Chapter 6
PHAEDRA
Bright sun wakes me the next day, and I squint against its rays. Did I forget to pull my curtains last night? Blinking rapidly, I sit up and look around. Bookshelves line the wall across from me. A comfy chair sits in front of them. I’m still in the living room. That’s odd.
The last thing I remember is looking at pictures of diadems and crowns, trying to figure out which one would be best for Hera.
Did I stumble over to the couch and fall asleep?
I frown. It’s not like I haven’t slept on it before, but when I’m that deep into research, I usually fall asleep at my desk.
Yawning, I toss aside the blanket and stand to stretch out the kinks.
Maybe I should get a new sofa. After folding and tossing the blanket over the back of the couch, I head to the kitchen to get some coffee.
When I walk in, Gatlin’s standing at the stove fixing breakfast. In a brown long-sleeved T-shirt and worn jeans, with his gorgeous white-blond hair falling over his very broad shoulders, he’s a sight to behold this early in the morning.
I open my mouth to say good morning, then close it again. Mr. Grumpy can stew in his own silence. I’ve got too much to do today.
“Breakfast will be ready in a couple of minutes,” he says, his voice low. “Did you find what you were searching for last night?”
“Some,” I answer shortly, turning away to get my coffee. The heat warms my hands as I sip on the much-needed caffeine. I take it over to the island and grab a seat.
He sets a plate in front of me, along with silverware and a napkin. “Eat.”
Clenching my teeth at his tone, I dig in and stifle the groan rising in my throat. Damn it. I could get used to someone fixing me food all the time.
“How is it?” he asks, sitting down with his own plate beside me.
“Good,” I reply, refusing to give him an inch.
He carefully sets his fork down beside his plate and turns to me. “I’m sorry. Maybe I’m wrong, but Agos seemed more interested in you than he was in teaching. The safety of my team is important to me. I want to be sure you’re capable of putting down anyone who comes after you.”
My hand tightens on the fork as the thought of stabbing him slowly takes over my brain. Idiot. “I’m not his type.” I flex my fingers to release some of the tension and take another bite.
He snorts. “Why is he flirting with you then?”
“He. Is. A. Friend,” I tell him, slowly enunciating every word so it will permeate his big brain. “That’s it. Like all demons, he’s a little flirtatious, but it doesn’t mean anything.” When he looks skeptical, I roll my eyes. “He has a mate.”
He looks at me in shock. “And she doesn’t care if he teaches you?”
With a slight smirk, I smile up at Gatlin. “He couldn’t care less.”
Is it wrong that I’m happy to see him the tiniest bit jealous? Laughter bubbles up, but I tamp it down. Returning to my pancakes, I pour more syrup and take the biggest buttery-sweet bite.
Gatlin clears his throat. “I see. I still think he needs to concentrate more.”
I say nothing until I finish my pancakes, and even then, I refuse to engage in his delusions. “I’m going to the vault to see if I can find something for Hera. Do you need help washing up?”
He shakes his head. “No, I’ve got this. Why don’t you rest for a bit? You were up late last night.”
“I thought you were ignoring me yesterday,” I jibe, unable to resist the taunt. “How do you know how late it was?”
“When I checked on you, it was two a.m., and you were sound asleep at your desk,” he replies, scooping up a big bite of pancakes. He raises an eyebrow when I continue to stand there, mouth agape. “What?”
He must have moved me to the couch. A warm feeling invades the depths of my heart, but all I do is shake my head. “Nothing. I’ll be in the vault.”
This is going to be a good day.
The gold peacock pin embedded with colorful gems is the perfect piece.
Feminine. Stunning. Cast in pure gold, it’s worth a small fortune.
It took me over an hour to clear the curse from it.
A nasty one designed to steal beauty from its wearer.
Not something you want to give a Greek Goddess especially not the Queen. I then added something new to it.
As I near the porch, I hear Gatlin speaking to someone on the phone. “She spent the last three weeks searching for the panels on her own. It took a toll on her. She looked haggard when she came home. Dark circles under her eyes. And she’d lost weight.”
That’s rude. Who is he talking to?
After a pause, he continues, explaining I found and lost a panel, which makes me wince. “Now, she’s spending long hours figuring out this new quest. She could really use some help.”
I slow, wanting to hear more. Is he talking to Jamison?
As I turn the corner, I see him sitting on the porch and inhale sharply at the sight.
White-blond hair, bright in the sun’s rays, cascades down over his shoulders and below his strong jaw.
Damn, he’s beautiful. Well, he would be if his face wasn’t permanently twisted into a frown or a scowl.
Rarely do I catch a smile or hear him laugh.
