I folded my hands before me. “Perhaps, Freya, you should stay behind. And heal.”
Freya barked out a laugh. “Funny.” She squinted at me. “Wait. You’re serious?”
I nodded once. “You’ve already been severely injured, and you don’t need to keep putting yourself in danger on my behalf.” I paused. “Or Auggie’s.” I gave her a meaningful look. She knew what I meant. It wasn’t worth the cost to secure information about Auggie for the council.
She gave Auggie a wary look before her gaze shifted back to me. “I appreciate yourconcern, Callum. But I don’t cut and run when things get tough. I will see this to its conclusion. Even if I do sustain another paper cut.”
“Paper cut!” Lexi huffed.
“It’s your decision. You’re a grown witch.” I turned my attention to Lexi. “I will leave Narcissa and Therese in your care until I return, however. I think I’ve jeopardized my friends’ lives enough. Don’t you think?”
Therese perked up. “Now, Mr. Witch, you have an obligation to bring me along and restore me to my normal form.”
“Which I will do once I return,” I assured her. “But you’re not equipped to handle the danger we’re facing.”
Therese harrumphed.
“Narcissa is not going to like this,” Lexi said, scanning around the room, as if my familiar would appear around a corner.
“Yes, well, I’m her witch. She has an obligation to heed my commands.” I tilted my head. “I think you’ll like it here with Lexi anyway, Therese. She’ll fatten you up with … flies and whatnot while I’m gone. Maybe she can make a nice little pie out of them, or something.”
“I can certainly try,” Lexi said brightly. “Although that’s more Xander’s forte.”
“Good. Then we’re in agreement.” I embraced my friend in farewell. “It was so good to see you again, Lexi. Thank you for everything.”
She waved a hand. “Of course. Your friends will be waiting for you when you return.” She nodded to Freya. “And you’re welcome any time as well, Freya. Just … don’t make a habit of receiving mortal wounds. Either of you.”
“I make no promises,” I told her.
“Is that the one?” Auggie asked, peering over my shoulder at the slip of paper in my hand.
I looked up at the large cargo ship skeptically. From where I stood on the dock, I could see men and women rushing about the deck. It looked new and well cared for and was perhaps the best ship in the docks. Which made me suspicious. “It appears to be.”
A woman walked down a gangplank from theKoriko, and I approached her with some trepidation. “Pardon me, Miss. Is there a Captain Mary Smith aboard?”
The woman looked me up and down skeptically. “Sorry, all positions are full.”
I blinked. “Oh, no. We’re here to speak to her about passage aboard the ship.”
“Well, that’s another thing then.” She glanced at my companions briefly before waving a hand up the gangplank. “Follow me. She’ll be in her quarters.”
Auggie and I followed the woman. Aboard, men and women were checking ropes and sails, paying no mind to the intruders who walked straight up the deck to a door situated beneath the helm.
A commotion behind us made the woman pause before reaching the door. She turned and squinted into the sky at our backs. I followed her gaze and sighed as a black figure fell from the sky and landed lightly on the deck at my feet.
“I think you forgot someone,” Narcissa said, tucking in her wings and glaring up at me. “Imagine my surprise when I returned from a lovely game of hide-and-seek with a family of field mice, only to find I’d been left behind.”
I put a hand to my face. “Narcissa, I meant to keep you safe.”
She licked a paw. “Yes, well, we’repartners, remember? Which means you don’t simply give me orders to follow. We come to an agreement. And I did not agree to this.”
I grumbled. “Very well. But don’t say that I didn’t try.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it. Plus, you’ll want me around when that horrid ice woman returns. You saw how she was petrified of my fire.”
That was rather true. I just wished she wouldn’t risk her life to prove her worth.
“Oh, I’m so glad that’s settled, Mr. Witch,” Therese said, appearing from under the folds of one of Narcissa’s wings.
