Page 17 of A Deeper Blue
Not that she had mentioned the Fae part to him. She felt a little guilty about that. He was being really open about his wolf, but Supernaturals could be speciesist, and not everyone like the Fae. She was even a little worried about revealing her species at the Summit. If more people knew about her family, it could paint a target on their backs. On the other hand, Liam had spoken very highly of Albert DeSandre and the second sight reinforced the idea that it was safe.
Azure hesitated at the thought of the summit. She was on a mission. Could she afford to be side-tracked by Rafe and whatever his troubles were? Maybe the responsible thing to do would be to take future Rafe’s advice and leave. Common sense saidyes. She was the responsible one. She did the responsible things. Ochre was the quiet one, and Scarlet only ever did what she pleased. Azure was the one who did the hard things and made the hard decisions even when they hurt like hell, and no one ever gave her credit. Azure felt a lump form in her throat. She didn’t want to leave. She wanted Rafe. This was unfair. She didn’t want to go to the stupid Supernatural summit anyway. Azure swallowed hard. If she wanted it, then it was probably wrong. That usually was how her life went. From lip gloss tested on animals to a man she couldn’t have, her desires always came last. She closed her eyes, and the second sight kicked her so hard she stumbled and sat down on the rickety bench.
Getting to the summit meant staying with Rafe.
She let out a shaky sigh of relief. She could take a hint.
She pulled off the rain gear and put it back on the hanger just as her phone beeped.
Update? How was the elk taco, if nothing else?
Azure stared at Scarlet’s text. Elk tacos seemed like a lifetime ago.
Elk tacos were good.
Azure’s thumb hesitated. She had no idea what to say next.
How’s the train? Is it horrible? Tell me again why we don’t Travel everywhere?
Azure laughed at her sister’s text. Scarlet hadtraveledthrough the in-between woods for the first time to save Liam, and now she wanted to travel everywhere. It was just like when they had taught her to ride a bike, and then she wanted to bike everywhere.
Because Traveling like that across the entire continental U.S. would wipe me out. Because that much magic use would probably get noticed by someone, and with our luck, it would be someone we didn’t want to notice. And also, I got a ride with someone, so I didn’t have to ride the train anymore.
Oh, good! I was feeling bad about you being stuck in that giant stinky contraption!
Not bad enough to let Azure not go to the stupid summit or to worry about who she had gotten a ride with, but just alittlebad.
OK, I’m trying not to sound like grandma, but I’m assuming you found someone safe because otherwise, the second sight would have told you, right?
Azure sighed at her mean-spirited attitude. Of course, Scarlet was worried. And, of course, she was trying not to push Azure. Because pushing was what Azure did. Azure sighed again. On the other hand, she also wasn’t super anxious to tell Scarlet about Rafe.
Nope. Found a super great serial killer.
Literal LOL.
I’ll tell you all about it when I get to Oregon.
OK! Love you!
Love you back.
Scarlet sent back heart emojis, a rainbow, and a unicorn, and Azure smiled. Maybe she was having such a hard time with Scarlet’s relationship because she had a hard time not remembering that her sister wasn’t still twelve.
Azure exited the dressing room in a pensive mood. She found Rafe staring at a jewelry commercial on fifteen TVs in the electronic section. A happy couple was buying a diamond ring. He was frowning.
“Probably dug out of the earth with slave labor from a pit so large it can be seen from space,” said Azure, and he turned to her in confusion. “Diamonds,” she clarified, “are morally reprehensible.”
“How do you know these things?”
“Research,” said Azure.
“From where?”
“The internet.”
“I didn’t think that was going anywhere,” he said. “And now everyone acts like it’s everywhere.”
“It is everywhere. It’s on my phone.”
