The Inner Circle (Return of the Ancients Book 3) (7 page)

“Why did you do all of that?” I asked in a hoarse voice. “Are you really one of them?”

His grim eyes narrowed the tiniest bit. “Nothing good will come of you knowing me,” he said through clenched teeth.

“I don’t believe that.” I frowned, shaking my head. “I don’t want to believe that you’re on the same side as the Mesmers. I can’t believe you’re one of them.”

He went very still. “If I seem that evil to you …” he began in a thick voice and paused a moment before adding, “That is a bit upsetting.”

“I knew it,” I said, holding onto the implication in relief. “I knew you weren’t really bad! Are you spying?”

His eyes lingered on me longer than necessary, and the muscle of his jaw visibly tightened. “You should really be getting home,” he replied, switching subjects.

I knew that meant I had gotten too close to the truth.

“I’ll give you a ride home,” he continued as he grabbed my arm and escorted me back to the Bentley.

Settled safely inside, I waited for him to join me, and he’d barely turned the key when there was a rap on my car window.

Jumping, I looked up to see Jareth peering in.

Rafael zipped my window down. “I’m not in the mood to deal with you right now, Jareth.” He checked himself with difficulty. “Be gone.”

“Tempting,” Jareth said, crossing his arms and planting his feet wide apart. “But I don’t trust you anymore. I’ll not let you take Sydney without a fight.

“Don’t tempt me,” Rafael said, his voice suddenly turning fierce. “You know I can get barbaric.”

Jareth merely shifted his stance, looking more formidable by the moment.

Rafael froze. Tilting his head to one side, he glanced up at Jareth. “I need your help,” he said suddenly.

Jareth looked at him in surprise and assumed a surly expression. “You have nerve.”

Rafael merely shrugged. “Perhaps. But now, I simply need your help.” Getting out of the car, he tossed the keys over the top to Jareth.

Jareth caught them with a deft twist of his wrist.

“Take the Bentley,” Rafael said, leaning down to lock gazes with me. “It’ll help you outrun the Mesmers. They’re coming.”

Without even waiting for a response, Rafael spun on his heel and disappeared into the night.

Jareth didn’t need to be told twice. Apparently, he knew that Rafael was speaking the truth. Slamming the car into gear, he jammed his foot on the gas pedal, and we flew into the street.

I was too apprehensive to speak and spent my time searching the dark shadows of the night flying by us for any sign of glowing Mesmer eyes.

But I didn’t see anything.

And soon enough, we were pulling into Al and Betty’s driveway.

“How can this place be safe?” I asked, casting a skeptical eye over the brightly painted blue house. “They got in before.”

“They can’t now,” Jareth said with an arrogant shrug. “Not without killing me first. And they so desperately want me alive right now.”

“Really?” I blinked in surprise.

He snorted at me and opened his mouth to make some sarcastic comment when his gaze strayed to the cup holder. “Do you see that, Sydney?” His eyes widened in disbelief, and he grabbed my hand.

I looked at the cup holder. “It looks like a normal cup holder—” I began.

Waving me impatiently aside, he reached into it, pulled out a black protection rune, and held it up.

I stared at it a moment. It was shiny and new, and it looked just like the one he’d given me. “I don’t get it,” I said.

Jareth’s expression was impenetrable. “It’s the rune I gave Rafael. He still trusts me. It’s still working.”

It was thought-provoking, but I wasn’t exactly sure what it meant. I was on the fence where Rafael was concerned.

Flipping the rune in his fingers, Jareth tucked it away and looked over at me. “You’re safe here. Get out. Run along now. I’ve got some business.”

Scowling at him, I got out.

He was already moving the car before I closed the door, and then pulling away, he zoomed down the street. He didn’t look back, but he must have known I was watching him because he waved a lazy hand out of the window.

My scowl deepened. “You’re such a brat,” I muttered as I watched him go. Feeling alone, I stepped into the house.

I met Al and Betty in the kitchen, bundling into their coats. Apparently, they’d been invited to a Christmas party and asked me if I cared to join them.

“No, thanks,” I said. I wasn’t really in the mood.

“Are you sure you’ll be ok by yourself?” Betty asked in concern.

