Every muscle in Rourke's body tensed."He left?In the car?Where is Ezra?"
For a heartbeat, the room bathed in silence, then everyone stood as one and hurried out the door.
"I'll check your room, but I think two witches went through the barrier."Ulric took off in the different directions of the entrance where everyone else was heading.
Rourke hurried to the front of the group, but Due grabbed his arm."Rourke.Focus."
"I am focused."
"No, on the bond.You should be able to tell where he is, or at least in which direction he is."
He tried to take a deep breath.His head was buzzing, and he couldn't hone in on anything.His chest was overflowing with nerves--fear and regret were clawing at him.He didn't feel regret.He looked into Due's eyes."There is too much."He gestured at his chest.
"Okay, calm yourself.Is he leaving?Is the distance between you growing bigger."
"I don't know!"
She slapped his arm."You're not focusing.Okay, this one is easier.Is he hurt?"
The air froze in Rourke's chest.Hurt?Ezra?Then he tried to sense if he was hurt."I don't feel any pain."
"Good.And you feel him?"
"I think so."All the emotions clashing inside of him couldn't be his alone.
"Good, so he's not dead, and he's not hurt.Is he afraid?"
"Yes."
"Less good.More, can you tell us anything else?"
"Guilty, he's feeling guilty."
She scrunched her nose."Guilty for Jiprix hurting perhaps, which he might have used to get him to get them out of here."
Quick steps came up behind them."He's not in your room."Ulric met his gaze with grim determination.
Farkas came back in through the front door."One car is gone, and the hut is empty."
"Ezra doesn't drive."Was Jiprix well enough to drive or was someone else taking them?"Is everyone but Ezra and Jiprix accounted for?"
Ulric went back to the bottom of the corridor and knocked on every door.
Due's hold on his arm changed into something comforting."Can you feel if he went willingly or not?"
"You think a half-dead man kidnapped him?"
She shrugged."Maybe not by physically forcing him, and I don't know Ezra well, but I get the feeling he tries to please people.Jiprix has known him far longer than we have, he knows what to say to get Ezra to do what he wants.And half-dead or not, I wouldn't trust him not to be able to use his magic."
"True."Rourke was sure Jiprix could manipulate Ezra.He got the feeling the entire clan had done little else.
"Why would Jiprix want to go?"It didn't make sense.He needed to heal.
"I have a bad feeling."Geri was pacing by the door, having come back shortly after Farkas."I don't think we should be standing around here chatting."
Rourke trusted Geri's gut feelings, always had.It had saved them more than once."What do you feel we should do?"
"I...eh..."He rubbed his solar plexus and tension crept into Rourke.He did it when he was foreshadowing or whatever they should call it.There were no guarantees what he was feeling was what would happen, but more often than not, it did."I think it would be bad if they reached their destination."
