The Egg (Return of the Ancients Book 4) by Carmen Caine

glass with several tall, white-cushioned stools. And making my way there, I took a seat, heaved a loud sigh and closing my eyes, I dropped my head onto the bar’s cool surface. It chilled my cheek, and as the relaxing scent of roses and lilacs filled the air, I could feel the tension melting away from my neck and shoulders.
    I don’t know how long I was there.
    I was only gradually aware of a tapping sound. Drowsily, I lifted my lashes to see an inch-long red nail tapping next to my nose, and my eyes traveled up the hand and arm to look directly into Raven’s icy blue eyes locked onto mine.
    She acted as if she could scarcely contain her disgust as her chilling gaze swept over me from head to toe. “If you truly have the power to destroy us all with that Blue Thread of yours, perhaps it is best you don’t exist,” she said softly, raising her trion to speculatively tap it against her chin.
    A soft growl sounded from my side and I glanced down to see Ajax standing there on alert, his glossy black fur bristling about his shoulders. His dark almond-shaped eyes were riveted upon Raven and his lips were pulled back to reveal every single one of his gleaming white teeth, down to the last millimeter of gum. He looked downright terrifying, and I was only glad that he wasn’t looking at me like that.
    Raven stiffened, and then apparently changing her mind about even talking to me, she turned to shift in a burst of mist, leaving in her wake a cloud of perfume.
    I swallowed, unsettled. There wasn’t any sign of Rafael. I sat alone in the atrium on the barstool, rattled.
    What kind of thing was that to say? Even if she did have a bit of a point. I mean, if I looked at it analytically, she had one. If I could cause so much harm, perhaps it would be better if I were out of the picture . I wondered how many others would agree, were they to know the truth.
    Something nudged my knee, and I looked into Ajax’s brown eyes boring into mine. He wasn’t exactly sympathetic, but his eyes did seem a bit concerned. He pushed his black nose in the palm of my hand and then down to my wrist, in effect forcing me to pet him.
    I guess there was nothing like a common enemy to forge bonds.
    Patting him a little, I murmured, “Don’t worry, Ajax. I’m not giving up on myself.”
    “Nor should you,” Rafael’s soft voice murmured.
    I jerked to see him standing behind me. Both of his hands dropped to my shoulders to give them an encouraging squeeze.
    “Pay no mind to Raven,” he said, kissing the top of my head. “When someone tries so hard to tear you down, it only means that they think you are above them.”
    I blinked at that. I highly doubted that Raven thought I was above her in any form or fashion, but I liked his compliment so I didn’t verbally disagree.
    Rafael stood there, looking down at me through his eyeliner rimmed-eyes and the expression in them made my heart skip a beat. It also made me suddenly shy. I still wasn’t used to this ‘romance’ thing all the way, I guess.
    I think he sensed my feelings, because he moved to lean backwards against the bar.
    “Is she going to help you find Jareth?” I asked then.
    “I truly hope she will,” he replied, heaving a sigh.
    “Why is it so hard to locate him?” I asked. I still didn’t really understand how their light shifting and mirror technology worked. Waving my hand, I prodded, “Can’t you just use a mirror or something?”
    “Melody has blocked light from penetrating where she is,” he answered, shaking his head. “Even I can’t tell where either of them are. I only know that they are alive.” He looked at me then, and one of his brows lifted. “That hand mirror,” he said, abruptly switching subjects. “The one I gave you months ago. Where is it?”
    I’d shoved his small metal hand mirror into my dresser and hadn’t really thought much about it since. “In my room.”
    “That isn’t just any mirror,” he said softly as a beginning of a smile played over