Chapter Eighteen
Macgrath
When Ava faintedin my arms once more, my first thought was that she was both right and wrong. In the last two days, she’d passed out in my arms three times, not twice.
But I couldn’t argue that I was bad luck for her. The past few days had been full of near death experiences, fires, explosions, pain, and fear. I wasn’t sure how much more I could handle.
I looked down at where Savannah was now lying peacefully in Rhys’ arms, her wounds fully healed and I could hear the steady, healthy thump of her heart. She would be fine. Forever changed maybe, but she survived.
Seeing the way that Rhys looked at her, I didn’t think she would mind the changes either. He would make sure of it.
“We can’t stay here,” I stated, looking at everyone around the porch. I even included Harrison in that declaration. Now that Rhiannon had seen him, she would either try to use him or remove him from the equation.
Kerry straightened and brushed dirt and herbs from her pants. “Do you have someplace in mind?”
I nodded. “I do.” I glanced at Rhys. “How many can you carry when you trace?”
Rhys shrugged. “Four, maybe five at a stretch.”
“How much time do you need to recharge?”
“Another ten minutes and I’ll be ready to go.”
I nodded my head again. “Good. That’s about how much time it will take me to recharge as well.” It would be tricky, but I could take Ava and Kerry. Maybe even Finn if Rhys wasn’t strong enough in that amount of time. I looked at Finn and Kerry. “Gather your things and some things for Rhys and Savannah.”
Rhys studied me. “You can trace?” he asked softly, a flash of anger in his eyes.
“Yes,” I answered shortly.
Ava shifted in my arms as I spoke, but her eyes remained closed. The look he gave me made it clear that we would discuss the revelation further.
Kerry looked down at her. “I’ll grab some extra clothes for Ava as well,” she said. “I think a few of Savannah’s things will fit her.”
I followed Kerry and Finn inside and gently laid Ava on the sofa. Several of the cushions were damaged, but the structure seemed stable enough to hold her weight. The rest of the house looked as though it had been through a war.
Rhys came through the door, shifting Savannah in his arms as he sat in an armchair. Harrison was right behind him, his eyes scanning the front yard as though he feared Rhiannon would return.
I was glad for his vigilance because that would be just like Rhiannon. She would leave and gather reinforcements only to return within minutes to finish the job.
At the thought, I moved to the end of the hall, calling to Kerry and Finn. “Think you can have everything ready in less than ten minutes?”
“I’ll have it done in five,” she replied from within Savannah and Rhys’ room. “Benefits of witchcraft.”
I returned to the living room and stood next to the couch, keeping my senses open and my body ready to defend.
True to her word, five minutes later, Kerry and Finn rushed back into the living room, four bags in tow. She also had Satchel in a small pet carrier. I was pleased she remembered the animal. Without a doubt, Savannah would have insisted coming back for her beloved cat, no matter the danger.
At my raised brows, she shrugged and said, “One of these bags is for my herbs, grimoire, and other supplies.”
I didn’t reply. My power wasn’t back to full force yet, but it was enough to take us where we needed to go.
I turned to Rhys. “I’m going to send you images and the location of the house. I’ll need you to drop your mental guard.” I knew he would hate it but I counted on his love for his mate to override his loathing of me.
To my surprise, he nodded once and did as I asked. I felt his mind open up to me seconds later and I projected the image of the house and the location of the property on a map.
When I finished, I felt his shields rise again.
“If you want to hold on to my shoulder, you should be able to follow me easily,” I offered. It wasn’t exactly a good idea. With both of us moving through time and space so quickly, it could be dangerous to trace while touching.
