Lucas had gone very stiff beside her, and he released the hand as if scorched. “Oracle?”
The man’s grin widened. “Yeah, well, I’m a Dragon too. Doubt the Oracle bit will carry through to you. But you might find my wings useful.”
“He has wings.” Aria’s protest burst from her before she’d thought it through.
“Your wings lack appropriate appendages,” Ash said.
Appendages? What was he yammering about?
Lucas seemed to go even stiffer beside her, and his eyes narrowed. His mouth opened and closed twice before he said, “You tracked us here?”
Before Ash could answer, Cody interjected. “I’m teaching Dani and Ash how to drive. Or rather, attempting to. Neither are very attentive students.” He traded glares with Dani. “Ash was finally grasping the concept that he can’t just drive down the middle of the road when he up and says that you guys are on your way to see Cara. He starts weaving through the side streets. I was sure we were going to die. And to prove my point, he drives my mate’s van into a tree.”
“Up toa tree,” Ash corrected. “Neither the tree nor the van are worse for wear.”
Aria focused on the pertinent bit. “You knew we were going to see Cara?”
Ash nodded. “Yeah. The timelines converge to this point. They do that, on occasion.”
Cody rolled his eyes. “I’m not sure Oracles were meant to drive.”
“He does have issues flying. He’s better at crashing.” Dani sounded thoughtful, but one corner of her mouth twitched.
Cody glared at her. “Okay, see, that is knowledge that should have been disclosedbeforehe got behind the wheel.”
“Well, you can drive us to Cara’s,” Ash said.
Cody stared at him. “We’re going to Cara’s?”
Ash nodded. “We are taking Lucas and Aria to Cara’s.”
The Sabre’s lips peeled back from his teeth, and Aria wasn’t sure if it was a snarl. “Is this a vision, like, ‘I have seen that we are driving them to Cara’s,’ or a not-so-subtle suggestion that we do so?”
Ash offered a graceful wave of one hand. “Whichever you prefer.”
Cody muttered something unintelligible beneath his breath before gesturing to Lucas. “Would you like a ride to Cara’s?”
Lucas frowned at him. “My trader friend told me that the shrew would take us there.”
When all three just stared at Lucas, Aria removed Mai from beneath her hair. The shrew blinked vivid-blue eyes at them.
“Mice, cats, donkeys and now, shrews. That woman gets around,” Cody said with a sigh. “Okay. Everyone in.” He gestured to the van. “We’ll follow the shrew.”
It confused Aria. “How do you usually get there?”
Cody glanced around them. “Lurking in this park is an orange cat named Angel. He is my usual guide. But I’d say Cara’s on top of it, because he’s nowhere in evidence. Maybe she’s afraid he’d eat your little friend.”
Aria’s hands folded protectively around Mai as Cody opened the passenger door. She’d never been in a vehicle before. She perched tentatively on the padded seat and flinched when he closed it with a barely suppressed slam.
Dani, Lucas, and Ash piled in behind them, Lucas volunteering for the rearmost seat. No doubt so he could keep an eye on everyone.
Aria would have preferred that spot, too. Cody squeezed in behind the wheel, muttering under his breath as he re-adjusted the seat as far back as it would go. Once he’d fiddled with it to his satisfaction, he started the van and glanced at Aria.
“Okay. We need your furry Garmin, or we’ll just end up driving in circles.”
Mai seemed to understand. Or, at least, she chose that moment to jump up onto the dash and scurry along until she sat in front of Cody.
The Sabre stared at her. “Hmm. I don’t speak shrew.”
