We grinned at each other.
“How do you want to play this?”
He glanced up. “Two fireplaces. One goes to the living room. The other goes to the master, I bet. We can try shimmying down that way, but I’m too large. You’ll have to do it and open the window. Then we can try to take them by surprise.”
“Sounds like a lot can go wrong.”
“True. But we don’t know what we’re walking into. Ethan hasn’t struggled or tried to free himself from his bonds, which tells me he knows exactly what that person is capable of, and it isn’t good.”
It made sense. “If we go in headfirst, we lose the element of surprise, and we’ll have to hit them hard and fast.”
“Preference?”
“I’m not a warrior like you. I’ll always choose stealth. But I’ll let you lead this one. This Cagney and Lacey stuff isn’t in my wheelhouse.”
Caelan scratched his chin. “Or we could split up. You take the fireplace. I’ll wait for your signal, then go in. You’ll act as backup if I get in a pinch.”
“How will I signal?”
He pointed to a second-floor window. “Up there. Flash the lights twice, then start heading downstairs. Ready?”
I nodded, my heart pounding. “Ready.”
He brought me in for a hard and fast kiss, then slapped me on the ass. “Start shimmying, flower girl.”
I rubbed my bottom cheek. “You’re having fun,” I accused.
“It’s been a while since one of us has been in trouble. I’m looking forward to Ethan getting bent over a barrel.”
I grinned. “Me too.” Calling up my Floromancy, vines slid from the earth and wound around my legs and abdomen. Once they were steady, I tapped a thick vine around my waist. A second later, I was in the air, Caelan gaping at me from the ground.
I winked and let the earth carry me to the roof, where the vines gently deposited me and slowly sank back into the ground. On silent feet, I made my way to the second chimney and peered inside. I couldn’t see any blockages, but the space was tight enough to make me worry. Although I was much smaller than Caelan, at five feet seven, I couldn’t be considered petite.
Reaching into the chimney, I carefully extricated the screen and perched on top of the stone. Calling more vines, I wrapped one around my wrist and called the other down to steady my waist. Then I carefully scooted off the edge, allowing the vines to take my weight.
Controlling the vines with a slow but steady pace, we moved down the chimney until my feet were an inch below a pile ofwood. Careful not to disturb it, I stepped over until I was on the stone floor and released the vines once more.
I let out a relieved breath and hurried to the window. Caelan stood right outside, expression tense until he spotted my silhouette. I reached over and flashed the lights twice, then went to the door, easing it open before peeking out to ensure I was alone.
Voices came in from the kitchen.
“We can sit here all night, Lord,” a feminine voice said. “Where is my cousin?”
I froze. The voice was familiar. But it was the second voice that piped up that gave me pause. I’d left my cell back in the vehicle because phones were expensive and I wasn’t sure it’d survive the shift.
Shit. I snapped out a thin thread of magic to get Caelan’s attention before he barreled in and screwed us all. Pressed against the wall, I moved the small vine to wrap around the Lord’s ankle and gently tug. He was smart. He’d know to wait.
After a tense moment, I realized he’d gotten my message. Creeping back into the room, I shut the door, cracked open the window, and took my wren form. Seconds later, I met Caelan outside.
Once I shifted, he came closer. “What is it?”
Even I had trouble believing what I saw inside that house. “Donovan is in there.”
Caelan froze. “Impossible.”
I’d agree but there was no mistaking that weasel’s voice. “Not only that, so is Nadia.”
Of all the people who might take Ethan hostage, Nadia wouldn’t have been in my top five. The woman was on a desperate search to find out what happened to Gianna. She knew she was dead, but she didn’t believe the “official” story, which wasn’t much of a story at all.
