She nodded again, before taking a step back, her long neck snaking around toward the twins, briefly touching each of them. I couldn’t see exactly where her snout brushed, but within seconds they were both awake, on their feet, eyes wide and confused.
“Josephina!” Jessa bit out, voice husky. “What did you do?”
There was silence while the dragon communicated with them, both girls wearing expressions of confusion and exasperation. A moment of observation was all I needed to see that Mischa was better at containing her emotions. Jessa visibly vibrated with her anger.
Whatever Josephina said it slowly calmed the twins. They turned away from her, both of them walking right up to me.
“Freaky,” I murmured, staring between them. Minute differences only, otherwise it was like looking into a perfect reflection.
Jessa’s lips quirked as she hurried forward for a hug. “Hey, girl!” she said, holding me tight. “I knew we were going to chat soon, but I definitely didn’t expect it would be under these circumstances.”
I snorted, hugging her back. “Yeah, Josephina had a pretty good reason, so I’m okay with it, but I’m pretty sure Asher is destroying something on Earth as we speak.”
Jessa’s jaw tightened, tension spilling into her blue eyes. “Braxton too.”
“And Max,” Mischa said with a sigh.
She forced a smile, holding her hand out to me. “Hi, you must be Maddison.”
I shook her hand and returned her smile. “I am. It’s really nice to meet you, Mischa. I’ve heard a lot about your life, and … well, we have more than a little in common.”
Her eyes were more green than blue, a lot like Axl’s current eye color, and her face was softer than Jessa’s, somehow, despite their identical looks.
“I’d love to talk to you about your time in the human world,” she said softly, “and the transitioning phase going from human to supernatural.” She looked around at the dark landscape surrounding us. “Guess that might have to wait for another day, though. We’re apparently booked up with saving the world today.”
My laugh was strangled. “Apparently.”
It’s time.
We all turned to Josephina, who was facing toward a very small speck of light in the distance.
You have twenty seconds to say goodbye to your mates … then we must step into the light.
Whatever had been blocking me from Asher vanished, and without pause I reached for his energy.
Ash, love. I only have seconds. We’re safe. Going to take a path into the underworld. Don’t destroy the world. I love you.
Maddison!
His roar was deafening, but I had no more time for words, so I sent all the loving emotions his way.
Tell me where you ar—
He was cut off, and I hunched forward in pain, my hands on my knees as I fought through the devastation. I was acutely aware of how it felt to lose Asher, to experience his “death,” and this blocking of our connection had a similar feel.
Jessa and Mischa were pale beside me, their normally tanned skin blotchy.
“Braxton is fucking furious,” Jessa whispered. “I mean … he’s probably going to be in a supernatural prison when we return.”
I swallowed hard. “Good luck containing Asher in a jail. He’s basically a god now, and I’m scared of what he might do.”
“They’re all together at least,” Mischa added, her voice thick with emotions. “And the kids are safe.”
“They’re together?” I bit out.
Shit, was that a good or a bad thing? I felt like that many powerful, pissed off males in one place … kind of a recipe for disaster.
“They’re going to come after us,” Jessa warned Josephina.
