“I told you.” Celise smiled. “This book gives me immense power.” She laid her hand on Jewel’s forehead and whispered the portal spell, allowing her power to flow into the healer.“There.” She dropped her hand. “It’s done. Expect to hear from me in the next couple of days.”
Jewel nodded, though her eyes were full of uncertainty.
Celise decided to make a quick exit before the healer changed her mind. She opened a portal and stepped through it. “It was nice to meet you, Jewel Black.” She glanced over her shoulder. And just as she hoped, Jewel was watching her in astonishment. “Until we meet again.” She waved and closed the portal.
A clattering sound jarred Celise back to the present. A waitress had dropped her tray of drinks. She was a warlock, so not as graceful as a fae or elf. Nevertheless, it was unusual for a supernatural being to be so clumsy. Then again, she might be high on some sort of supernatural drug. As Celise looked at the female, she noticed her glassy eyes and difficulty balancing as she picked up the mess.Definitely drugs.
Celise blew out a breath and decided to wait a few minutes longer to see if Jewel would show up. Celise had received several messages from her minions, who reported that a fae and a human female had been seen at multiple taverns. But when she asked for the human’s description, it didn’t match Jewel’s. That made Celise wonder if Jewel had shared their secret or if she’d somehow been discovered.
The door opened, letting in a gust of air. People parted as the newcomer entered. Celise smiled as the healer walked toward her. “Jewel, I’m glad you could make it.” Celise hoped the genuine pleasure of seeing Jewel didn’t come across as overeagerness. Keeping the healer on the hook was a delicate balancing act.
Jewel took a seat in the booth across from Celise. “I can’t stay long.” Her eyes darted around. “I’m being watched constantly. It’s a miracle I got off pack property.”
“We’ll make this quick.” Celise pulled the book from her bag and sat it on her lap. She reached out a hand to Jewel andplaced the other hand on the book. Then she chanted, using a spell she’d found in theNushtonia. Celise felt Jewel’s power flow into her as the dark magic in the room seemed to seek Jewel out. The first time Celise had felt it, she’d been shocked at how easily Jewel channeled the power. Usually, they did this for a half hour, but since Jewel was on a tight schedule, she only took ten minutes.
She released Jewel’s hand and slipped the book back into her bag. Jewel swayed a bit, and Celise pushed a glass of fae wine toward her to keep her from passing out. “Shall I walk you out? I can open a portal and send you as close to your pack as possible.”
Jewel nodded, tipping the glass up and drinking the entire contents. She sat it down on the table and took a deep breath. “Okay, I’m good.”
She didn’t look good, but Celise wasn’t about to tell her that. If Jewel noticed she was starting to look like a shadow of herself, she never mentioned it. As they left the tavern, Celise considered that the healer never spoke more than necessary. She wondered if Jewel had always been that way or if it was a result of something Volcan had done to her—or perhaps the draining of her powers by Celise. Not that it mattered. Jewel was a means to an end.
Once they were outside, Celise opened the portal and motioned for Jewel to go through it. “Until next time.”
Jewel hit the ground hard on her knees, her palms reaching out so she didn’t face-plant into the forest dirt. She slowly pushed herself up, her limbs shaking with the effort. Brushing off her hands, she was utterly drained, as if her very life force had been siphoned from her body. Meeting with Celise always left her weak and disoriented, but she had no choice. She had made a bargain, and now she had to see it through, no matter the cost.
Staggering through the trees, Jewel made her way back toward the pack mansion. She knew the others were already suspicious, especially since her mate had practically abandoned her. But she couldn’t tell them, not yet. Once she had her mother back, they would understand.
As the mansion came into view, Jewel steadied herself, trying to appear as normal as possible. When she reached the back door, there was a guard posted. It was a different one from the one who’d been there earlier when she’d said she needed to walk in the fresh air. She’d used the influence of her healer magic, and he’d just gone along with it. Jewel walked casually up to him and smiled. “I’m going to head back up.” As she’d done to the other guard, she placed her hand on his arm. “Thank you for giving me some time.” She let her healer magic flow into him.
