Delaney clutched the dragon pig closer to her chest and stumbled backward.
“Delaney?”
She groaned and I dashed over to catch her by the arms as she crumpled to the floor.
“Hey, hey.” I tapped her face. “Come on. Delaney. Wake up.”
“You might want to strap her down,” Xtelle said. “A vortex is going to open. And oh, this one’s going to hurt.”
I pulled Delaney up against me, my arms around her. The dragon pig hopped up on Delaney’s legs and stretched its small body, as if it wanted to cover as much of her as possible.
I fumbled for my phone.
“You could let me out.”
“No.” I dialed with my thumb. “Ryder, I need you at your house now.”
“Is it Delaney?” I could tell by how he was breathing he was already on his feet, running.
“She passed out. I’ve got her. A vortex is going to open.”
“If it hits as hard as last time, she’s going to go through convulsions,” he said. “Call 911.”
“On it.”
I disconnected and dialed.
Xtelle just stood there watching me calmly, maybe even enjoying this. “She’s not moving.”
“She’s breathing. Her pulse is steady,” I said as the phone rang. How many times had it rung?
“You really should let me out of the trap.”
“No.”
“I can help you.”
The dragon pig growled, and Xtelle held her hands up and chuckled. “Fine. I’m happy to stand here and watch.”
The call finally connected. “911,” Hatter’s warm voice said. “What do you need, Myra?”
“Get an ambulance to Ryder and Delaney’s place.”
“On the way. What happened?”
I had barely finished going through Delaney’s symptoms when the approaching siren was loud enough. I knew they were almost here.
Ryder beat them to it.
“How long?” He came to a skidding halt beside me, already out of his coat and putting it under her head. I could smell the cold salt air and sweat on his skin as if he’d run the whole way.
“Seconds before I called you.”
He ran his hands carefully and quickly over her body, checking her pulse, her breathing. “What happened?” He asked once he had ensured she was still breathing, still alive.
His eyes flicked from mine to Xtelle’s. “What did you do to her?”
“I had nothing to do with this.”
