger on the whip stuck in Wade’s brain, I walk unsteadily toward the door to Adira’s garage room. It’s open and incredibly quiet as I approach.

My heart sinks so low, and I’m afraid it can’t sustain its beating as I note that Adira is in the same position which she fell to the floor. My gaze pins on her chest as I approach her, but I don’t see it moving.

Her eyes are open, flat, and unfocused, and I know she’s gone. Legs finally deciding they just can’t support me anymore, I fall heavily to my knees beside Adira, ignoring the pain as the carpeting isn’t thick enough to soften the concrete floor underneath.

My hand is shaking so hard, I take my other hand and hold myself by the wrist. I force it toward Adira’s neck, where I should be able to feel the beat of her heart in her carotid.

Her skin is still warm and I have a wave of hope roll through me, but I realize I can’t feel anything. I lay my head on her chest. Nothing. I put my finger under her nose.

Nothing.

I look at her open eyes, and I see nothing.

“Adira,” I whisper urgently, tapping at her face with my hand. “Come on, Adira. Wake up.”

I slap her lightly again, and again, and again. My voice cracks into a pleading sob. “Adira… please.”

But I know it’s no use.

She’s gone.

Pain racks my entire body and I slump over on top of her, putting my head on her chest. I cry, not even trying to hold it back. I sob so hard I start to hiccup and almost hyperventilate. I cry until there are no more tears left before raising my head to look down at my friend.

I suck in a quavering breath, wiping tears and snot off my face with the sleeve of my shirt.

I’m lost, and I don’t know what to do.

Looking around her room helplessly, I then bring my eyes back to her pale face. And I realize… I do know what to do.

Heaving myself up into a wobbly but standing position, I manage to make my way back into the house where I’d left my cell phone on the kitchen counter before I started my journey to take the garbage out. I unlock the screen, go to my Favorites menu, and tap on the gray circle that says CB to initiate the call.

Carrick answers on the second ring, slight disbelief in his voice. “Finley?”

I want to say, “no shit, Sherlock, you have caller ID,” but I keep it simple. My tone is flat. I’m not sure it packs a punch, but all I can say is, “I need you.”

“Your house?” he asks briskly.

“Yes,” I murmur. “The garage, actually.”

“I’m on my way,” he says without any hesitation and disconnects the phone.

CHAPTER 9

Finley

I can’t tell if it’s my imagination, but I think Adira’s skin is cooling and her hand is stiffening up. After I’d hung up the phone with Carrick, I went back into Adira’s garage room and sat myself Indian style beside her body. I took her hand in mine and gripped hard. For what seemed like ages, I silently wept for my friend who never deserved any of this. Adira was all kinds of sweet and kind, but she was also ambitious.

She had places she wanted to go.

She had plans.

Now she has nothing.

Eventually, my tears dried. I spent my time waiting for Carrick, wondering what I could have done to protect Adira. I remember looking back over my shoulder at Wade in the bar, and now that I think about it, his expression was calculating. Was that the intent to murder I saw?