Thirteen (Otherworld 13)

"I'm sorry for what happened," Paige whispered. "And I'm sorry I wasn't there."

Savannah shook her head. "I'm glad you weren't there. You're lousy in a fight."

Paige sputtered a laugh. "Thank you." She pulled back to look up at her. "How are you doing?"

"Fine." She tried for a smile, then swallowed and shook her head. "Not fine."

She collapsed against Paige again and she hugged her as tightly as she could. Yes, the little girl was all grown up, but she still needed her. At least, for a while longer.

TWENTY-SEVEN

I would gladly have stayed asleep for a few hours. But it felt as if I'd barely drifted off on the ride from the airport before Paige was shaking my shoulder.

We were already parked and she and I were the only ones left in the vehicle. Outside, Benicio was telling Sean how sorry he was to hear of Thomas's passing.

"We didn't often see eye-to-eye," Benicio was saying, his voice low. "But I've known him since I was a boy. He'll leave a hole in our world that won't soon be filled."

I got my bearings and climbed out after Paige. Benicio left Sean and came over to me.

"We'll get this sorted, Savannah," he said. "You'll be vindicated and avenged. You have my word on that."

Vindicated and avenged. A couple of weeks ago, I'd have been burning for just that. Now the words seemed empty. I didn't want justice with a flaming sword. I wanted peace and resolution. Fix this crisis. Fix our world.

We headed for the doors, Benicio's longtime bodyguards, Troy and Griffin, moving in to flank us, Paige and Sean staying behind with the other guards.

"Troy will be with you for a few days, Savannah," Benicio said. "Until we get this matter sorted."

I glanced over at Troy, who mouthed, "Lucky you."

"As much as I'm sure Troy would love to baby-sit me," I said, rolling my eyes at him behind Benicio's back, "he should stay with you. You could be targeted--"

"I'll have Griffin and two of my backup men. I could be a target--you will be a target."

"You're twenty-one now, aren't you?" Troy said.

"I am."

"Good, then I can take you drinking."

"Only if you can do it in the executive lounge," Benicio said. "You're going to be on lockdown for a while."

Troy leaned behind Benicio to motion that we'd discuss it later and I had to laugh. Benicio sighed and shook his head. Griffin glanced back for Paige and Sean, but they hadn't caught up yet, so we got on the elevator and he punched the button.

"Paige tells me your spells are coming back," Benicio said as the doors closed.

"On and off. I'm dealing with it."

I'm dealing with it. Shocking how casual that sounded. Even more shocking how casual it felt. My powers blew hot and cold, completely beyond my control, but I was learning to work with it. Maybe learning to live with it.

"I'd like you to reconsider that ritual Adam found," Benicio said.

I almost asked "What ritual?" Then I remembered: the one Adam had dug up to restore my powers.

"He says there's a time limit," Benicio said. "I don't want you getting so caught up in this crisis that you lose sight of that."

"I'll put it in my calendar."

"I'm serious, Savannah. Adam said you're holding off because you think your powers were taken to help you control them. But given what just happened, you need to consider the possibility that's a lie. A trick. The demons have spies. They could have known Adam was on the verge of finding that ritual and made sure you wouldn't use it."