“Okay,” Heather sighed. “I’m just throwing this out there, but I think someone should volunteer to be my walking commentator. I’ll start taking applications ASAP. Please proceed.Butif anyone starts killing anyone else, I expect a play-by-play.”
“Glad to see you’re as high maintenance as ever, Helen,” Peri said, genuinely happy to see each of the healers. And to see that they were still thick as thieves. Though there was a vast hole where Kara should have been.
Peri looked back at Tenia, waiting for her to continue. The fae glanced at Myanin one more time, but the djinn just kept eating her cotton candy. “My son prophesies the future through his drawings,” Tenia began. “We don’t know when the scenes he draws will occur. We just know that theywill.”
“He draws it?” Jacque asked. “Can you clarify that?”
Tenia nodded. “He draws with incredible artistic skill,supernaturalskill. Every detail is perfect. Then the drawing comes to life. What will happen plays out like a movie on the paper.”
“He drew what I did at the Order compound,” Peri said and watched their jaws drop open.
“How long after he drew it did Peri show up?” Nissa asked.
“Less than an hour,” Tenia answered.
Gerrick motioned to the paper in Tenia’s hands. “And what has he drawn this time?”
Tenia looked at Peri. And though Tenia didn’t know Kara, she could see the pain for the healer in her eyes.
“He’s drawn Kara.”
Stella, Anna, Jewel, and Heather all stepped forward simultaneously, their combined voices overriding the muttering from the others. But it wasn’t their words that froze everyone in place.
Wind whipped around the four healers. Their clothes ruffled, and power radiated from them—Volcan’s residual power.
“Where is she?” Anna asked, her voice so dark it was almost unrecognizable.
“Okay, that escalated quickly,” Zara whispered.
“We know she’s with Ludcarab,” Peri explained, “But not the exact location.” She had already been thinking about Kara’s whereabouts as she’d watched the horrific scene play out. “But I’m hoping Thalion might be able to help. You four need to calm down … now.”
The wind slowly calmed, as the four healers seemed to gain control of the fears that had stirred their magic.
“What exactly did he draw?” Stella asked, much calmer now.
“We don’t need to wind up explaining it twice,” Peri said. “Thalion needs to look at it.” She hated having to repeat herself. They’d already wasted enough time.
“You think he’s in the elf realm?” Nissa asked.
“Honestly,” Peri huffed, her own frustration growing, “I don’t have a clue. But it’s a starting point.”
“Then we go to the Canadian pack,” Jacque said. “That’s where the hunting party is.”
Peri nodded. “Nissa, Elle, Tenia, myself, and”—Peri glanced around, having felt his power even though she hadn’t seen him—“Disir.” She motioned for the high fae to step forward. “We’ll take as many at a time as we can. We may need to make two trips. Jen, you’re with me.” Peri had noticed the blonde eyeballing Tenia. She would have to closely monitor the dagger-happy she-wolf.
Everyone began shuffling about, each trying to get hold of a fae. Just before Peri flashed, she felt a hand touch her back. She looked over her shoulder and into the piercing silver eyes of her mate. Relief flooded through her as he leaned down and took a deep breath.
“We will get her back,”he said through their bond.“You will not lose anyone you love today.”
“But I might in the future,”she said, knowing she had to come to terms with the fact that everyone had an appointed time to leave this life.
“Yes. But I will be with you always, through every loss, until we are called home to our Creator.”He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then nodded, telling her without words it was time to go.
“Flash to the front steps of the Canadian pack mansion,” Peri told the other fae. She only hoped this next reunion would go better than her last, which wasn’t a terribly high standard. As long as no one got stabbed, then mission accomplished.
ChapterFifteen
“You never know what you are truly capable of until you are put in a position to prove how far you will actually go. Whether the situation requires you to save a life, take a life, give up your own life, or stand and do nothing—you cannot predict your actions until you find yourself in that moment. What you can do is pray that moment never comes. Because regardless of what decision you make when the crap hits the fan, that decision leaves you forever changed.” ~Kara
