Page 37 of Mending Mayhem
The light changed again, and we crossed the street before hanging a right toward Patrice’s house.
“Mayhem does love you, you know,” Ash said. “He might not express it in a way you understand, but he does. I can feel it.”
“It’s only been a few days.” I tried to scoff, but my heart wasn’t in it. I felt it too, and that scared the bejeezus out of me. “He is so not my type.”
Ash laughed. “He’s your perfect match.”
“How? You and Chaos complement each other. You’re complete opposites. Mayhem and I…”
“Are exactly alike?”
“Not even close. He’s hot-tempered and cocky as eff. He’s sarcastic and brooding and doesn’t play well with others. He’s…” I clamped my mouth shut the second I realized who I’d just described. “Well, shit.”
“You need to talk to him.”
I huffed, shaking my head because I knew she was right. She was always right.
It didn’t mean I had to like it. “One thing at a time.”
“Some things need to happen simultaneously.”
“Not now.” I gestured at Patrice’s house in front of us. “Let’s go see about the amulet.”
12
EMBER
I wiped my face again, running my fingertips over my lashes lest they betray me by holding on to the evidence of yet another emotional outburst. Patrice was crouched near a flower bed, a pair of garden shears in one hand, a bundle of herbs in the other.
I paused on the sidewalk, touching Ash’s shoulder and leaning toward her. “Do your thing and see if you can find it while we’re talking to her. I want to know if it’s here before I bring it up.”
Before Ash could respond, Patrice rose and turned toward us. She gasped, dropping the shears and bending to pick them up, her gaze darting around us. “You startled me.”
“Sorry about that.” Ash strode up the walk, and I followed.
“Is it just you two?” Patrice leaned to look behind us.
“Don’t worry.” Ash picked up a piece of rosemary she’d dropped and offered it to her. “We know the guys make you uncomfortable, so we left them at home.”
“They don’t…” She accepted the fallen herb. “They do, but only because they’re demons.”
“I get it,” I said. “It’s hard to trust the royal elite of a species we’ve been tasked to eradicate.”
She let out a breath, her posture relaxing. “They don’t belong here.”
The sigil on my arm heated, making me thankful for the jacket covering it. “No, they don’t.” Good goddess, they did not. “But we can’t save Salem without them. Can we come in? I’d love an update.”
Patrice smiled. “Of course. Tea?”
“I’d love some.” Ash took the bundle of herbs from her, and I followed them up the porch steps.
While Patrice busied herself in the kitchen, I gave Ash a questioning look. She shook her head, but I couldn’t tell if she meant the amulet wasn’t there or if she hadn’t tried yet.
“Have a seat.” Patrice gestured to the breakfast table before turning on an electric kettle and taking three mugs from a cupboard.
Ash sank onto a wooden chair. “How are things going on your end?”
I took the one next to her. “Is everyone still alive with their hearts intact?”