Cover Spell (26 page)

“Are you hungry?” Finn traced circles on my stomach.

I reached for the clock and turned it so I could finally see what time it was.
What!
It was 8 p.m. We had gotten so lost in each other that we had lost the entire day. I knew Finn needed the sleep, but it was almost dark again outside.

“Hold on a second.”

I pulled the sheet off him and wrapped it around my torso, just under my arms, and padded over to the dresser. My phone was buried somewhere in the bottom of my leather bag, and I fished around for it under my wallet and keys.

“I have eight missed calls, texts from the crew, Holly, and Ian. This is not good, Finn.”

“Babe, you’re fine. You are more than fine.” He winked at me. “They’ll be ok too once they know where you are. Now what about some food? I’m starving.” He didn’t bother to cover up before he jumped out of bed and made a B-line for the shower. “Want to join me first?”

The water sputtered out of the showerhead, and he started humming a song I didn’t recognize.

“Let me return some of these messages,” I called to him through the shower door.

He had already closed the glass door behind him. Rapidly, I started firing off texts to everyone who had sent me a frantic message. They had seen the news about Emmy’s return and wanted to know what was happening with me. It probably wasn’t the best idea to go dark this afternoon, but as usual, I didn’t have a plan when it came to Finn. Things just happened between us I couldn’t explain.

I scrolled through the texts and thought I had returned them all, when I saw the last one pop up on my screen.

It was from Jack. My heart stopped.

Are you ok?

That was all it said. What did that mean? Was he worried about me? Was Jack actually thinking about me right now? All I could hear was Finn’s bad shower singing.

This was intense—too intense. I had to get out of here.

I looked in the mirror. “Glamour.” Instantly, I was in a pair of shorts and a strapless, button-up, white cotton shirt. I dusted the remnants of glitter from my shoulders. I slipped into my favorite flip-flops, and let myself out of the room. I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to clear my mind.

A large party from the production crew was gathered at the Hotel François bar. I kept my head down and managed to sneak past the happy partiers, who I could tell were just getting started with the first round of drinks. I recognized the sound girls and some of Evan’s friends from the set. Everyone looked relieved, and they were obviously having some fun celebrating Emmy’s return. It had been a long three days for everyone.

With a big push through the revolving door, I landed on the sidewalk outside of the hotel. The warm night air felt good on my skin. I inhaled deeply and started walking.

After a few blocks, I realized I had ended up outside the French bistro where Finn and I had dinner only a few nights ago. So much had happened since that night. The same fountain danced with lighted bubbles. Seeing the familiar deep green leaves that adorned my parents’ garden felt like a comforting sign from home.

I sank into the wooden seat and stared at the streaming water, gurgling to life as more water surfaced in the tiered basins.

How did you let things get so complicated?
I ran my hands through my long sun-tinged hair. I was here to work. To get over Jack. To have fun. Instead, I ended up trying to date a movie star, and then completely out of left field, ended up sleeping with Finn again…and then again. Falling in love with him again? Could this be more disastrous?

“Hey, there you are, gorgeous.” He strolled to my bench and sat. He looked concerned. “I was a little worried when you weren’t in the room.”

“Hey. Sorry, I just took off. I needed some air.”

I didn’t know why, but a sudden burst of tears threatened to give way. My hands covered my face, and I felt Finn pull me into his chest.

“What is it? What’s going on?” He held on tighter.

A few more ugly sobs escaped, and I pulled myself together. I definitely didn’t want to fall apart in his arms; he never saw me unglued. This wasn’t helping anything.

“I’m fine.” I wiped away the last tear. “It’s been an emotional few days. Like I said, I needed some air.” Staring evil in the face along with the relationship rollercoaster had finally caught up with me.

Finn reached into his jeans pocket and retrieved a newly conjured handkerchief. He dabbed at my eyes and handed it to me. I didn’t even care that he had used magic on the street. “Thanks.”
Last sniffle, Ivy. Pull it together
.

“You sure you’re ok?” he asked. There was that concerned look again.

“Yep. Never better.”

I smiled and rested my head on his shoulder. This was going to be ok. We were going to be ok. I started to relax into his arms. Trust. Didn’t he tell me in bed that one of his symbols was about trust? I needed to give that to him.

He rubbed my arm. “Well, there is something I need to talk to you about.”

I pulled my head off his shoulder and looked at him. That peaceful feeling I had tried to cling to vanished. “What is it?”

He stared at the fountain. “It’s the Shadow Quest. It’s not over.”

I felt like the consul had punched me again. My head was still throbbing from the hand-to-hand combat fight I survived.

“What do you mean?” I tried my best to keep my voice steady even though the question was rhetorical. Of course, I knew exactly what he was talking about. That damned jasper was probably still in his pocket, and burning a hole in his mind every second he wasn’t trying to use it to fulfill his quest.

He ran his fingers through my hair. “Just listen. Please. I meant every word I said the other night, but I have to go for a little while. Not long.”

“How long?” Would he actually be able to give me a timetable on how long it would take to fulfill a lifelong destiny quest?

“Long enough.”

I let the words sink in. “Wait, this has been your plan since you found that stupid rock, hasn’t it?” Fiery Ivy was surfacing.

“Babe, it’s my Shadow Quest. I can’t break it. You know I accepted it and it doesn’t turn off. I thought I could, but I can’t. Please understand. If anyone can understand, it’s you.”