“Of course!” I replied. After all, I’d been by myself for most of my entire life. I spied Tigger snoring in front of the refrigerator. “And I’m not really by myself,” I said, hooking my thumb in the bloodhound’s direction.

They left a few minutes after that, promising to be home in a couple of hours.

I heard Al’s truck leaving, and then I was alone … in a quiet house. 
A too quiet house. 
The only sounds were Tigger’s heavy breathing mingled with the ticking of the kitchen clock.

In less than five minutes, I regretted my decision.

It’s only a few hours before they’re back, Sydney
, I told myself.
And you can call Jareth if there’s a problem.

Not that he’d come
, I amended sarcastically.

Time slowed to a crawl.

I turned all the lights on in the house and moved to the family room to watch TV, trying to pretend I wasn’t nervous. But after a few minutes, I decided it wasn’t worth lying to myself. And dashing to my room, I dove under the covers and clutched Jareth’s protection rune tightly in my hands.

Somehow, that felt safer.

I passed the time thinking of Rafael, trying not to think of his kiss. After all, he was probably a jerk. But that really didn’t do anything to stop me from reliving the moment again and again, all the while grinning like a fool.

I guess the stress finally caught up with me. Gradually, I got drowsier and eventually fell asleep.

The next thing I knew, I was waking up groggily and unable to shake the vague, disquieting feeling that something was in the room with me.

For a brief moment, I could have sworn that I saw the mutant tulpa in the corner of the room near the ceiling. But by the time I’d focused my eyes, the shadowy image had disappeared, leaving me to doubt my sanity.

I shuddered involuntarily.

Darting out of my room, I headed straight for the kitchen.

It was late. Everyone should have been home by now. But by the time I began to freak out on all the possible things that could have happened to them, I saw the light blinking on the answering machine.

The first message was from Grace saying they’d decided to watch a double-feature. The second message was from Al and Betty, saying they’d be late.

Relieved that they were safe, I checked the locks on the windows and doors. And since we were out of hotdogs, I had to physically lug Tigger from the kitchen into my bedroom. It took a lot of effort. He kept falling asleep along the way. But finally, I had him installed in my room.

After giving me a gentle lick on the hand, he curled up with a contented sigh and promptly fell asleep.

I felt better with him next to me.

Jerry was awake, sitting in the corner of the cage. I gave him a few seeds and stared into his little black eyes. He looked so old and wise. He never failed to make me feel loved.

A little calmer now, I returned to my bed, but still awake and wide-eyed.

I stayed that way for some time, but again, I must have drifted off at some point, because I woke up to the sound of Tigger barking.

Instinctively, I thought of Jareth’s numbers.

This time, about two seconds later, Jareth appeared with his trion at the ready.

“What is it?” he asked, scanning the room.

I glanced around. I didn’t see anything. Jareth’s rune was cool in my pocket.

Tucking his trion away with a little flip, he looked down at me. “You look a little … unhinged.”

“Tigger barked a warning,” I explained, clearing my throat a bit uneasily. “Do you think it was the Mesmers?”

Arching a cynical brow, he leaned over and prodded Tigger with his foot.

Tigger snored in response.

“The only reason that hound ever barks is for food,” he said with a dry chuckle. “He’s probably dreaming of hotdogs.” 
He moved to peer out of the window and frowned.

As his scowl deepened, I asked him with growing panic, “What is it? Are they here?”

When he didn’t answer, I crept up behind him and looked out myself.

I didn’t see anything.

“He’s out there,” Jareth said softly.

“He?” I asked, a shiver running down my spine.

“Rafael,” he said the name reluctantly.

I squinted into the darkness, but I only saw the outline of the tall fir trees against the dark wintry sky. But then remembering Al’s night-vision goggles, I ran to the kitchen drawer and dug them out.

I returned to find Jareth standing right where I’d left him with his arms folded, glaring out of the window. Adjusting the night-vision goggles, I peeked over his shoulder.

I didn’t see Rafael. But then I saw Ajax, staring straight at me from the edge of the greenbelt. I nearly dropped the goggles.

Soon I saw Rafael’s tall form moving behind him.

He
was
watching me. He was looking directly our way.

