“Can I talk to Laina for a minute?She’s not answering her phone.”
“Laina’s not here.”Why would he think Laina was with him?
“What are you talking about?You came by the cottage and picked her up.She left with you not five minutes ago.You said it was an emergency.”
Silas grabbed Grateful’s arm, fear draining all the warmth from his body.“Kyle, thatwasn’tme.”
Hours later, it was evident Laina was gone.Silas, Jason, and Selene had searched the city for her while Polina attempted a locator spell.Gerty and Kyle enlisted the trees, sending word out through the forest fae to report any sight of Laina.And Rick and Grateful flew over rural Red Grove in shifts, searching for any clue to where Alex had taken her.But when they all met at Rivergate to discuss the results of their quest, Laina was nowhere to be found.
“He wants Nickelova and the heart.Alex will trade Laina for the fae he needs,” Grateful said.She’d arrived alone, Rick returning home to watch Lucas.
“If I bring Alex his dragon fae, he’ll be able to complete the spell.”Silas rubbed the back of his neck.He had to do something.He refused to allow Alex to hurt Laina, but he wasn’t going to cave to his demands either.
“I don’t care what he does with Nickelova.I want my wife back!”Kyle yelled.
Gerty and Selene tried to comfort him.
Jason cracked his neck, a deep furrow appearing in his brow.“What if we turn the tables on his plan?”
“What are you suggesting?”Grateful asked.
“If Silas uses Nickelova to find Alex, maybe the rest of us can follow him in secret.Once we know where Alex is, we can act.”
Silas nodded slowly.“Polina, Logan said you couldn’t see Alex’s future, but you can see mine, right?”He gestured at his chest.
Polina was a metal witch.Not only could she travel by gold dust, she could see the future in the stretch of silver she had in her magic room.It didn’t work on Alex, but it would work on Silas.
Grateful held up a finger.“We can use Polina’s magic mirror to follow you.We’ll come to you as soon as we have a location.”
Polina nodded eagerly.“It will work.Logan can reach you in an instant.”
“Rick and I can follow from a distance,” Logan added.“We can cloak ourselves.”
“Build a trap out of Alex’s trap,” Kyle said.“It could work.It has to work.”
“I’ll go with Silas,” Jason said.
“It’s too risky, brother.”
“No.It’s too risky for you to go alone.Nickelova might try something funny.If I’m there, I can have your back.”One thing about Jason, the guy knew how to play the hand he was dealt.
“It’s a plan,” Silas said.“Jason and I will use Nickelova and the heart to find Alex.Grateful and Polina will observe us using magic.Once we lock onto Alex’s location, either Logan or Rick will come to our aid.”
“What about me?”Kyle asked.
“I need you and Gerty to stay at the cottage in case Laina comes back without us or the forest fae learn where she is.Selene needs to help here, managing preparations for the shift tomorrow.No one can know the royal family is at risk.It would cause a panic.We don’t know where he’s holding Laina.If something goes wrong, all of you are our backup.”
After a brief conversation with Gerty, Kyle reluctantly agreed.“Do this for me, Silas.Bring my wife and my baby back alive.”
“I will,” Silas said, and he meant it.
“I’ll make preparations,” Grateful said.
Polina shrugged.“My silver is ready.No preparations are needed.”
“I need to find a babysitter,” Grateful mumbled.
Silas exchanged glances with the rest of the group.“We go first thing in the morning.”