He grabbed both of my hands and brought them to his lips. I tried to ignore the heated prickles spreading through my hands. He wasn’t going to charm me through this.

“What does that mean exactly? Why would you think I would understand how you drop everything in your life that matters for this quest? You promised it was over.” The tears stung the corners of my eyes.

“You heard voodoo Chantilly. You have some kind of mission now. You’re like me.”

I blinked. “That’s what you think she said? Because I didn’t get that. It’s a gift—like being a Guardian or Holly being an Eraser, I think.” I hesitated. I didn’t know what a Laurel did, but I knew it wasn’t a quest—at least I wasn’t going to let it be one. I would never sacrifice all the people and things I loved for a quest. “Don’t try to equate this new Laurel title she gave me to your Shadow Quest. It’s not the same thing.”

A frustrated breath escaped his lips. “That’s not what I’m doing. Ok, forget your gift. Forget being a Laurel. Forget I said that stuff.” His eyes were piercing. “Do you understand why I have to do this?”

“No. You said this was different, that you were absolutely done with the quest. You promised me you were done.” I was firm and definite. “Aren’t you at a dead end anyway?” I pulled my hands away from him.

He looked at me with his I’ve-been-caught-in-the-act look. “I went back to see Madame Chantilly.”

“What!”

He didn’t even like the voodoo queen, but that did explain why he was gone for so long this morning.

“I had a lot of questions about the jasper and I knew she had the answers. We came up with a deal. In exchange for some help with my Guardian abilities, she told me where I should search next. It turns out she was looking for a Guardian. Kind of a funny coincidence, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, hilarious.”

I couldn’t believe he was bartering magic, especially his gift spell, for a woman he clearly disliked. The last twenty-four hours were full of Finn surprises. I had so many questions.

“How did you do it? How did you overpower me in the
Cover Spell
?”

His eyes followed the stream in the fountain. I didn’t think he was going to answer, but his smooth voice cut through the silence. “When we practiced, I tuned in to how you tried to project your cover.” His eyes stayed locked on the bubbling water. “As a Guardian, I’ve been practicing that type of spell my whole life. I’m trained in creating shields. It really wasn’t much of a contest.”

“It wasn’t supposed to be a contest.” I punched him in the arm. “We were supposed to be partners. We decided together.”

“That’s not what I meant. I knew you would fight me on it. You always do, Ivy. It was the only way I could take over.”

I glared at him. “You told me you were done. Done with everything.” I felt like I was hitting repeat on more than just this conversation. Didn’t he realize he had already broken his promise to me?

“I want to be done, but it’s not my choice anymore. I have the blue jasper now, and I can finish the quest.” He looked at me with pleading eyes. “I’m sorry about the
Cover Spell
. I really am. Believe that. I needed to do it—for you. It was to protect you.”

The tension gripping my body receded with each of his words.

“Please wait for me.” He searched my eyes. “Will you wait for me?”

All of a sudden, in rapid succession, I realized the pieces Finn had carefully put in place. He wasn’t being selfish when he switched the
Cover Spell
on me. My breath caught. He knew he was leaving, and he didn’t want to leave me alone vulnerable and less powerful.

By rescuing Emmy and not calling for backup, he had violated police protocol. It would take a mountain of
Charm Spells
to get himself out of that kind of hot water. The precinct would probably make him take a leave of absence before he would be back on the force in Sullen’s Grove—perfect timing for a never-ending, life-altering quest.

The whole trip to New Orleans—he probably had a lead all along that there might be a jasper here. Emmy’s disappearance gave him an added reason to spend time with me.

Then there was the mind-blowing, Guardian-secret-revealing, only skin and heat, emotionally devouring sex we had—it was good-bye sex. Good-bye-for-now sex.

I knew what I had to do. It was clear. I had known ever since Finn appeared at my doorstep. The magic between us was always strong, and I couldn’t imagine a time in our lives when it wouldn’t exist, but I had let it distract me. I used it to soothe and occupy my broken heart. I let my heart open to the possibility that he was no longer running water, that somehow I could contain him. I shook my head. No matter how Finn asked or tempted me, I couldn’t stay anymore. If I did, I would fall deeper and harder until I wouldn’t know how to put my heart back together. It was as much my time to go as his. I had to let him go, for both of us.

My throat tightened. “No. I can’t wait for you.” I traced his beautiful face with the back of my hand. “You need this. You’re right about the jasper. It’s part of your quest and it landed in your hands for a reason. I do understand that much about it. Go figure it out. Finish this.”

“I want to come back to you.”

“Finish the quest, Finn. Just be done with it.”

I turned my hand and ran it along the back on his neck, pulling his face closer to mine. I kissed him deeply and gently, wanting him to know I wasn’t mad anymore. I loved him, but I wasn’t going to wait.

If only my
Time Spell
would let me bottle snippets of time. This would have been one of them. We both needed to suspend this moment, so we could come back to it when we wondered or doubted what happened to us.

His lips burned into mine. I savored every taste and touch of his mouth. My arms circled his waist, and my body strained to hold him close to me. His hands tangled in my hair, and he pressed his palms into the back of my neck. Part of my heart was breaking, but I couldn’t hold on to him anymore. I had to let go.

I released my hands, leaned back, and let my eyes drift open. The bench was empty. Finn was gone.