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Even though Jeremy is a good option, it’s Sion my body responds too. He claims he isn’t a Faerie, but my urge to kiss him feels dangerously close to tales of Good Folk mischief. I should pull away before I kiss him and possibly add complications between us and our already complex partnership, but I don’t. Neither does he.
Our faces are close enough for breaths to mingle. “Colleen and Charlie are driving to Wexford to visit her grandmother. She invited me. You come with. We’ll borrow their rental car and hit Fern’s Cathedral.”
Sion’s mouth parts a fraction. His eyes catch the flick of my tongue dampening my lower lip.
“Ahem.” Colleen stands at the corner of the nook, arms crossed. She frowns at the Do Not Sit sign. “Good, you didn’t make it to the archives yet. Jeremy is asking for you.”
I break contact with Sion and shoot off the platform like an ant on a skillet.
One thing is clear. If both Sion and I want to stay in Jeremy’s good graces and avoid drawing attention to our nocturnal travels, we can’t be caught almost kissing in a private niche when I’m on the Kennard Park University tour clock. Wrenching my phone from a pocket, I toss it to Sion. “Call Colleen’s contact in five minutes. I’ll fill you in. My lock code is harp.”
Colleen hustles me into the center of the gallery. I skid to a stop and dart back to Sion. “You do know how to use a cell phone, right?”
Sion barks a laugh and nods. Top of our agenda—grabbing him a phone.
“He doesn’t have a phone?” The thorns in her voice are sharp. We’re a few yards from colliding with Jeremy and Charlie.
My mind is on the request I have seconds to blurt out. “Sion would like to come with us to your grandma’s.” A feeling of surety makes me stand straighter. Yes, this is a solid plan. Down in Wexford, we’ll be out of Olk’s range of scrutiny.
Colleen humphs. “So, you’re a no-go with Jeremy and Trinity?”
“For now,” I say, tossing her a bone.
Colleen’s eyes become slits. “And suddenly you want to go to Wexford and bring Sion.”
“I’d like to.”
Colleen points a finger at me. “I think we need to talk.”
Nothing pleasant ever follows that statement. “Absolutely.” I agree quickly so I don’t appear any shadier than she’s already picking up on. Before we get closer to Jeremy, I whisper to her. “I think it’s best if you don’t mention Sion in front of Jeremy.”
Her eyes bounce from right to left several times in rapid succession in a decision-making dance. Before she shares whether her spinner landed on okay or no way, we reach Jeremy.
“Ah, you found her,” he says, flashing me an expression of warmth that should give me a little thrill. Only a sense of relief that I’m still on Jeremy’s good side buzzes through me.
I drum up an answering smile. “Fell into a wander, taking everything in.”
“Not all those who wander are lost,” says Jeremy, quoting vintage Tolkien. “Are we on for Trinity College then?”
An errant thought of the two of us sitting in front of a fire, sipping tea, and discussing Lord of the Rings strikes me. Maybe I am leaving the Jeremy door open wider than I thought.
“Eala decided to go with Charlie and me to my grandmother’s place in Enniscorthy,” says Colleen.
I pray Jeremy doesn’t hear the disapproval in her tone and ask for follow-up questions.
“That is Trinity’s loss.” He gazes out the window. “The Book of Kells and the Long Room in the old library are not to be missed.” Jeremy lays a hand on my shoulder. “Are you sure I can’t lure you away?”
“Not today. Maybe we can squeeze in a rain check before we leave Dublin. I don’t want to miss the chance to visit Colleen’s grandmother or the renowned Enniscorthy fish and chips.”
He grins. “A worthy quest.”
Colleen darts a look between us. “Charlie’s grabbing the rental then meeting us at the hotel.” A thumbnail finds its way between her teeth. Thank goodness Jeremy doesn’t know her very well. Nail biting is the dead giveaway she’s stressed.
Jeremy gives my upper arm a gentle squeeze then steps back. “Then I bid you safe travels and bon appetite. We’ll reconvene in the hotel lobby at ten tomorrow morning,” he says. His gaze lingers on me as he removes his glasses to clean them. “Perhaps we’ll find time tomorrow to chat.” There’s no missing his eagerness at the possibility as he waves round frames at us. “If I’m not mistaken, Enniscorthy is not far from Fern’s Cathedral. The site holds quite a slice of history if you have time to pop in.”
His mention of Fern’s Cathedral makes my smile falter. Of all the places to bring up—Faerie mischief indeed. I sink my teeth into my bottom lip. Or is this a sign from Otherworld that we’re on the right track and Fern’s is where the chainmail belongs? If so, then at least the turn your body inside out sensation of Veil travel can be devoted to the next spirit in the soulfall. I send a wish to whoever is listening that Sion’s prior knowledge and my insight might allow us to check off artifacts for everyone in the soulfall tonight. If we succeed, further Veil travel won’t be necessary.
Colleen waves me over to a bench facing tall windows overlooking an atrium. “Please tell me you are aware Jeremy is into you.”
