stranger to Moroi, so I didnât see it being a problem. In fact, it might throw her off a little, which would be to our advantage. Thank you, dear.â That was to Adrian, as she accepted her coffee through the driverâs side window.
He slid into the backseat and handed me my cup. A flutter of emotions stirred inside my chest. Last nightâs encounter had left me unsettled, but seeing him now in the light of day, clear-eyed with that devil-may-care smile, I dared to hope that he really would make good on all that heâd said. How could he not? He radiated confidence, full of the charm and good looks that had drawn me in before Iâd even known it was happening. There was no drunkenness or despair. He looked like he could do anything, and just then, I needed to believe he could. There were so many things weighing me down, so many thingsâincluding our future togetherâthat seemed impossible. Having this invincible Adrian by my side filled me with a joy I rarely allowed myself. Our fingertips brushed as I took the cup, sending a jolt of electricity through me. I held his gaze for several long moments, and as his cocky smile softened into something more serious, I knew he could hear all the things I couldnât give voice to.
âWerenât you supposed to be painting your monolith?â I asked once we were back on the road.
âRowena rescheduled. It gave me time to go get you a present,â he told me.
âI know. Iâm drinking it rightâah!â
A glittering, scaly form scurried up my leg and curled into a ball on my lap. Carefully holding the coffee in one hand, I used the other to give Hopper a pat on the head as I ran a few mental calculations.
âYou must have been up at the crack of dawn to get him and be back,â I said. âHow much sleep did you get?â My shiny vision of Adrian began to falter a little. Lack of sleep was his enemy.
âMore than enough for this escapade. Isnât there a giant Muffler Man statue in Escondido? Do we have time for a photo op?â
âWeâve barely got enough time for this,â I said, thinking back on Zoeâs disappointment. But Adrianâs chatter and enthusiasm cast a cheer on the drive, and I could tell that even Ms. Terwilliger liked having him along, though worry lines appeared on her face the closer we got to our destination.
âLike I said before, I donât know how helpful Inez will be,â she explained. âSheâs very eccentric and controlled by her whims. If she likes you, she might tell you something. If she doesnât, well . . .â Ms. Terwilliger shrugged. âThen maybe weâll have time for photo ops.â
âScore,â said Adrian. When I shot him a look, he added quickly, âBut of course sheâll like you.â
When we reached the outskirts of the city, Ms. Terwilliger made a stop not for coffee, but for a bouquet of burgundy roses that she thrust into my lap when she returned to the car, much to Hopperâs dismay. âHang on to these,â she told me. I did without question and used the opportunity to transform Hopper back into his statue form. Heâd had more than enough out time these past few days.
A recluse witch made me think of Clarence, so I was surprised when we pulled up at a very modern Spanish-style house that was pretty much the opposite of an old Gothic manor. It was made weirder still by an El Camino with a flat tire sitting out on the driveway. Iâd expected something outlandish and eccentric from what the other witches had said, so this nod to normality was almost a disappointment.
Then we stepped inside the door.
It was like being in a shrine . . . to roses and doilies. Every surface in the place was covered. In that way it wasnât unlike Ms. Terwilligerâs house; despite having her former home and possessions recently destroyed, she had somehow managed to fill up a new house
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