Then, in the same way one quickly removes a Band-Aid, Rex pulled me up with one swift yank.
“Thanks,” I said.
After Rex turned away, I flexed my hand where he’d held it, still feeling the warmth of where his skin had come into contact with mine.
The next few hours passed quietly as we drove towards our mystery location. Rex was at the wheel while the rest of us wore blindfolds. Lola freaked out every time there was a jerk or a bump in the road. She’d yell at Rex, telling him to slow down. I wasn’t afraid of his driving though. I should’ve been, I supposed. Simply by how dangerous it felt. But I was calm, maybe even relaxed.
“So who is King Sal?”
“The worst sort of gypsy,” Gabe answered me. “A cutthroat, a thief. A murderer. He was kicked out of the gypsy courts long ago for his crimes.”
“Gee, it kinda sounds like you don’t like him, Gabe.” I said this jokingly, but Gabe stayed quiet, indicating I’d touched on a sore subject. In a dismal voice, he said, “Salazar murdered our mother in a past life.”
I swallowed, feeling really bad for bringing such a sore subject up. “I’m sorry,” I told him sincerely. I knew what it was like to lose a parent. It changed everything, and never in a good way.
I found myself missing my mother. Not the new one who was obsessed with being a glamorous stage mom, but I really, really missed the old one, the mom who taught me how to tie my tennis shoes and the mom who’d let me act as her baker’s assistant.
In some ways, the loss of that mom was more painful than the loss of my dad.
I fell asleep during the drive. When I awoke, I heard the rumbling engine cut off, so I asked to whoever was listening if I could take off my blindfold.
“Yes,” Lola answered.
I tugged it off, grateful to have my sight back. But it was dark outside. There was nothing to see.
“Where are we?”
“We’re meeting Lina at a camp of Irish travelers.”
“More gypsies?”
Lola rolled her eyes. “They’d like to think they are. They travel together and stay in communities like the Roms. But they don’t possess sight. And they don’t remember their past lives.”
“But they’re friends, right?”
“Sort of. We Roms share a bond with them.”
They share a bond. That was enough for me, I decided. I was happy to be anywhere even semi-safe again.
I stepped out of the vehicle onto a dirt path meshed with pine needles and twigs. Tall, thick trees towered over us, and there was a slight chill in the air. Darkness veiled the area, leaving me wondering what was out there. Although I tried not to think about it, I couldn’t help but assume we traveled pretty far north, possibly even into Oregon.
“What is this place?” I wondered aloud.
“It’s a forest,” Rex answered, as if I were an idiot.
I scowled at him. “Thanks for that, Captain Obvious.”
“There’s a lake down that path.” He pointed while he spoke. “Which is where we’re headed. Beyond that, there’s nothing else you need to know.”
In a dismissive manner, he walked down the path without waiting for anyone.
It seemed we were back on those terms again. Rude ass.
I gritted my teeth and tried to remember how grateful I was for him. He saved me from being kidnapped on the train, just like a knight and shining armor. Well, sort of.
I reached into the trunk for my duffel. Except it wasn’t there.
“That’s weird.” I swore I remembered packing it.
“Are you looking for your bag?” Lola asked.
“Yeah, have you seen it?”
“Rex has it.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “Why does he have it?”
She shrugged. “I assumed he was carrying it for you. Rom men are very old school. Lifetimes of those behaviors, you know?”
“Well I can carry my own bag,” I muttered. “I don’t need a big, strong guy to do it for me.”
I whistled for Abby. She yawned and stretched, then jumped down from the SUV. She shook out her fur, her collar jingling in the process.
Lola shut the
“Thanks,” I said.
After Rex turned away, I flexed my hand where he’d held it, still feeling the warmth of where his skin had come into contact with mine.
The next few hours passed quietly as we drove towards our mystery location. Rex was at the wheel while the rest of us wore blindfolds. Lola freaked out every time there was a jerk or a bump in the road. She’d yell at Rex, telling him to slow down. I wasn’t afraid of his driving though. I should’ve been, I supposed. Simply by how dangerous it felt. But I was calm, maybe even relaxed.
“So who is King Sal?”
“The worst sort of gypsy,” Gabe answered me. “A cutthroat, a thief. A murderer. He was kicked out of the gypsy courts long ago for his crimes.”
“Gee, it kinda sounds like you don’t like him, Gabe.” I said this jokingly, but Gabe stayed quiet, indicating I’d touched on a sore subject. In a dismal voice, he said, “Salazar murdered our mother in a past life.”
I swallowed, feeling really bad for bringing such a sore subject up. “I’m sorry,” I told him sincerely. I knew what it was like to lose a parent. It changed everything, and never in a good way.
I found myself missing my mother. Not the new one who was obsessed with being a glamorous stage mom, but I really, really missed the old one, the mom who taught me how to tie my tennis shoes and the mom who’d let me act as her baker’s assistant.
In some ways, the loss of that mom was more painful than the loss of my dad.
I fell asleep during the drive. When I awoke, I heard the rumbling engine cut off, so I asked to whoever was listening if I could take off my blindfold.
“Yes,” Lola answered.
I tugged it off, grateful to have my sight back. But it was dark outside. There was nothing to see.
“Where are we?”
“We’re meeting Lina at a camp of Irish travelers.”
“More gypsies?”
Lola rolled her eyes. “They’d like to think they are. They travel together and stay in communities like the Roms. But they don’t possess sight. And they don’t remember their past lives.”
“But they’re friends, right?”
“Sort of. We Roms share a bond with them.”
They share a bond. That was enough for me, I decided. I was happy to be anywhere even semi-safe again.
I stepped out of the vehicle onto a dirt path meshed with pine needles and twigs. Tall, thick trees towered over us, and there was a slight chill in the air. Darkness veiled the area, leaving me wondering what was out there. Although I tried not to think about it, I couldn’t help but assume we traveled pretty far north, possibly even into Oregon.
“What is this place?” I wondered aloud.
“It’s a forest,” Rex answered, as if I were an idiot.
I scowled at him. “Thanks for that, Captain Obvious.”
“There’s a lake down that path.” He pointed while he spoke. “Which is where we’re headed. Beyond that, there’s nothing else you need to know.”
In a dismissive manner, he walked down the path without waiting for anyone.
It seemed we were back on those terms again. Rude ass.
I gritted my teeth and tried to remember how grateful I was for him. He saved me from being kidnapped on the train, just like a knight and shining armor. Well, sort of.
I reached into the trunk for my duffel. Except it wasn’t there.
“That’s weird.” I swore I remembered packing it.
“Are you looking for your bag?” Lola asked.
“Yeah, have you seen it?”
“Rex has it.”
I shifted uncomfortably. “Why does he have it?”
She shrugged. “I assumed he was carrying it for you. Rom men are very old school. Lifetimes of those behaviors, you know?”
“Well I can carry my own bag,” I muttered. “I don’t need a big, strong guy to do it for me.”
I whistled for Abby. She yawned and stretched, then jumped down from the SUV. She shook out her fur, her collar jingling in the process.
Lola shut the
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