I gasped at the sight beyond. The pool was set within a huge room of white marble pillars and archways that reminded me of ancient Roman baths. Above, a twinkling star-scape glittered, though I didn’t recognize the constellations as ours. Soft lighting cast a flattering glow on everything and everyone, making the swimmers look like bronzed gods as they cut through the water. Cloistered walkways bordered the deep blue pool. A few magicals sat on the edges, dangling their feet in the water.
A doorway led out onto a balcony that overlooked Balboa Park, the shimmer of the interdimensional bubble glowing overhead. On the deck, four hot tubs bubbled away. A group of young women, about the same age as Santana and me, were giggling away in one of them, their raucous laughter drifting in.
Why didn’t Wade show me this place? As he popped into my thoughts, I found myself looking forward to telling him about my visit to the New York Coven. He wouldn’t approve of me sneaking through the mirror, but he didn’t have to know all the details. I’d definitely have to keep the whole almost-cast-a-dark-spell-and-summoned-a-god thing out of my story. Santana and I had decided to keep it to ourselves for now, until she’d spoken to her mom about why it might have happened. I’d tell Wade as soon as I found out more about it, so I’d have some good news to take the edge off the potentially chaotic thing I’d almost done.
Either way, I just hoped he’d be happy for me, and for what we’d found there. My dad hadn’t killed those people—he’d been forced into it. It wouldn’t bring the families of those he killed any comfort, but it brought me a whole lot.
“So?” Santana asked, as we took off our robes and slipped into the shallow end of the pool. The tepid water enveloped my body like silk, loosening up the tight muscles and easing a few recently acquired aches and pains.
“He likes you,” I replied. “There were a couple of weird things going on, but he likes you. He’s definitely interested in you in every possible way, but you didn’t need my Empathy to tell you that. Raffe couldn’t have been more obvious if he’d tried. I thought he was going to lose an eyeball.”
She giggled, resting her arms on the ledge of the pool as she kicked out her legs. “I thought so, but suspecting something isn’t the same as knowing for sure. I needed you for that extra bit of confirmation.”
“So, you’re happy?” I could already feel the joy brimming from her, but it felt polite to ask.
She grinned from ear to ear. “Ecstatic.”
“Although… you know how I mentioned those weird things?”
“Yeah.”
“Well, it felt like he was trying to suppress his feelings for you. Like he was trying to fight to keep them hidden,” I replied. “Obviously, that was pretty hard for him to do, considering… well, you, standing in front of him in a bikini. He was battling it like a trooper, though.”
She frowned. “That’s just him, I guess. He doesn’t like to give too much away, and he must’ve known I’d asked you to Empath for me.”
“Maybe you’re right, but what’s the dual personality about? I don’t get it. Every time I feel his emotions, it’s all mixed up and jumbled, like there’s more than one mind vying for the top spot.”
Santana gave an exasperated sigh. “I wish I could tell you, but Raffe will have to do it in his own words. It’s not my secret to share, and I can’t break his trust. I promised I wouldn’t.” She offered me an apologetic glance. “The thing is, Raffe has trouble opening up sometimes. He worries about how people might react to him.”
“I can understand that,” I murmured, dipping my head below the water.
All my life, that had been my constant worry—how will this family react to me, how will these classmates react to me, how will these strangers react to me? Even now, it lingered, like a gnawing ache in the pit of my stomach. Maybe that was why I was so interested in clearing my dad’s name. If people realized that he wasn’t a monster, they might see that I wasn’t one, either.
“Speaking of hidden feelings,” Santana said as I resurfaced, “there’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you about Wade.”
My heart jolted into my mouth. “Oh?”
“You know the pledge, when Wade led you into the hall?”
I nodded.
“It’s tradition for a family member, or a loved one, to do the honors—to lead the pledger into their new life, so to speak,” she explained, with a knowing smile. “Because the Smiths couldn’t attend, and given your family history, Wade stepped in to do that for you. I’m guessing he didn’t tell you the significance of the act?”
I stared at her. “Um, no… he didn’t.”
“So shines a good deed in a weary world,” she replied.
I frowned. “Did you just quote Willy Wonka at me?”
“If the quote fits, you must… I don’t know, accept it?” She chuckled to herself.
I paused, her words still sinking in. “So… he really did that?”
“Oh yes, he really did that.”
“It’s not like Wade to do something without getting credit for it.”
Santana grinned. “Must mean he really likes you. It was a cool thing for him to do.”
