“Do. Not. Fail,” he said to the two healers and then snapped his fingers just beforedisappearing.
Volcan reappeared at the veil to the draheim realm. He could feel his own magic holding the veil closed, but he could also feel other magic. For the past few months, his spell had held up against the magic of the most powerful djinn, along with the wolves, a pixie, and two fae. He had to admit he was impressed with their combined power but, so far, his spell washolding.
He raised his hands and ran them down the invisible web of spells, reinforcing them, and giving those on the other side a little jolt just to show them that he recognized their effort. He didn’t want the djinn to get his feelings hurt since his magic wasn’t destroying Volcan’s like it should be. But then again, Volcan had an ace up his sleeve that the djinn didn’t know about. It was quite brilliant if he did say sohimself.
He laughed as he thought of something else he delighted in as much as crushing hope, making fools of his enemies. “They don’t even realize that they’re being distracted from the real threat.” They were so focused on breaking the spell that they hadn’t stopped to think about what he might be doing outside of the draheim realm. By the time they either gave up, or indeed broke his magic, it would be too late. He would havehisarmy.
* * *
Jewel was still tryingto come to terms with the fact that she’d essentially lost three months of her life. “Z, Sly, I promise I’ll get to you. Just give me a moment to process. Anna,” she said in a near whisper. “Three months, Anna. Do you know what can happen in three months? Scientists have found that it takes three months to heal a broken heart and get out of the recovery phase of a break up or loss.” Oh snap, she thought, was Dalton over her? In the three months that she’d been gone, despite the handful of phone calls, had Dalton been able to heal whatever the broken bondhadhurt?
“I can see your wheels working, Jewel,” Anna said as she reached out and took her hand. “Dalton hasn’t mended a broken heart because his heart wasn’t broken. He still has you, and you stillhavehim.”
“But three months, Anna. In three months, the first trimester of a baby is completed. That means every essential organ is formed. A baby in the womb has been more productive than we have for threemonths.”
“Okay, thanks for that,” Anna said, her lips lifting in a smirk. “I’m with you on the whole three-month thing. really Jewels, I am. Inside I’m totally freaking out, while maintaining an air of calm on the outside that I don’t feel. So let’s look at things from a positive view with respect to the three months. That way, I’m able to maintain said fakecalm,okay?”
“Positive.” Jewel nodded. “Got it. Okay, so in three months, something positive,” Jewel muttered under her breath. After a couple minutes, she shook her head. “I gotnothing.”
“How about this,” Sly spoke up. “In three months, you survived being in the clutches of a crazy,evilfae.”
She nodded. “I guess I can workwiththat.”
Jewel looked at Sly and Z and gave them a small smile. It was all she could muster. “Sorry about the mini freak out. I’m sure there are more to come. By the way, did you know that brain cells cannibalize themselves as a last-ditch source of energy to ward offstarvation?”
Sly smiled. “Is that your nice way of saying you understand if we’re dumber than we were threemonthsago?”
“No, that’s her way of coping,” Anna said dryly. “But since we’re on the topic, did Volcan starve you for three months? And if so, how are youalive?”
Z shook his head. “No, he didn’t starve us. He gave us some of that fae bread crap and water that tastedlikepi—”
“Z,” Sly interrupted him, smacking him on thechest.
“Oh, sorry. The water tasted bad, let’s just leave itatthat.”
“And Anna’s right,” Jewel said, smiling. “Random facts are my security blanket. For instance, did you know that in New York it is illegal to sell a haunted house without disclosing the fact of the haunting to the potentialbuyer?”
Sly laughed, and Jewel decided it was a very welcome sound after everything they’d been through. Maybe some ridiculous facts were just what they needed in order tosurvive.
“I hate to bring this up,” Anna spoke up, “but I feel like we should let you two know that we heard what Volcan said to you. Is that why you’re working for him?” Anna asked. “We heard him threaten to kill someone. He said your sister andyourmate?”
Z looked pained as he spoke. “My sister and Sly’s mate are one in the same. And yes, Volcanhasher.”
Jewel reached over and squeezed his hand. “I’m so sorry, for both you. We’re going to get through this, and we’re going to destroy him.” She whispered the last part. They nodded, but she could tell that they weren’t so sure about her declaration. But then, she wasn’t so sure anymoreeither.
“Do you still have the book?” Jewel asked as she remembered what her mom had said to her before she died. She made it clear that it was very important that the book was kept safe and taken to Anna’smother.
Z nodded and motioned to the bag onhisback.
“Volcan’s given us the ability to flash,” she told them. “He wants us to be able to travel faster. He didn’t give us any helpful information with respect to our task, though. He said he was a pioneer in creating gypsy-healer witches, and because of that, he didn’t know how our magic might affect thespell.”
“We’re going to New Orleans, to see my mom,” Anna added. “She’s a gypsy, but not of the healer variety. Apparently, she might be able to help us with our book. When we get there, we’ll fill you in on what happened when Volcan broughtusback.”
“Where in New Orleans?” Zasked.
Anna smiled. “To the Little Shop of Horrors.” She grabbed his arm at the same time Jewel grabbed Sly’s, and they both flashed from the corridor of Volcan’scastle.
When they reappeared, Jewel looked around and saw that they were standing inside of Anna’s mother’s store. The lights were all off, and it was dark outside. So, it’s nighttime, she thought, as she tried to orient herself to being, well, not in adungeon.
