Total pages in book: 145
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 133975 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 670(@200wpm)___ 536(@250wpm)___ 447(@300wpm)
“I went grocery shopping before I picked you and Anya up.” Seychelle made it a confession. Lyric didn’t understand why going grocery shopping was a big deal. “I went very early in the morning so I’d have plenty of time to get you two before coming to meet Lyric.” She turned her face toward Lyric. “I was really looking forward to meeting you. I wanted to make certain you felt welcomed.”
The tension in the car went up several notches. Lyric could tell both Blythe and Anya were concerned, but she didn’t understand why.
“When I met Savage, the rest of Torpedo Ink weren’t very nice to me and I wanted out,” Seychelle said. “Anya had a difficult time as well. I don’t want that for you.”
“Seychelle,” Blythe interrupted gently before Lyric could reply. “I need to know what happened at the grocery store.”
Seychelle hesitated and then blew out a breath. Her arms snaked around her middle in a self-soothing hug. “Just as I came out with my groceries, a car came in very fast. It hit a woman and knocked her back several feet.”
Blythe and Anya gasped, and Anya turned all the way around in the seat, her gaze inspecting every inch of Seychelle.
Seychelle kept her head down. Lyric reached out tentatively, trying to find through her energy what could possibly be wrong. Seychelle was adept at covering her energy, but there was physical pain, something difficult to conceal if one wasn’t focusing their entire attention on hiding it.
“I did try to stay away, Blythe, but there was a little girl with her, and she was screaming and no one was helping. They called 911, so the ambulance was coming, but the woman needed help immediately.”
“Oh, Seychelle.” Blythe sounded worried. “How bad was it? Or is it?”
“She had internal injuries. No head trauma, which was good,” Seychelle said.
“Did you call Steele?” Blythe persisted.
Anya took pity on Lyric and explained why they were so concerned. “Seychelle has a gift for healing, but whatever the injury, it transfers to her.”
Lyric had never heard of such a thing, but she believed in the possibility of healers born with tremendous gifts.
“I didn’t call Steele because he would have told Savage. I promised Savage.” Seychelle started to cry. “I let him down all the time. You have no idea how many times I screw up. I don’t know a thing about…well…you know, so I never know if he’s getting what he needs. It feels like he’s always giving and I’m always taking. I hate it. And this…” She indicated her body. “It’s not the worst I’ve ever done, but he asked me to promise him I wouldn’t do it anymore, not without him there, or someone else from Torpedo Ink.”
Blythe parked the car in the street, in front of several businesses. The one directly in front of them had two large bay windows; a wooden sign in the shape of a hat declared it was the Floating Hat. On the door hung a series of bells cascading down, all in the shape of a hat. One window showcased hat-shaped cups and tall caddies of delicious-looking savories and scones. The other window displayed lotions and bath products in beautiful handmade baskets. It looked inviting. Had Lyric been on her own in Sea Haven, she would have chosen to go in.
“You know I have to have Steele meet us here. We won’t make a big deal, but he has to examine you,” Blythe said very gently.
“I lay down when I got home, that’s why I was late picking you up,” Seychelle said, as if her lying down resolved everything.
Lyric found it interesting that Seychelle felt about her relationship with Savage the way Lyric viewed hers with Keys. He might be bossy, but he gave her anything she wanted. She’d learned to be careful in casually saying she loved something because the next thing she knew, it was in their home. He shared the household chores with her, even mopping floors and doing laundry, his nemesis. He cooked, and when she did dishes, he did them with her. She wasn’t certain what she was giving him in return. It was more than all the things he did for her or bought her, it was the way he treated her as if she were his greatest treasure. It made her feel closer to Seychelle to realize she felt the same way in her relationship.
“Savage certainly doesn’t think you let him down ever, Seychelle,” Blythe assured her. “You’re his entire world. I didn’t think it was possible for him to be happy until you came along.”
“We were going to lose him,” Anya added. “We all knew it. Reaper watched him like a hawk. He told me he didn’t know how to save Savage. You were like a miracle for all of us.”