I stared at the pool’s surface for a long time, contemplating what had happened. All that time, and he hadn’t mentioned it to me. I’d nagged at him that day, when he was just trying to do a nice thing for me. My heart pounded in my chest at the notion of his good deed. He hadn’t wanted me to go up there alone, looking like the sad foster kid who had nobody to cheer her on. Wade Crowley, you’re just full of surprises.
Twenty-Three
Harley
Feeling loose and relaxed after an hour in the pool, I got out and left Santana to do a few more laps. With my robe on, I headed back out into the hallways of the coven and walked toward the living quarters. The pool was nice, but I needed a hot shower. Plus, I was going to need an hour to get out of this damn swimsuit. If I don’t strangle myself with it, I’ll chalk it up as a win.
I hurried along the cold marble, wishing I’d worn flip-flops or something, almost sprinting around the magnolia trees in my rush to get back to my room. I didn’t see the figure striding in the opposite direction until we collided. As I stumbled back, strong hands stopped me from falling to the floor, my robe flying open in the process. Don’t let it be Alton, don’t let it be Alton, please don’t let it be Alton. Frantically grasping at the belt, I pulled the robe closed and looked up into the disgruntled face of Wade Crowley. Despite his gruff expression, a wave of shock and desire hit me in a torrent of emotion, mingling with an undercurrent of annoyance. His eyes were fixed on my robe, his Adam’s apple moving in a subtle swallow.
“Wade! I nearly jumped out of my skin,” I said, scrambling to cover my embarrassment. “What are you doing lurking in the hallways so late at night?”
“Looking for you,” he replied curtly, tearing his eyes away from my robe. He knew that I knew what he was feeling after seeing me half naked, and jumped to try and cover it with a stern demeanor. Maybe he’d seen something he liked.
“I’ve been at the pool. Santana showed it to me, since someone didn’t bother putting it on the guided tour.” I forced a tight smile onto my face. “I was doing all kinds of neat new tricks with my Water abilities—a few twisting pillars, firing droplets really fast, making watery hands to pull Santana under. I wasn’t trying to drown her or anything, although I might’ve almost drowned a couple of teenagers who got in the way of my tidal wave. Still, it was cool to get a grasp on my powers.”
Why the hell was I rambling on like a freaking monkey up a tree? Get a grip, Merlin! We’re supposed to be channeling super-cool “single-ladies” vibes, remember? Easier said than done when standing in front of Wade with nothing on but a bikini and a robe. These newly awakened feelings were going to be nothing but trouble, I could tell.
“Are you done?” he said.
I frowned. “At the pool? Well, obviously, otherwise I wouldn’t be—”
“I’ve been looking for you all evening, and you’ve been ignoring my texts,” he snapped, the desire dissipating. “We’ve still got missing kids to find, in case you’d forgotten? You might’ve given up after the failed day we’ve had, but while you’ve been off gallivanting at the pool, some of us have carried on with the grunt work. The kids aren’t going to find themselves, Harley. Frankly, I’m starting to wonder just how much you care about this task we’ve been given.”
My eyes narrowed. “I haven’t been shirking, if that’s what you’re getting at. I spent an hour at the pool—one measly little hour, after a whole day of working on the case. Come on, man, we all need a break sometime. Otherwise our heads will fry.”
He took a deep breath. “We don’t have time to mess around.”
“So, you’ve found some new leads, have you?” I couldn’t keep the bitterness out of my voice. Who did he think he was, storming through the halls with a face like thunder, then more or less accusing me of being lazy? He was being a total drama queen about it. Yes, I’d been gone a while, but I hadn’t been twiddling my thumbs. He didn’t know about New York, that was true, but just because I hadn’t been around, it didn’t mean I didn’t care about the missing kids. I cared deeply. It was just that I cared about clearing my dad’s name, too.
If you’re frustrated with the case, fine, but don’t you dare take it out on me.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Wade asked.
“Nothing. It’s a question. Have you found any new leads? Judging by the way you’re stomping through these halls like you’ve got crocodiles snapping at your ass, it would suggest you’ve found something worth telling. I’m just waiting for you to spit it out.”
He folded his arms across his chest. “Actually, Marjorie is making some decent headway with finding Micah Cranston. We gave her an object that was brought back from the Cranstons’ as evidence, and she’s using it to read his future.” He paused, intense frustration twisting his features. “Although, we keep hitting a ton of dead ends as to where he could be. The images aren’t clear enough, and we don’t recognize any of the locations she’s seen.”