The Darkest Touch

The group reached the top of the staircase, turned a corner, and strode down a hallway. There were six closed doorways, and they chose the third one on the left. It was empty save for the shackles dangling from the ceiling. They managed to prop Cameo on her feet and clasp her wrists in the restraints. Three of them exited the room. The fourth stayed behind.

One of the others stopped in the doorway, saying, “Touch her, and he’ll kill you.”

“If he finds out. He won’t find out.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about that. He wanted this one for his own. It’s why she’s not with the others.”

“I say again. He won’t find out.”

The door was shut, sealing the lingerer inside with Cameo. He reached out to squeeze her breast.

Going to pay dearly for that.

Keeley dropped the Cloak, flashed behind him and fit her hands around his neck. Definitely human, though great evil writhed inside him. Demon-possessed, then. How had he come to live in a realm usually reserved for evil spirits?

Doesn’t matter. She punched into the base of his skull, grabbed hold of his spine, and ripped. Like filleting a fish. He was too surprised to fight her...and then too dead to react.

As he thumped to the floor, she brushed her hands together in another job well done. What should she do as an encore? Flash throughout the home, until she found and captured the one responsible? She could present the male—female?—to Torin as a gift.

But...no. Cameo needed medical attention, like, yesterday. She might be immortal, but she wasn’t impermeable.

Oh, well. A straight-up rescue would have to suffice.

Keeley used the guard’s keys to unshackle Cameo, wrapped the girl in streams of her power so that she would float behind while being covered by the Cloak. She retraced her steps to the portal Danika had left open by keeping her hands on the Rod. A second later, she had Cameo inside the room with the artifacts. A room fuller than when she’d left it. All of the Lords were there, most pacing, Anya muttering disparaging things about Keeley and her intentions.

Going be a reckoning one day, goddess.

Keeley settled Cameo on the floor and removed the Cloak, then folded and stuffed the material in her pocket. “We’re here,” she announced, materializing, gaining everyone’s undivided attention.

“Cameo!” Torin burst out.

“She’s alive. And you,” she said to Danika, “you may take your hands off the Rod. You,” she said to Reyes, “may open the Cage.”

Torin barely spared Keeley a glance as he crouched beside the injured female; in fact, he actually nudged Keeley out of the way. The others gathered around the girl, as well, pushing Keeley farther back...soon forgetting her and the good deed she’d just done.

She got that the girl was hurt and needed tending. She just wished the group cared a little about her well-being. It’ll take time. That’s all. One day she would be an accepted part of the group.

Determined, she moved to the Cage and opened the door, allowing Danika to lumber out. Even she rushed to Cameo’s side.

Time.

Aeron, the tattooed one, gently lifted Cameo into his arms and beat feet out of the room. The others followed him en masse.

I want to be loved like that. To belong.

Anya returned only to say, “Did you find the boy or what?”

The one Torin had mentioned? “Didn’t get a chance to look.”

The goddess raised her fist. “If you’re lying just to get back at me...”

Maybe if Keeley learned to respect those around her rather than lashing out, they would learn to respect her in turn. Sow...reap. “Lie?” she said. “I never lie. When it’s possible, I will find him.”

“Fine. And...thanks. I guess.” Anya drew in a deep breath before taking off.

Keeley moved into the hall where she remained, almost half an hour ticking by, not really knowing what to do or where to go. Finding the other girl, Viola, would have to wait until Danika had recharged.

Hands settled on her shoulders, spinning her around. She came face-to-face with Torin, and, as always, the sight of him sent her into a state of euphoria.

“Are you all right?” she asked.

His eyes were glassed over, lines of tension branching from the corners. “Can you help Cameo? She’s worsening.”

Near tears. For Cameo. Tendrils of jealousy wound through her. “I guess we’ll find out. Lead the way.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

TORIN PACED, crazy worried. Cameo barely had the strength to breathe. Her heartbeat was dangerously sluggish, her reflexes unresponsive. Nothing his friends had done had helped her.

Keeley had shouldered everyone aside to look Cameo over. Strong, capable Keeley. She would save his best girl.

No, not his best girl. Not anymore. Keeley had claimed first place, knocking Cameo off the pedestal, and that wasn’t ever going to change. But he’d clearly done something to upset her. And why not? He was a borderline moron most of the time.

Most of the time? Please. Try all of it. But this moron didn’t like the wounds in his woman’s eyes, darkening the precious baby blue to a soulful navy.

He had to make things right. And he would, just as soon as he unearthed the problem.

“Someone put a septa inside her soul,” Keeley announced. “And because her soul is linked to her body, it’s physically poisoning her, rendering her unable to respond to stimuli.”

Questions and demands rang out.

“What’s a septa?”