A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #2) - Sawyer Bennett Page 0,115

indifference. Instead, I get a forced smile.

He stands from the chair. “Prophecies can be fuzzy, and there’s always more than one way it can turn out. I don’t think it necessarily means you’ll die.”

Nice words and I appreciate the sentiment, but even I can hear in his voice he doesn’t mean it.

“We need to get some sleep,” Carrick says, his eyes averted from mine. “Tomorrow, we need to sit down with Zaid and start figuring out how to find the angel that was at your birth.”

I rise from the chair, and we’re both silent as we climb the spiral staircase. After Carrick pushes the swiveled bookcase shut, he shows me where the button is to open it. “Feel free to go down any time you want,” he reaffirms.

“I will, thank you.”

We stare at each other, so many things between us that weren’t said and probably never will be. But there is one more thing he needs to know.

“You never asked me how I knew you were a demi-god,” I say.

He shrugs, tucking hands down in his pocket. “I assume someone told you in Faere. Most likely Pyke while you were dancing.”

“I overhead Nimeyah say you were a demi-god when you were talking in the throne room,” I say. “It’s the last secret I have to tell you.”

Carrick’s eyebrows rise. “You mean you had your ear pressed to the door and eavesdropped?”

“No,” I say with a sly smirk. “I didn’t have my ear pressed to the door, but I eavesdropped. I’m able to hear supernatural beings from long distances.”

Eyebrows knit, chin drawn inward, he asks, “And just how long have you had this ability?”

“A while,” I say with a chuckle. “Since before the feather appeared. I’ll tell you all about it at breakfast tomorrow.”

“Fair enough,” he says, and the smile he gives me is easygoing. At the least, I think we are now friends, for however long that might be.

I bid Carrick good night before heading to my room.

Kicking off my tennis shoes, I settle on top of the comforter and shoot a quick text to Rainey and Myles to let them know I’m back from Faere. They’re not coming back from Arizona until tomorrow, and I ask them to come by for some coffee at the shop if they can.

Laying my phone face down on my chest, I put my hands behind my head and stare at the ceiling. I really should take a quick shower, put on some pajamas, and try to get some sleep. I have a feeling the coming days are going to be crazy.

But I don’t move, instead replaying all the things I learned in Faere today, as well as tonight about Carrick being a demi-god. I take stock of the disappointment that any relationship with him is impossible because at the end of all this, he wants to cease to exist, and I’ll most likely be dead.

I’m not sure when it happens, but, at some point, I close my eyes and fall dead asleep.

* * *

My phone ringing brings me out of my slumber quickly. I’m instantly alert and as I lift the phone from my chest, I see I’ve only been asleep a few hours. It’s almost 4:30 am.

It’s a number I don’t recognize and in my former life, I would have ignored it. But these days, I can’t afford to ignore anything.

“Hello,” I say softly, even though Carrick’s room is on the opposite side of the condo and I’m in no danger of waking anyone up.

“Miss Porter?” a man says, sounding a bit older and with a distinctly serious tone.

“This is she,” I reply, sitting up on the bed.

“This is Officer Janson of the Seattle Police,” he informs me, and I can hear two other men talking in the background but can’t understand what they’re saying. “Your security alarm at One Bean went off, and the police were notified. The security company says they tried to call you, but you didn’t answer.”

“I was sleeping,” I say, swinging my legs off the bed. Had I missed the call somehow because I was so tired?

“Well, I’m at your shop with two other officers,” he continues. “We did find the alley door had been jimmied open when we arrived. It doesn’t appear there’s any vandalism, but we can’t tell if anything was stolen. I’m going to need you to come down to do a walk through with us, then sign off on our report.”

“Um… yeah,” I exclaim, popping off the bed. I look down. I’m still