Page 31 (2/2)

"No,"I said quickly "I just need soet soiven But as I turned to go, Dad added, "And I a with him I knew a determined face when I saw one He would cal Mo me back towel , I didn't knohere It wasn't like I could go back to Hex Hal

Those thoughts ay too tired-est,shower known to man I kneould take a lot more than hot water to wash away al the dread and sadness that threatened to overco Archer in just a little bit, so I definitely wanted to clean up for that

I was feeling a little better when I opened the shower door, but that i in my bathroom She looked a little more solid this ti fast and furiously, and I couldn'tto say "I know,"I muttered as I wrapped a robe around y to haunt me, we need to establish soher, her face atoldto say was more important than the ten pounds I could stand to lose

A sharp rap attoward the noise "Stay right here,"I said, pointing a finger at her

She responded by flipping me off Lovely

It was Lara at the door, her face every bit as worried as Elodie's "Have you seen Nick?"

My skin prickled "No, why?"

She twisted one of her rings "We stil can't find hi that's happened with Daisy, you can see why that's very troubling"

Out of the corner ofoutside the bathroohostly arms for al she orth

"I'l keep an eye out for hiently-in Lara's face

"What?"I whispered, turning back to Elodie She floated back into the bathrooot in there, she was gone "Oh, great,"I said out loud "Even in death, you're a pain in an to appear on the stea, but final y, one word appeared

ARCHER

Two more words appeared, and dread curled in my stomach, heavy as a brick

MILL NICK

"Oh, God,"I murmured

GO

As I ran out the front door in my bathrobe, it occurred toPanic surged through ic coiled up from my feet

The teleportation spelI'd never been able to move more than ten feet, and the mil was at least half a mile away Stil , I had to try

I closedto calm down It probably only took five seconds, but it felt like hours until I felt the frigid rap itself around me, felt my blood slow in my veins

I was almost afraid to open my eyes when the cold subsided, but when I did, I found ht in front of the cornfaded the instant I stepped inside I could feel the residual charge of ic

"Archer?"I cal ed out,so loudly I was afraid I wouldn't be able to hear anything else

But then, fro, "Mercer"

A sob burst fro on his back, his hands on his chest In the ht he looked like he'd been splashed al over with ink

But the substance covering his chest and spreading out in a large pool underneath his my desperate mind tried to tel me it could be There was a faint metal ic smel that reminded me of when Jenna would feed in our roo his cheek It was felt cool and cla early,"he gasped out, trying to smile at me

"Please don't joke and bleed at the saently lifted his hands from his chest It was too dark to see the extent of his injuries, which was probably a good thing Stil , his shirt was shiny and slick with blood, and his breathing was shal ow

"It was this guy,"he murmured "Cameout of nowhere Think he hadclaws"

Oh, God That explained the gashes, but the thought of Nick, every bit as savage as Daisy had been, slicing into Archer hto be okay,"I said, but"It's probably not even that bad, and you're just being a big dra around insideStil , I tried I stroked his forehead and tried to channelwounds on his chest and stomach