Faberge egg being handed to a princess. “Do you want some cookies to go with it?”
Glimmer accepted the mug, wrapped her hands around it, and smiled at Vine. “No thanks.”
Winter watched red pop out across his cheeks — a stark contrast against his luminescent skin and that robe of white-blond hair.
When Vine didn’t leave, Glimmer questioned him with a look.
He continued to watch her from an uncomfortably close range until Winter cleared her throat.
“Oh. I’ll just go. But, I was wondering if … you know, if you’re … okay.”
Glimmer dropped her gaze.
Vine backed toward the door. “You know what? Never mind. I’ll check on you later. Okay, so, um, if you want more, just yell. I’m in the kitchen. I mean, I’ll be in the kitchen.”
When he left, Winter pointed to the door and scrunched her nose. “How cute is he?”
Glimmer did a one-sided shrug and rolled her eyes. She started to take a drink, but Zero came flying through the hall before she could safely tip back the mug. “Got a hit on the seeker,” he said as he passed their door, pausing only long enough to make a moment’s eye contact with Winter.
Zero was shaken, but trying to hide it. Mace was right behind him, not hiding a thing. Winter and Glimmer rushed to the door and fell in line with the group following Zero into the kitchen.
By the time they were gathered, Mace looked about ready to explode. “What’s happening, Zero?”
Winter’s heart went out to him. He’d spent the night pacing the floor and wondering if Nikki was still alive. Several times, she’d seen him trying to leave in hopes of finding them, but his duty to the other Halflings kept him. If the seeker arrived at Viennesse, he claimed he’d be abandoning them, and Winter partly agreed. Besides, all he’d known was Raven might take her to the underground tunnels of Paris, like she’d suggested, and even if he’d followed that advice, there were miles of tunnels. There’d be no way to find them.
After much argument, Winter had convinced him to wait until Raven made contact. As Mace met her eyes across the kitchen, she hoped Raven made that contact soon.
Vegan moved to Zero’s side as he spoke. “The seeker killed a guy on a university campus in Paris.”
Winter’s eyes went back to Mace. He looked like he’d been struck by a brick. “Is it —?”
“I don’t know who it is, but the report said the guy’s flesh — what was left of it—was marred by scars. They thought it might be someone who’s been in his share of knife fights.”
The room released a collective sigh. It wasn’t Raven.
When everyone continued to stare at Zero, he lifted his hands. “That’s all I got.”
Mace spun from the group and headed toward the door. Winter followed closely. “What are you doing?”
He turned to face her, the challenge evident and powerful. “I’m not waiting any longer. She’s out there, Winter. I have to find her.”
“Raven said he’d send us information as soon as he could.”
Anger bubbled beneath the blue of his eyes, causing them to look like glass under pressure. They might shatter at any moment. “I’m not trusting Nikki’s fate to Raven. You can sit here as long as you want, but I’m going to Paris. There has to be answers there.”
Vine stepped out from the group. “I’m with you, bro.”
“Me too,” Glimmer said.
Winter weighed the options. “Okay, I’ll go as well. Zero, will you keep searching for information on the seeker?”
He nodded. “I’ve got some programs running back history — if there’s any written record of seeker attacks, I should find them, but it might take awhile. Vegan can help me.”
Vegan opened her mouth to protest, but Winter stopped her. “He’s right, Vegan. You should help Zero. You know more about his computer system than the rest of us, and the two of you work together well. You’ll do us the most good by staying here.”
Vegan’s mouth twitched with aggravation, but she conceded with a sigh. Winter, Vegan, and Glimmer were a team. In fact, she couldn’t recall the last time they had been apart. But everything had changed when they’d been sent to help the males. Unfortunately, it took all of them to keep Nikki Youngblood alive.
Nikki stared over the table at Christopher, who had cluttered the space with books and notepads. Unlike Solomon, he was tall and thin and lost in a sea of loose papers. “I’ve been intending on getting this stuff organized,” he