The Scribe - Hunter Elizabeth - Страница 43

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“Well… nothing he could use to—”

“What did he give you?” His interest spiked. “Something harmless. What was it, love?”

She shrugged and reached into the purse near her feet. “It’s nothing. I’d kind of forgotten about it. It’s one of those nazar-amulet key chains. To ward off the evil eye, you know? Dr. Sadik told me to keep it with me. For luck.”

From a pocket, she pulled out the vivid blue glass. Around four centimeters wide, it looked like any of the tourist trinkets hanging from every shop in Turkey, only it was backed with metal he suspected doubled as an antennae. The white and blue circles stared back at him, accusing him of paranoia. Malachi held it up to the light.

“I thought it was kind of silly, but I put it in my bag and I haven’t really thought about it since.”

“I’m sure he was counting on that.”

In the darkest blue of the glass, there was an almost translucent chip with a wire leading toward the metal frame.

“There.” He held it out so Ava could see. “Do you see? I think it’s a chip.”

She blinked. “Like they put in dog collars to find them if they’re lost?”

“A simple GPS chip. As long as you have this with you, he could track you.”

He saw the color rise on her cheeks, but her eyes were cold. “Son of a bitch…”

Malachi grabbed her hand. “You trusted him. I know. It’s not—”

“That asshole!”

“He betrayed you, and you’re—”

“I’m gonna kill him.”

Now it was Malachi cautioning patience. “We need to find out more before you do.”

“This thing—” She tried to grab the nazar, but Malachi closed his fingers over it.

“No.”

“Give it to me! I want to smash it to pieces!” She was already opening her car door. “I want it as far away from me as—”

“Do you want him to think you’re in the middle of nowhere on the side of the road?” He shook the hand she was trying to pry open. “Think.”

Ava blinked, coming out of her rage. “He’d know I found it.”

“Exactly. We’re not going to take it back to the house, but we don’t want him to know we’ve found it.”

She took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay, so what do we do?”

“We’re going to take it back to Istanbul, and we’re going to leave it someplace very safe.” An idea sprang to his mind, and Malachi smiled. “Someplace that will confuse the hell out of him.”

It was morning when they walked into the lobby of Ava’s old hotel. The streets of the Sultanahmet were almost deserted as they made their way past the sleepy young man at the front desk and toward the courtyard near her old room. The young man raised his head in a quick smile, recognized Ava, then put his head down again, not realizing she no longer had a room there.

“This way,” she said softly. “I think this is where they keep the carts.”

Malachi spotted a maid turning the corner with one of the narrow cleaning carts, so he tugged Ava toward it, engaging the girl in a conversation about finding a razor because his luggage had been lost. Malachi trapped the young woman in conversation while he passed the nazar to Ava. She palmed it, took out the gum she’d been chewing, and stuck it to the glass-and-metal amulet. Then she pressed the blue circle into a corner, out of the line of sight, but hopefully secure enough to remain on the cart. Malachi saw her stuff a rag under the nazar to hold it in place, then she tugged on his hand.

“You know what? I totally forgot, honey. I have an extra razor in my bag.” Ava put on a big smile as she shook her head. “Can’t believe I forgot about that. I was surprised they let it on the plane.”

Malachi switched to English. “Is that so? I won’t bother her anymore then.” He turned to the confused maid with an apologetic smile and thanked her. Then he and Ava turned back toward the lobby and slipped out of the hotel.

“Hopefully, the cart will move enough that he won’t be immediately suspicious. Plus, you’ve stayed there before. So while he’ll know you’re back in the city, he won’t realize you’re at our house.”

“I can’t believe I stuck gum to the corner of her cart.” Ava shuddered. “The well-behaved schoolgirl in me is appalled by my behavior.”

“You were really a well-behaved schoolgirl?”

“Of course not. I was the crazy chick with a reputation to uphold.”

“That’s what I was hoping for.”

By the time they arrived at the scribe house on the other side of the bridge, morning traffic had started. Cafes and shops were stirring, and the corner market near the old wooden house in Beyoglu was opening its doors. Ava held Malachi’s hand as they walked from the car park. She had slept in the car, but not deeply. She needed quiet, food, and warm arms surrounding her while she slept.

I love you. Of course I love you.

He said it like it was the most natural thing in the world. And Ava, despite a lifetime’s worth of disappointment, was starting to believe it.

“Malachi.” She tugged on his arm a few steps away from the front door. The sun was rising, painting the side of the house a warm red-brown. It touched his hair, and Ava was blinded for a moment by the planes of his face. The warmth in his eyes as he looked down on her. He was becoming the most handsome man in the world to her. Just the sight of him stole her breath.

“What?”

“What happens now?”

He smiled and touched her cheek with a finger. “Now my brothers will greet us, and we will both get some rest. We eat something. We take things one step at a time, Ava. We will find who is after you and what they want. Then, we will make you safe.”

“It sounds pretty simple when you put it like that.” She felt her head swimming and knew she’d reached the end of her rope. She was five steps from the door, but minutes away from collapse.

Malachi squeezed her hand and reached over to knock, but the green door was already opening. Damien stood in the doorway, a fierce, intimidating figure, his torso bare save for the markings across his chest, shoulders, and arms. A linen cloth hung around his waist, and Ava saw black stains on his hands. His hair hung past his shoulders, and Ava could see the ancient warrior in his eyes as he stared.

“Morning greetings, brother,” he said quietly, opening the door farther and holding out his hand. Malachi put a hand at the small of her back and grasped Damien’s forearm with his hand.

Malachi asked, “Does the fire still burn in this house?”

“It does, and you are welcome to its light.” Then the stern expression melted, and Damien looked down at her. “You and your own.”

With that, some kind of wall was breached, and she heard Malachi’s thoughts swell with pride and excitement. He held her with one arm while grabbing his friend in a fierce embrace. The two men’s quiet laughter enveloped her as they ushered Ava through the door, and she saw Leo and Maxim standing behind Damien, both wearing the same joyful expressions. They lined up to greet her. Damien was first, leaning down to put both hands on her shoulders and kissing her cheeks, right and left.

“You are welcome, sister.” Damien’s voice held a slight waver. “You honor us with your voice.”

Aware that there was some meaning she didn’t quite grasp, Ava only said, “Thank you.”

Maxim was next. His vivid blue eyes held a devious glint, but his smile was warm. “Welcome, sister.” He leaned down and also kissed her cheeks in greeting.

“Thank you.”

Leo was the last to say hello, but Ava was grateful to see his familiar, playful expression. “Welcome home, Ava. I’m so happy you’re back.”

She was almost ready to burst into tears when his lips touched her cheek. She felt Malachi’s hand at her back a moment before he pulled her back and into his chest.

“Rhys?” he asked as she tried to recover her composure. She had never felt so welcomed in her life. A small, abandoned corner of her heart sighed and whispered, Home.

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