Page 29 of Blood Skye (Skye Druids #6)

Chapter Twenty-Nine

Water droplets slid along the glass as the high speeds propelled them back. Song felt a connection with them because it seemed as if everything was pushing against her.

She expanded her focus to take in the outside world through the passenger window as Carlyle drove. Her heart had been thumping like a drum since they left the flat. Her intuition warned that things could go badly. But she had to get Jai .

And Carlyle needed to find Thomas .

Sneaking in gave them the best chance. Sure , Carlyle could call in his friends, but that would put the Knights in London and instigate hostilities. Those on Skye needed to remain there. She had always known the isle was a powerful place but had only recently discovered just how potent it was.

It was just her and Carlyle .

The sun hung like a giant orange ball, slowly sinking into the horizon. The world went on, unaware of her troubles. It didn’t care about death, disease, or war. Those allowed to call Earth home were merely guests. They had worn out their welcome long ago. Perhaps the planet was done waiting for them to leave. Maybe that’s why there was global warming—to make the world so uninhabitable they had no choice but to leave.

Song rested her head against the seat and sighed. She always let her imagination go to dark places when she was nervous. And she was particularly anxious tonight. It was the first time she had gotten this close to finding her sister—and freedom.

But it was more than that. She covertly cut her eyes to Carlyle and was surprised to discover she liked being around him. He was a good man caught in a no-win situation. Even when life dealt him blow after blow, he somehow found his footing and kept going. Then there were his friends. The Knights .

If only she’d found people like them. If she had, things might have ended up differently. But she’d been on another course. One that had forced her to shut off her emotions or go daft. She and Carlyle couldn’t be more different. Despite his mother dying when he was young, he’d had a loving, doting father. He’d had a full life at uni. And even after the tragedy with Mabel , he had found a group that became his second family.

While she’d disobeyed her parents, gotten jealous of her infant sister, and did unspeakable things for an organization she loathed. She had been a lone tree in the middle of a lake. Out of reach of anyone and anything else. Utterly deserted.

There were calm moments, but mostly, she was battered, bullied, and coerced. She was so tired. Of being alone, of doing it all, of having no one.

Her throat tightened when she recalled how Carlyle had taught her to fish. Every moment they had been together was safely locked away for her to relive and treasure for however much longer she walked the Earth .

Carlyle’s mobile lit up in the cup holder. Song saw another message from Finn before the screen dimmed. Finn was worried, and he had every right to be. What they were attempting was tantamount to suicide. At least for her. It would be so much worse for Carlyle .

“ It’s better if I don’t talk to him,” Carlyle said, breaking into her thoughts.

She lifted her gaze to him, and their eyes briefly met before he refocused on the road. “ You wouldn’t think that way if your positions were reversed.”

“ But they aren’t. I care too much about Finn to drag him into this.”

“ He’s your friend. You aren’t dragging him anywhere. He’s there with you.”

Carlyle shot her another look. “ You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

His words stung, but they were the truth. “ I might not have friends, but I watch people. I read. And movies show what friendship is.”

“ Fuck , Song . I’m an asshole. Forgive me for snapping,” he said as he adjusted his hands on the steering wheel. “ I’m worried, and I took it out on you. I had no right to say such things.”

“ They were true.”

“ That doesn’t mean I should’ve said them.” He blew out a breath. “ You didn’t choose to be secreted away. I imagine you would’ve had lots of friends if you’d had a regular life.”

She felt a smile tug at her lips. “ I always said I’d rather have a few very close ones than many acquaintances.”

“ You’ll have that.”

Song felt his gaze and looked at him once more. They both knew it was a lie, but the words were like a balm to her soul. If he could fake it, so could she. “ Yes , I certainly will.”

Carlyle had proven once again that he was decent and kind. The world needed more Druids like him. Song made a decision then and there.

They drove the remaining ten minutes in silence. Finn texted again and rang three more times. Carlyle ignored all of them. Song’s palms began to sweat as she contemplated her new decision. She rubbed her hands on her black pants and shuffled her emotions into that room in her mind before shutting the door and locking it. If tonight was to be a success, she needed to be the weapon the elders had spent years crafting.

Carlyle parked along the street, three blocks from headquarters. Song got out and turned to look at the sunset. She stilled as she gazed at the vivid red clouds against the charcoal gray background.

“ What is it?” Carlyle asked, coming around the back of the vehicle.

She nodded toward the sunset. “ It’s a blood sky.”

“ It’s pretty.”

“ In Chinese culture, red symbolizes luck.”

One side of his mouth curved into a grin as he opened the back hatch. “ Tonight will go our way.”

“ Yes , it will.”

