Page 93 of Bones

End of list.

A couple of duffels were tucked underneath, and I pulled them free to pack my limited belongings in one and some ofDeke’s clothes in the other. I threw together another little bag for Victoria since I’d forgotten the first one at Nate and Denny’s.

Grabbing the load—plus Deke’s phone and wallet—Victoria and I headed out to the truck. I brought up the GPS directions to Novel Idea and hoped the disappearing act wasn’t a sibling trend.

The drive took longer than the quoted time. I knew how to drive—Mrs. Gideon had needed frequent rides home from the bar a few towns over—but by the time I’d been able to get documentation with an exemption after my accident, Ryan had claimed I didn’t need a license.

Between breaking the law and the fact I hadn’t slept a wink in two days, I stuck close to the speed limit—to the chagrin of my impatience and every other driver on the road.

Eventually, I made my way through the small town lined with shops and restaurants before parking in front of the stores. I kept Victoria in my arms as I entered.

Wow.

Games, collectibles, and comics were displayed on shelves and in cases. The scent of sugary sweetness hung in the air like I could pluck cotton candy from nothing. It mixed with the smell of strong coffee and chocolate until my stomach rumbled.

A woman a little older than me smiled from the entryway into one of the other shops. “Can I help you find something?”

“Is Juno here?”

Her smile stayed in place, but something in her demeanor shifted. A protectiveness. “No, she’s out. Can I take a message?”

Helpless frustration mixed with my growing worry.

Contrary to her claim, a back room opened, and Juno stepped out. “Can we make today a holiday and close early? I’m wiped and still have training…” She glanced up from the giant monstrosity of a coffee she held and did a double take. “Aurora,hey. I was hoping to see you.” Her gaze went over my shoulder. “Where’s the big guy?”

Oh no.

“Oops. Sorry for lying,” the woman said, though she didn’t look the least bit apologetic. “Never know these days.”

I didn’t know what that meant, and I didn’t care—right then, at least. My focus was on Juno’s question. “I don’t know. That’s why I’m here. I tried calling here, but no one answered.”

Her cheeks flushed. “Stellan stopped by, and… Phew. Good timing.”

I was about to ask what she meant when the door chimed behind me. My breath caught, but when I spun, it was just Denny and Lilith. It whooshed out in a rush.

“Wow, first your mate doesn’t think I deserve an archangel and now you’re disappointed to see me,” Lilith said. “It’s giving me a complex.”

Denny glared at her. “Now you know how I feel.”

“Deke is missing,” Juno said.

Their playful smiles fell as they went alert.

She tilted her head toward the room she’d just come from. “Come in here. We’ll figure it out.”

I wasn’t sure how being in a storage closet helped, but I did as she said. When I stepped past the threshold, the room changed. Gone were the metal shelves and plain cardboard boxes. An intricately carved table dominated the center of the space. Beads, jars, scraps of fabric, and beautiful metallic cards were dotted around shelves that lined the walls.

The sweet smell from outside was completely replaced by herbs and flowers.

“It’s a spell,” Denny answered my unasked question as she gestured around the doorframe. “The scent barrier.”

I forced my feet to stay rooted to the spot when all I wanted to do was run. “Did you read my mind?”

“No, but it was what I wondered when I first visited, so I went out on a limb that you were curious, too.”

“You were right.”

“How long has he been gone?” Juno asked as a book’s pages began flipping without anyone touching it. She gathered some jars—thankfully bypassing the one labeled praying mantis scrotum—and set them on the ornate table.

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