“Of course.” He patted her hand.
Then she slipped in through the door and hurried toward the back stairs, praying she could make it to her room unnoticed. But as soon as she entered her bedroom, she froze. Peri was there, standing with her arms crossed and eyes narrowed.
“I’ve never been a parent.” Peri tapped her foot on the lush carpet. “And moments like these make me hope I never am. Do you know why?”
Jewel shook her head. Not that she didn’t know the answer, but she was too exhausted to argue. She wanted a shower and then to crawl into bed and cry about her problems. She also wanted her mate to wrap his arms around her and tell her everything was going to be okay. But that wouldn’t be happening.
“Are you even listening to me?” Peri’s body took on a slight glow. That wasn’t a good sign.
“Yes.” Jewel closed the door gently behind her and leaned back against it. She was pretty sure she would fall over if she didn’t support herself on something.
“I hope,” Peri said through gritted teeth, “that I’m never a parent because right now, I am worried about a grown-ass woman who has been doing goodness knows what after sneaking out when she’s been asked not to leave. I can’t even imagine how worried I’d be if it was a child.”
“As you pointed out, I’m a grown-ass woman. How can I sneak out of my own home if I’m grown? I have the right to come and go as I please.”
Peri’s brow drew into a deepV. “Not when you’re keeping secrets from your damn mate, your alphas, and your friends.”
Jewel flinched at the accurate accusation but still pulled her shoulders back and lifted her chin. “I don’t have to tell everyone everything. Since when did being part of a pack mean sharing every bloody detail of my life? Why is it anyone’s freaking business what I do?” Her voice grew louder with each word. “If I’m so grown, why the hell do I have to answer to anyone? Since I met you, I’ve been put in dangerous situations, I’ve lost my mother, wandered through a dark forest while being pursued by your crazy sister, held captive by a psycho fae, turned into a mother trucking witch—I’ve killed people, Peri.” She slammed her hand against her chest. “I’ve killed innocent people. I’ve been carved up like a Thanksgiving turkey. I’ve—” Her words died as she dropped her chin to her chest and shook her head. Tears streamed down her face, and she just wanted to collapse. She was so damn tired. The room was quiet enough that after a few minutes, Jewel lifted her head to look at Peri. The high fae’s posture had relaxed, and her face had softened.
“Maybe you don’t have to tell everyone.” Peri’s voice lowered. “But what about the man who loves and adores you? What about him, Jewel? Doesn’t he deserve your honesty?”
Jewel said nothing. What could she say? The answer was ‘Yes’. He absolutely deserved her honesty. Peri took a step toward her, and Jewel held up her hand to stop her. She didn’twant the high fae any closer, fearing Peri would see the darkness she had allowed to grow in order to help Celise. Peri would know and then stop her, and Jewel wouldn’t get her mother back. Was it so wrong of her to want the one person who had loved her unconditionally her whole life to be here with her, experiencing her life and all that was to come? How would it hurt anyone else?
Peri paused and tilted her head to the side, her eyes narrowing as her body glowed more. She took another step.
“Please.” Jewel breathed out. “Don’t.”
Peri’s lips pressed together tightly, and determination filled those pale green eyes. “I will not stand by and let you do this to yourself, Jewel Black. You look like your damn soul is being drained from you. Dark circles under your eyes, skin paler, if that’s possible. Appearing as if you could collapse at any moment. I will not judge you. I will not condemn you. That’s not what friends do. That’s not what people who love you do. Haven’t I proven that to you over and over? Haven’t all of us shown you how precious you are to our pack? And by ‘our,’ I don’t mean the Colorado pack. I mean the one that Fane has formed in his closest circle. Let me help you. By the Great Luna, trust me.”
