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Adriel drew in a long breath, fully sniffing the air. “He’s here.”
“You can smell him? You’re sure it’s Dane?”
Rather than answer, she disappeared, moving at immortal speeds too fast for Juniper’s eyes to track.
“Uh, Ade?”
“Up here.” Her voice echoed from the mezzanine balcony above.
Juniper followed the closed staircase to an open loft set for a choir but frowned when the energy shifted. Something was off. The energy here was cold and solemn. Bad things had happened in this place. Things that could never be undone.
The aura of the gallery was dark and thick, hinting at haunting crimes that happened right where Adriel stood. “I think we should leave. Dane’s not?—”
Adriel pressed a finger to her lips and pointed behind a mahogany wall that housed the keys of an enormous organ. “Which one of us is carrying him out of here?”
Disbelief flooded her as she rushed forward and sucked in a breath. Dane lay passed out on the floor, wrapped in a purple tablecloth, hugging a bottle of what looked like wine. “Oh, my God.”
“He’s pickled.” Adriel poked his foot with the toe of her shoe. “Dane. Dane, wake up.”
Juniper frowned at the wrappers and crumbs covering his chest. He looked like death and smelled worse. When Adriel jostled him again, and he still didn’t move, she worried he might actually be dead.
“Is he breathing?”
“He’s fine. I can hear his heartbeat.”
Juniper flipped a switch on the organ, and it hummed to life with a low vibration. She struck a key, breaking the silence as the instrument'sdrone blasted through the eight-foot pipes and echoed off the cathedral walls.
Dane bolted upright, sputtering and wrestling his way out of the tablecloth as the wooly timber cut off. Crumbs drifted from the stubble of his jaw, and a glass bottle rolled into the pew.
He stilled and frowned. “Adriel?” His gaze shot left. “Juniper?” His confused stare bolted about the church. “What…? How…?”
Juniper laughed. The spell actually worked! Holy shit. “You smell like hot garbage.”
“And look worse.” Adriel bent to pick up the bottle, sniffed it, and drew back with a frown. “Did you steal this?”
“What are you guys doing here?”
“I’m a fucking sorcerous!” Juniper broke into a touchdown dance.
“Take it easy,” Adriel warned, gathering the trash off the floor. “Did you rob the tabernacle, Dane?”
“I was hungry. How are you here?” He brushed off his shirt and shoved the tablecloth onto a bench. “I’m so confused. How are you two together? Why are you in Boston? And what the heck are you wearing?”
Adriel’s fair skin darkened to a scorching red as she pulled at the hem of her knee-length dress. “There have been some changes.”
Juniper scowled and protectively stepped in front of Adriel. “Don’t mind how we’re dressed. Did you go on a bender of Jesus crackers and booze?”
“I ran out of money.”
“Why Boston?” Adriel asked.
Dane shrugged. “Why not?” Something sad flashed in his eyes. “Where else should I go? I have no one. I couldn’t stay on the farm. I couldn’t even keep my dog, so I gave him away to a family with twin boys.”
“You gave Colby away?” Adriel said, voice rich with empathy. “Oh, Dane.”
“I knew you needed help. I could sense it.” Juniper stuffed the grimoire back in her bag and closed the flap. “We’ve been crashing with a little old lady named Ruth. You can come back with us. She won’t mind. I don’t know about the dog though. We have a stray cat. I call him Jasper.”
“Colby’s in a good home. It was the right choice. I can’t take care of him the way he needs. But you really think I can come with you?” Relief showed in his voice and eyes.