“What is he doing out there?” I asked breathlessly.

“He knows they’ll never leave him without a shred of protection,” Jareth grumbled. “That’s probably why he’s wandering around out there. He wants to make sure you’re safe.”

A thrill ran down my spine at that.

Jareth turned on me suddenly, and I jumped, accidentally hitting Jerry’s cage with my elbow. It struck the mirror hanging on the wall and knocked it off its nail.

It would have smashed if Jareth hadn’t instinctively caught it as it fell.

“Good catch,” I said with an uneasy laugh. “Now you won’t have seven years bad luck for breaking a mirror. Or I won’t.” I added, as I’d been the root cause.

But Jareth didn’t laugh at my pitiful attempt of a joke. His face was pale and strained.

“Breaking my mirror would be like dying,” he finally said. “It would be like giving up my soul, what I really am, everything I’ve ever had and all of my dreams.”

It sounded worse than bad luck. “Sorry,” I said, “Bad joke.”

He shuddered.

There was a stilted silence.

Suddenly, he said, “I’m hungry.”

And with that, he strode out of my room and headed for the kitchen.

I followed.

Jareth began to hum as he rifled through the kitchen cabinets in search of a snack.

I decided to get directly to the point. “So, what are you going to do next?” I asked him. “What are you going to do about Rafael and the Inner Circle?”

He scowled a little but helped himself to a couple of potato chips. Deciding he didn’t like them, he moved to the refrigerator.

“And what about all of those Mesmers? There must’ve been a couple of dozen of them tonight,” I continued, closing the potato chip bag and putting it away. “What if they all come here at once?”

Jareth took out some milk and opening it up, sniffed it before drinking it right out of the carton.

“And do you know what they’re all up to—” I began.

“Just drink,” he scowled, thrusting the milk carton into my face. “You’re noisy tonight. You’re giving me a headache.”

I scowled at him.

He gave me a crooked grin in response. “I guess I’m not good company right now,” he said.

“Are you ever?” I couldn’t resist asking, but I wasn’t really mad at him.

With a mocking lift of his brow, he laughed. “You called me, didn’t you? I came.”

“True enough,” I admitted. “But I just wanted to get some ideas before you left me in the lurch again.”

Jareth swung his leg over a stool and sat down heavily. “This is a matter for the Fae, Sydney,” he said in a sincere tone. “They have to know the truth. And they have to know what the Inner Circle is up to. I’ve already informed the Fae that should know. There are others working on these problems right now. Not something for you to worry about.”

“And just what is the Inner Circle up to?” I asked stubbornly, leaning against the countertop.

He sent me an exasperated look.

But then, we heard Al’s truck pull into the driveway.

“I’ll take you to work tomorrow,” Jareth offered. “We can talk more then.”

And before I could even respond, he disappeared.

I heaved a sigh, wishing
I
could disappear any time I felt like it.

Betty and Al arrived and after bidding me goodnight, went straight to bed.

A few minutes later, Grace came in. I watched her stumble tiredly down the hall.

I knew there was no way to avoid it. I had to go back to my room. With a deep breath, I trudged down the hall.

Tigger was still snoring.

Looking out my bedroom window with the night-vision goggles, I could still see Rafael standing there with Ajax on the edge of the greenbelt.

And even though it wasn’t supposed to, it made me feel safer. But then after crawling into bed, I still covered my head with the blankets.

The night passed, again in fits and starts. And I rose at dawn, relieved the ordeal was finally over.

Al was already in the kitchen. I could hear him singing as he helped Betty make some toast and coffee. And as I stumbled to the table rubbing my tired eyes, I heard Betty say, “And why would the government care about my doings?”

“Maybe it was those Alarming Clocks you bought, Mom,” Grace snorted from the hallway. “The ones that fly off the dresser when they go off? Maybe they were
really
spy devices.”

Betty just sent her a fond smile, but Al’s expression was deadly serious as he eyed the microwave hanging over the stove.

“But microwaves
are
dangerous, Betty,” he insisted. “Jack swears they can be used as mind-control devices. It might explain your missing time.”

“I can explain my missing time, honey,” she said, reaching up to give him a pat on the cheek. “I was tired and I simply fell asleep.”