“What do you want me to do?” Kyla asked.
“Just write down anything I get from her. This is a little different from the phone, as I’m trying to directly communicate, so I should remember what I say, but be prepared just in case.” I took a deep breath. “This may not work—if she’s not near her phone, or if they took it from her…”
“It’s worth a try,” Evie said, face scrunched in determination.
“Agreed.” I nodded. “Okay. Let’s get to it.”
My hands hovered over the laptop’s keyboard. I concentrated, and the flash of excitement that slid through me almost made the tunnel collapse. I took a deep breath and focused as Evie’s power joined mine. I felt it brush against me and shivered. I wasn’t afraid, but I would have been an idiot not to be a little wary.
She felt that wariness, and I sensed her hurt. I reached out with my free hand and grabbed hers. She squeezed my hand back, and we both poured our power into the spell.
The tunnel formed. I could sense the phone at the other end of the connection. I focused everything I had on sending a message from IlaydatoIlayda.
Ilayda. If you are alive, please let us know. We are trying to help you.
Nothing.
I sighed. Evie echoed the sigh. Kyla got up to prowl around my apartment, and both Evie and I focused on reinforcing the “walls” of the tunnel so we could keep the connection open. That way, if Ilaydadidget back to us, we could—
I was an idiot. Please help me.
I relayed the message, and Kyla angled her head. “How do we know it’s Ilayda, and not someone else luring us into a trap?”
“Good question,” Evie said. “Ask her something only she would know.”
We found something interesting in the suitcase in your closet.I sent.Can you tell us what it is?
Interesting is one word for it. It’s a gun, because I am the stupidest woman alive.
Where did you get the gun?I needed to be careful.
A guy called Martin. Scary.
“It’s her,” I told them.
“Ask her where she is,” Evie said.
Where are you? We want to help you.
In the light fae realm. I should have trusted Nereus, but I was so scared… Oh god, they’re coming.
Where in the light fae realm?
No reply.
“Fuck,” I muttered and repeated the message.
“This is great news.” Evie grinned. “We know she’s alive, and she’s in the light fae realm.”
“And she was scared of one of Nereus’s associates. That means we need to talk to him.”
We piled into Evie’s car, discussing tactics on the way. Technically, we should call Nereus and tell him we were coming. But that just meant he’d have time to prepare.
Cars were parked bumper-to-bumper in his driveway when we arrived, and the street outside his house was packed as well. Evie cursed and parked around the corner, and we walked up his drive. Kyla leveled a hard stare at the light fae guy who stepped in front of us.
“You need an appointment,” he said.
“We’re currently investigating Ilayda’s disappearance. Would you like to tell Nereus you turned us away?”