Song moved up behind him as he reached in to get his jacket. She lifted her hand, palm out, the sleep spell rushing from her lips as her magic moved into Carlyle .

“ Song ,” he murmured groggily, turning toward her.

Then , he went limp. She barely caught him, and even then, his unconscious weight nearly toppled her. She scooted closer to the back of the SUV , dropped his upper body into it, then reached down and grabbed his legs. She was sweating by the time she finished.

Song dusted off her hands and closed the boot. When she turned, two men were standing on the sidewalk, watching. She hooked her thumb over her shoulder. “ He had a little too much to drink.”

“ Ah ,” they mumbled with smiles before walking off.

She waited until they had rounded the corner before opening the driver’s door to grab Carlyle’s mobile. Only it wasn’t there.

“ Shit ,” she murmured and closed the door.

Song hurried and raised the hatch again to fish around in his pockets. She found the phone and drew it out when it started ringing. It was Finn . She debated answering it and realized he would want more answers than she could give that if she did. She declined the call and wrote a quick text with Carlyle’s location, urging Finn to get there quickly and bring Carlyle back to Skye immediately.

She hit send. Song looked at Carlyle . His wig was askew, and if he lay in his current position for too long, he’d have one hell of a neck ache. She climbed over him and straightened his head, then moved to put the mobile back where she’d found it. As she did, she saw the three dots indicating that Finn was typing a reply, but she wouldn’t be there to see it.

She stroked her fingers down Carlyle’s cheek and jaw. “ This is for the best. You may not think so now, but you will later. I won’t stop until I find Thomas . I swear. But you have to get back to Skye . Thank you for…just thank you.”

She got out of the boot and closed the door once more. After locking the vehicle and putting the keys where she’d told Finn they would be, she straightened her attire and set off. With every step she took away from Carlyle , Song knew she had done the right thing. For the first time in her life.

She was used to working alone. Would she miss having him watch her back? Without a doubt. But it would be easier for her to sneak into all the places by herself. And she wouldn’t have to hold the worry that the elders would get their hands on Carlyle . He would remain asleep for at least an hour, which was plenty of time for Finn to locate him and start home.

Carlyle would likely despise her. And he had begun to treat her like a colleague. There had been a tiny chance they might have even become friends someday. But the more she thought about their plan, and given what she knew about the organization and the elders, she knew it was doomed.

Then she saw the blood sky. It was the universe confirming that she had made the right decision. Finn would help Carlyle see that eventually.

Hopefully .

It shouldn’t matter what Carlyle thought about her, but it did. She wished she’d had more time with him. There had been something special about those days spent on the boat. Just the two of them, secluded and withdrawn from the world. She regretted not kissing him before leaving him in the boot. One of many regrets.

Song shut off her mind the moment the ancient building rose before her. No more thoughts of Carlyle , kisses, or friendship. She hunched her shoulders and cast her gaze down to get into character as she hurriedly came around the corner.

She bumped into a caterer moving food off the truck and saw two other staff members smoking nearby. “ Sorry . The train was late,” she mumbled as she walked past.

“ You’d best get inside quick,” a woman growled.

So much staff was hired for the festival that it would be impossible for anyone to keep up with who was whom. She slipped through the back door and hurried to the two individuals with clipboards, flipping papers back and forth and talking in low voices.

“ You !” one of them said as he spotted her. “ I need you pouring champagne. Now .”

Song nodded and made her way to the crates of chilled champagne. She opened a bottle and filled the glasses. She emptied another before making sure no one was watching and slipping away. She went through another door and plastered herself against the wall. There , she waited to see if anyone noticed her absence.

The kitchen was utter pandemonium. Staff rushed this way and that, those in charge barking orders. The corridor was quieter. She heard music coming from the ballroom. A buzz of energy ran through the building’s stones.

Song looked down the hall. She likely wouldn’t encounter any guards here. That would come once she descended. There was always a small chance the elders would keep Thomas in one of the rooms above. They wouldn’t want him seen, though, and keeping members out of rooms was impossible on Mayfire night. Which meant Thomas was below if he was at headquarters.

Her sister was a different story. She might be locked away or with the guests, enjoying the festival. That would make her difficult to reach. If she was with the other Druids , Song would only have time for one rescue tonight.

The elders had doted on Lauren in ways they hadn’t with her. She held out hope that they favored her sister. If they did, they’d have no reason to harm her. And that would make it easy for Song to return and get her.

“ Don’t let me be wrong,” she whispered and set off down the hall.

She passed three doors before she found the one that would lead her below. The knob turned without a sound. She opened the door wide enough to slip through and softly closed it behind her. The stairway had one light, and it cast shadows everywhere. She squared her shoulders and took the first step.