My magical abilities had changed since the loss of my arm. I’d finally worked my way back up to a compulsion spell. I was ready to find the bead, whether or not Wren was ready to give it to me.
“No time like the present,” I said. I’d need to be able to sustain a concealment spell as well, if I had any chance of sneaking up on Wren. I managed to hold the spell long enough to test it out on Talbot, who was in the hospital stockroom, organizing the supplies.
He didn’t notice me until I knocked over a stack of bandages. He swore and looked around.
“Reveal,” he said.
The spell held. “It’s me,” I said.
“Nyx, I should have guessed,” he said. He addressed the air about twenty feet away from me. “I thought I saw your shadow.”
The effort of holding the spell was making me sweat, so I released it.
“There you are,” Talbot said. “Practicing?”
“I’m off to find Wren,” I said. “And get Hecate’s Eye back.”
“Want me to come with?” Talbot asked.
“No, I just wanted someone to know in case I don’t come back.”
“You’ll be back. Like a bad penny,” he said.
I grinned at his tone, which held equal parts affection and annoyance.
I’d learned a few things from the Fates’ Tracker. People were afraid to talk about Hecate’s daughter, but at the end of the day, I finally caught a break.
It took too much energy to maintain the concealment spell. Besides, I was hungry. I grabbed a taco at Midtown Market. The place was full, mostly mortals there for happy hour, but I finally spotted three sprites sitting at a table, a pitcher of margaritas in front of them.
“Good day, ladies,” I said. “Have you seen this woman?” I held up a picture of Wren.
“Yes, I’ve seen her,” a wood sprite whispered. “In the woods.”
“That doesn’t exactly narrow it down for me,” I said. “There are trees everywhere in Minneapolis.”
The two other sprites giggled.
“She goes to the place where she was born,” she replied.
The place where she was born? The place Sawyer had shown me. “Many thanks.”
I picked up the Caddy and headed back to the wildlife reserve. I found my way to the cave. I would try to keep my promise to Sawyer, but it wouldn’t be easy. Wren wouldn’t make it easy.
There were dozens of candles burning inside the cave. It still smelled mossy and damp and there was a steady drip somewhere, probably coming from an underground stream.
Wren wore topside clothes—jeans, an Eternity Road T-shirt I’d given her, and boots. The caves were cold at night, even in summer.
“There’s no place like home,” I said.
“Hello, Nyx,” Wren said. “I wondered when I’d see you again.”
“Hello, Wren,” I replied. “Give me the bead and nobody has to get hurt.” My heart beat loudly in my chest. Despite everything that had happened, I didn’t want to hurt Wren.
“You are my first visitor,” she said, ignoring my demand. “Would you like some tea?”
“Is it hemlock tea? I’ll pass.”
I didn’t see a red Tria Prima robe and her soft skin was free of any burns. If she hadn’t been the watcher at Morta’s apartment, who was it?
“I’m hurt,” she said. “I did save your life, after all.”
“You mean you slit my throat and left me to bleed out,” I replied. I took a seat on a boulder. “And because of your mother, I’m missing something.”
Her eyes went to the empty sleeve of my jacket.
“What makes you think I have the bead?” she asked.
“You need an insurance policy,” I said. “You liked your taste of freedom, and keeping the bead is your way of keeping your independence.”
Her pseudo-pleasant demeanor disappeared. “That’s right,” she snarled. “If I won’t give it to my mother, what makes you think I’ll give it to you?”
“This,” I said. The compulsion spell flowed from my fingers. “Give me the bead.”
“You disappoint me, son of Fortuna,” she said. “Using a necromancer’s trick. That won’t work with me.”
“No, but this will,” I said. I used a concealment spell and disappeared.
“Reveal yourself, son of Fortuna,” she cried. Wren was the daughter of a goddess, but I had Hades and Lady Fortuna on my side.
And I was sneakier. I’d spotted the chain around her neck when I first got there. While Wren was distracted by my disappearance, I slipped a finger under the necklace and yanked.
Her arm came out to block me, but the crimson eye bead appeared, rising from Wren’s creamy cleavage. I stuffed it into my pocket and left. Wren’s curses followed me, but I ignored her. I had what I wanted. I couldn’t help but feel sorry for Wren. She was alone. Had Hecate abandoned her?
Part of me wanted to go back and fold her into a comforting embrace, but then I remembered how she’d viciously attacked Rebecca. Wren was her mother’s daughter and I couldn’t afford to show her any tenderness.
When I returned to the Upper Post, Trey had been moved to a room near the rest of us. I went to visit him. I had the bead, but I didn’t know what to do with it.
“How are you feeling?” I asked.
“Like I’m ready to get out of this bed,” he said.
I laughed.
“I’m grateful, Nyx Fortuna,” he said. “The House of Poseidon is in your debt. We will stand with you.” He held out his hand.
“We could use allies,” I admitted. I clasped his hand.
“Maybe there’s something I can do,” he suggested. “I want to help,” he added when he saw the protest written on my face.
“The best thing you can do is rest,” I said. “It’s not over. Hecate will attack again. And next time, we might not have advance notice.”
“Quarreling isn’t going to get us anywhere,” he said, seeming to concede.
“What do you remember about getting bit?” I asked him.
“Nothing,” he said.
But somehow I didn’t believe him.
Ambrose strode into the room. “Do you feel like a visitor, Trey?”
“It’s always a pleasure to see you, Ambrose,” Trey replied.
Ambrose smiled broadly. “Thank you, Trey, but it’s not me. Luke Seren is at the gate and would like to see you.”
“Luke is here?” Trey’s expression was unreadable.
“I can tell him you’re too tired for visitors,” Ambrose offered.
“No, send him in,” Trey said.
Ambrose left and returned a few minutes later with Luke in tow.
“Trey, so good to see you,” Luke said.
“Is it?”
A tense silence fell. Ambrose and I exchanged glances.
“Nyx, let’s give them some privacy,” Ambrose said.
I looked at Trey, who gave me a short nod.
Shortly after Luke left, I looked in on Trey. He was already sleeping soundly. When I went to check on him a couple of hours later, Trey was gone.