I ask in shock.
“That’s what I’m thinking,” Carrick admits flatly.
“Created to play a part in their prophecies,” Maddox mutters.
My thoughts race as I try to comprehend this. “If I understand, I was destined by the gods to be part of a prophecy, and my job is to stop it. A Custodia angel would be watching over me and guiding me if necessary?”
That last part, I ask Carrick.
His gaze meets mine. “I’m not sure, but the last interesting thing I learned was that a Custodia angel is always near to their charge both spiritually and physically. They will often play important roles in their humans’ lives so they can stay on the right path.”
My eyebrows draw inward as something starts to niggle in my brain. “Close physically?”
Carrick nods, his eyes lighting up. He’s already figured something out, and he knows I’m headed in the right direction.
“Holy shit,” I murmur as the answer strikes me. “My aunt Tina.”
Rainey cocks her head in confusion. “Your distant aunt you’d never heard of who showed up after your dad died with guardianship papers in hand to take care of you and Fallon until you reached eighteen? That Aunt Tina?”
“That’s her,” I say with excitement. “She has to be my Custodia.”
“I think it’s very likely,” Carrick agrees. “So, we need to find her.”
“That’s easy,” I reply brightly, this being the best news I’ve heard all day. “She lives about an hour north. We keep in touch via email and text. She’s forever sending me photos of the gardens she works on.”
“We’ll go tomorrow then,” Carrick replies just as the oven timer dings. His gaze swings that way hopefully.
Rainey pulls the lasagna out as well as the bread. We eat family-style right at the counter as we each help ourselves to gooey, cheesy portions. Carrick asks about my meeting with Hostein, and I give him the basics. Rainey and Myles talk about their real jobs, and Zaid gets a second glass of wine, but it doesn’t loosen him up in any way.
“There’s one other thing,” Carrick says as he starts to serve himself a second piece of lasagna. “It looks like Kymaris has closed Fallon’s gallery down. It’s all boarded up, but there’s still some activity with daemons going in and out at night.”
I’m not surprised Carrick has eyes on the gallery. I’m sure he wants to know all he can about the Queen of the Underworld.
“But Kymaris hasn’t been seen,” Carrick continues, and my stomach knots up with unease. It’s fear that she could perhaps just be waiting under my bed for me. “We expect she’s probably moved to a more remote house or something. Maddox is going to find her.”
“How will you do that?” I ask curiously, wanting them to find her quickly.
“Good old-fashioned stalking,” Maddox tells me with a wink. “There’s too much activity going on from the back entrance, so it’s likely some of those daemons are maybe going back and forth from there to where she’s located. Just need to follow them until we find her.”
“We can do that,” Myles says, looking over to Rainey. “Right, babe?”
“Totally,” she agrees. “We’ll do a stakeout and—”
“Absolutely not,” Carrick and I say at the same time.
This starts an argument, mainly between Carrick and Myles, both talking loudly at each other around mouthfuls of lasagna. I settle back, eat, and sip my wine. I know Carrick will physically restrain Myles and Rainey if need be to keep them safe, so I just let the argument rage on. He’s far more persuasive than I ever can be, and while I love my friends, I’m firmly on Carrick’s side regarding this.
My thoughts turn to “Aunt Tina,” a woman I had never gotten close to in the two years she lived in our house until Fallon and I turned of age. I had wanted a relationship, as she was supposedly from my dad’s side of the family and the last living part of him we had left.
But she always kept distance between us. She was diligent in her guardianship, made sure we were well cared for, but she never let any attachments form. Fallon gave up first, not really interested, but I held on a bit longer.
Sure that at some point, some of my dad would shine through.
It never happened, but now I’m sure the reason is that she was never my family member to begin with.
She was my angel.
CHAPTER 8
Finley
Carrick and I didn’t waste any time. The next morning, we left The Prestige and headed north out of