"Matt,"agreed Stefan, looking around the table as if to show that Matt wasn't there. He was trying to protect Elena from the chil s racing through him.
At first Elena wasn't alarmed. "I know where he might be,"she said brightly. She was remembering stories that Matt had told of being in Fel 's Church while she and the others had been in the Dark Dimension. "Dr. Alpert's place. Or out with her, making the rounds of home visits."
Mrs. Flowers shook her head, her expression bleak. "I'm afraid not, Elena dear. Sophia - Dr. Alpert - cal ed me and told me she was taking Matt's mother, your own family, and several other people with her and escaping Fel 's Church entirely. And I don't blame her a bit - but Matt wasn't one of those going. She said he meant to stay and fight. That was around twelve thirty."
Elena's eyes automatical y went to the kitchen clock. Horror shot through her, flipping her stomach and reverberating out to her fingertips. The clock said 4:35 - 4:35 P.M.! But that had to be wrong. She and Stefan had only joined minds a few minutes ago. Meredith's rage hadn't lasted that long.
This was impossible!
"That clock - it's not right!"She appealed to Mrs. Flowers, but heard at the same time Stefan's telepathic voice, It's the mind-blending. I didn't want to rush. But I was lost in it too - it's not your fault, Elena!
"It is my fault,"Elena snapped back aloud. "I never meant to forget about my friends for the entire afternoon! And Matt -
Matt would never scare us by keeping us waiting for his cal !
I should have cal ed him! I shouldn't have been - "She looked at Stefan with unhappy eyes. The only thing burning inside her right now was the shame of failing Matt.
"I did cal his mobile number,"Mrs. Flowers said very gently.
"Ma ma advised me to do so, al the way back at half past twelve. But he didn't answer. I've cal ed every hour since.
Ma ma won't say more than that it's time we looked into things directly."
Elena ran to Mrs. Flowers and wept on the soft cambric lacework at the old woman's neck. "You did our job for us,"she said. "Thank you. But now we have to go and find him."
She whirled on Stefan. "Can you put Meredith in the first-floor bedroom? Just take off her shoes and put her on top of the covers. Mrs. Flowers, if you're going to be alone here, we'l leave Saber and Talon to take care of you. Then we'l keep in touch by mobile. And we'l search every house in Fel 's Church - but I guess we should go to the thicket first..."
"Wait, Elena my dear."Mrs. Flowers had her eyes shut. Elena waited, shifting impatiently from one foot to the other. Stefan was just returning from putting Meredith in the front room.
Suddenly, Mrs. Flowers smiled, eyes Stillshut. "Ma ma says she wil do her utmost for you two, since you are so devoted to your friend. She says that Matt is not anywhere in Fel 's Church. And she says, take the dog, Saber. The falcon wil watch over Meredith while we are away."Mrs. Flowers's eyes opened. "Although we might plaster her window and door with Post-it Notes,"she said, "just to make sure."
"No,"Elena said flatly. "I'm sorry, but I won't leave Meredith and you on your own with only a bird for protection. We'l take you both with us, covered in amulets if you like, and then we can take both animals, too. Back in the Dark Dimension, they worked together when Bloddeuwedd was trying to kil us."
"Al right,"Stefan said at once, knowing Elena well enough to realize that a half-hour-long argument could ensue and Elena would never be moved an inch from her position. Mrs.
Flowers must have known it too, for she rose, also immediately, and went to get ready.
Stefan carried Meredith out to her car. Elena gave a tiny whistle for Saber, who was instantly underfoot, seeming bigger than ever, and she raced him up the stairs to Matt's room. It was disappointingly clean - but Elena fished a pair of briefs from between bed and wal . She gave these to Saber to delight in, but found she couldn't stand Still. Final y, she ran up to Stefan's room, snatched her diary from under the mattress, and began scribbling.