Darcy had needed to call Lizzy to tell her that I was to be trusted. But now she nodded, albeit hesitantly.
I followed Lydia from a distance to the edge of the woods. The soft trilling of birds made it sound as if we were in a winter wonderland, the kind where snow clung to every branch and our boots crunched over a path dusted in white. Theair smelled of cold earth and evergreens, laced with the faint, comforting scent of pine resin. I had been careful to wipe out any footprints besides Lydia’s. She looked over her shoulder in my general direction.
Thanks for letting me do this with you,she said in my head.
You didn’t give me a choice.
She released a soft laugh.I guess I should say thank you for not fighting me on this anymore.
I kept my gaze on the woman who’d stolen my heart.You’ve got this. I’m not going to let anything happen to you.
I know.
She pulled out the potion, dipped her finger into the bottle, and rubbed it onto the phone. Then she placed the bottle in the trash receptacle, stored the phone in her pocket, and headed into the woods.
“How are things going?” Darcy’s voice blared in my ear, and I was tempted to take the blasted piece out. It was hard juggling more than one voice in my head.
“Everything is going according to plan. Lydia has applied the potion to the phone and entered the woods. I’m following at a distance,” I said softly.
Depending on where he is, it will probably take about twenty to thirty minutes for him to come,Lydia thought.
As long as he was still in Austen Heights.
I mimicked Lydia’s journey into the woods, coming to the boundary where my vampire friends hid up in the trees. Lydia walked into the small clearing and brushed the snow from a fallen log before sitting down to wait.
She wrapped her arms around her stomach, leaning forward.Something is wrong.
I took a step toward her, glancing in all directions. The forest was still. Each tree was a silent sentinel in this frozen paradise.
My vampire senses, which were on high alert, picked up nothing.
I returned my gaze to Lydia.What is it?
I feel… strange… it’s. Hex. She stared at me in shock.It’s a removal potion, used to move someone from one place to another, but how did it get into my drink? It only works on those with witch powers.
“Oh no,” I muttered.
“Wickham, what’s going on?” Darcy demanded.
I had seconds. Blurring forward, I got to her just as her feet were starting to fade. I wrapped my arms around her.
Lydia,I thought,open our connection.
And she did. I reached out, wrapping my fae power about her, tying the two of us together.
And the world careened wildly out of control before darkness enveloped us.
Chapter 15
Iheardtwovoices.One a bit too familiar.
“What is this? We drugged onlyher! You told me it only worked on witches,” said the familiar voice.
“I thought it did,” said the not so familiar one.
“Then what’s he doing here?”
“I have no idea.”
