Chapter 26
CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX
We had multiple plans and people working on them.
Ranth, Ori, and I were taking on the second gold piece while Juke set up for the ritual.
Juke and Ori had drafted emails from the museum director to the jewelry curator, and Vivian’s professor at UC Berkeley arranged a short-term loan of the piece for study.
The museum was really nice about supporting scholars, and short of hiring someone to steal it, I didn’t see how we would get it out of the museum otherwise.
If we didn’t get arrested, then it was a good plan. We’d find out shortly.
Ori pulled the car into the Egyptian Museum’s free parking lot, across the street from the building.
“You want us to wait here?” I asked Ori as she got out. She handed me her laptop bag.
“I’ll be fine. Why don’t you look up these links Vivian sent while you’re waiting?
I’ll text you if Juke’s hack doesn’t fly.
” Ori smoothed down the brown pantsuit jacket.
With her brown hair pulled back into a bun and some extra mascara, her brown eyes had gotten bigger in her oval face.
She had an air of sophistication that I hadn’t seen—and she glowed with confidence.
“You look fantastic, by the way.”
She flashed a glossy pink smile at me and walked to the street.
I was sending prayers to the universe that this would work. We still had to figure out how to get the other pieces. I opened the door and moved from the passenger seat to the back seat. Ranth looked over at the screen as I set up the laptop and clicked through the links.
“How about this one?”
Ranth nodded, and I clicked to the next link.
“By the way, about what you said earlier, that I needed to build on my own knowledge. What exactly did you mean? Is there something I’m not doing that I can do better?” I fiddled with my moon pendant, acutely aware of how close he was. This was no-regrets territory.
“Your lack of training has made you look for other ways, outside yourself, to direct your magic where you want it to go. If you had a teacher, the first thing you’d learn would be to find peace with yourself.”
“I’m going to try to see that as it was meant, rather than as a personal attack. I’m totally okay with myself. I do check-ins all the time, and I meditate and…”
“But that’s what I mean. You look for things to do to assist you, rather than just be.”
“Oh. OH. I get it. Like when I’m in the garden or a forest.” It was something Mom had taught me, but not about magic specifically. Breathe with ancestors under your feet and your heart lifted to the sky.
“Much closer, but without the garden or forest,” Ranth replied, examining his arm.
“I think I understand. I can try that, but it might take some practice, which is probably what you meant.” I clicked through the fourth link.
“How about this one?” On the website was a scroll case made of gold from the same period, but the listing was in Turkish. “Any good? This translation is awful.”
Ranth scooted closer. “I can read it, and it appears to be of the right time. The symbols under it make sense.” His hand brushed my leg, sending tingles up my thigh. “What does it mean that the item resides in the personal collection of Mr. Ahmet Aslan?”
“It means it will be tough to obtain. But that’s Freddie’s specialty—and this time we even have the location.”
My cell pinged. It was Juke. Called in some favors and got the basic set-up built. Can you come and see it?
I messaged back: Probably later this afternoon. Good?
She texted back. Okay.
“Hey, is that Ori, already?” I peered across the street. Ori was hurrying toward the car.
“Wow, that was fast.”
Ori opened the door, a little out of breath.
“Got it, let’s go. They had it packed and waiting at the front check-in.
Seriously, we could have sent a courier.
I just had to show credentials and sign it out.
” Ori held out a small archival box in a heavy acetate sleeve and handed it to Ranth.
He fiddled with the adhesive on the clear envelope.
I blinked. The box in his hand shimmered with a golden radiance.
Ranth flipped the catch and starry golden streamers snaked out to his forearm.
He stiffened as his tattooed words glowed.
“That’s about as good as treasure gets,” I said. Ori hadn’t appeared to see anything but the roughly set gemstone in the middle of the golden amulet.
“Aren’t you going to take it out?” I asked Ranth. He was staring at the golden light hovering over his skin.
He shook his head. “It’s better not to touch it until it’s needed.” He closed the box, and the streamers disappeared. Once the box was not touching his skin, the glow faded, and his shoulders relaxed.
“You okay?” I asked. His eyes had gotten a faraway look.
“I’m fine.” He set the box on the floor between his feet as if it would go away.
I pressed my lips together as Ori started the car. “We need to meet Juke at the warehouse later. It’s private there, and we can see what we need to do.”
Ranth’s voice hovered over me. “We should return to your home first, Sorrel. There is a chance the order will send someone there. They may be able to help me with the incantation.”
“Saying I couldn’t?” I rubbed dampness from the back of my neck. I was so relieved Ori hadn’t gotten into trouble.
“I was suggesting it would be easier if they already knew the steps. I can teach you, but it will take time.” The new blue shirt Ori had brought for him made his skin glow.
I’d glanced over at him more times than I wished to admit.
The jeans hugged his thighs, and the T-shirt clung to his muscled chest and arms. She’d bought blue Converse hi-tops and a blue bomber jacket with orange stars on it.
Blue and orange suited him, like he was wrapped in summer skies and juicy peaches.
I was attracted to his skill, and there was something about him physically that drew me.
But the gray-edged lich form flooded over that.
What was weirder than anything was the blossoming warmth in my chest when he was close, like we’d been friends for years.
Ori brought me back to the moment. “Gah, I need to get back to campus, but I can meet you two later. Either I can drive the car home, and I can walk, or you can drop me at the BART?”
“Yep, all good, I can drop you,” I said and nodded at Ori as she put the car into gear, realizing once I got home that I was going to be alone with Ranth again. I wasn’t sure how I felt about that—which in itself was a problem about the size of a vexing but very, very handsome wizard.