Even when he’s amused, his face barely shows it. Why is he so serious?
“I get it. I do,” he replies a minute later. “You’ll have to figure this out for yourself. But I would be asking some tough questions, like whether it really matters after all this time.”
He lifts his head and sniffs the air, then swivels around, his gaze finding me. “I’ve got to go. Don’t text Jamison. He’s at Lady Catherine’s house, visiting his father, and I don’t want the wrong person to intercept his messages.” He pauses. “Take care.”
So, not Jamison. “Hawthorne?” I ask as I climb the steps and grab the seat next to him. When he nods, I sift through the conversation in my head again. It doesn’t look good. “How is he?”
“Hurt,” he says, his voice gruff. “It took a long time for him to adjust to this world. The loneliness he experienced was brutal. Give him time.” He flicks a glance at the jewelry in my hand. “Is that for Hera?”
The scent of him calms me. I hold the piece up to show him. “Beautiful, isn’t it? My research revealed her preference for peacocks, cuckoos, and cows, but I refuse to sacrifice an animal. This will have to do.”
He whistles at the expensive pin. “Nice piece. So, what do we need to do again? Sorry, Hawthorne’s better at this type of stuff.”
I wave off his apology. “Five objects, five temples, five prayers,” I repeat for him. “I think I’ve settled on four of the five objects. The rest shouldn’t take me long to finalize.”
“Is that one of the objects?” he asks. When I nod, he continues. “What are the other four?” His body shifts toward me, waiting for an answer.
For a second, I’m caught up in his golden stare.
He really is beautiful. His bone structure is superb, with his strong jawline and masculine features.
“Umm…a pomegranate, lotus, scepter, and crown,” I tell him.
“The fruit and flower should be delivered today, which is great, but I still have to find the scepter and crown.”
His intelligent eyes narrow. “Where are they?”
“Not sure yet. I need to figure those out. They can’t be run-of-the-mill items,” I explain to him.
“They have to be spectacular.” The words ring out, and I bite my lip as a thought occurs.
Maybe I need to find something better for the pomegranate and lotus.
My simple interpretation probably isn’t going to do it.
I sigh and roll my shoulders as the tension creeps up on me again. This added quest is taking a toll.
He nods. “So, once you locate the scepter and crown, we’ll need to grab them, then head to her temples?”
“Yes,” I reply, leaning back against the cushions and resting my head. “Are you sure you want to go with me? I won’t hold it against you if you want to back out.”
He gives me an incredulous look. “You’re not going anywhere alone.
Have I not made that clear?” Curling his body closer, he wraps his hand across the back of my neck and starts kneading the tight muscles.
“Look, I’m sorry about earlier. I didn’t like the idea of him teaching you instead of me.
It was stupid. I don’t know why I reacted that way. ”
Completely boneless from his massage, I slowly smile. “I liked it.” He might not be able to admit he was jealous, but I’ve been a woman for a long time. “Up until that point, I felt like I was a burden or a job to you.”
His eyes widen. “That’s honest.” He takes a deep breath. “You’re definitely not a burden. You’re a part of us. And I take care of the people in our circle. It’s what I do.”
His statement sparks something within me. “Why are you so protective?” I hold up a hand. “Not that I’m complaining. I feel utterly spoiled.” And falling into him more every day. “I’m only trying to understand you better.”
A gleam of satisfaction flares in his eyes. “It’s how I was designed. The magi created us to fight and protect. I don’t know any other way.” He shrugs almost defensively. “I like taking care of others.”
There’s a note in voice that makes me tilt my head back and study him. “You don’t like to be alone. Do you?”
A small shake of his head is all I get in response.
I totally understand. All those years I spent alone; I thought of it as penance, not a choice. The only time I was content was on a dig. I burrow into his warmth.
“Thank you for protecting me. For coming to find me. I won’t let you down.”
“I hope not.”
His answer stings, but I have a lot to prove to him and the others. Starting with some honesty.
“Every minute I spent at the archaeological sites the last three weeks was lonely. I never felt that way in the past. Normally, a dig is heaven to me, a chance to dive into the world I left behind, but it didn’t feel the same this time.
I kept wishing for the four of you.” I stop and take a deep breath.
“What I’m trying to say is I’m happy you’re coming with me. So, thank you.”
Gatlin’s hand slips from my neck to my shoulders, and as he pulls me in closer, I inhale deeply, absorbing his strength.
“I might not be a nerd like Hawthorne or technologically talented like Mathias, but I’m damn good at protection. I’ve got your back.”
I smile and lift my head, placing a kiss on his cheek. “And I’ve got yours.” Not wanting to push his boundaries, I reluctantly get up and head inside to do some more research.