Gone. Holy crow. I'd done it. I really sent him to another world.
I got up slowly, my whole body feeling shaky. I had no idea what I was going to do next, but I knew one thing.
I had to find Bran before the bad goblins found me.
15
BRAN
The phone pingedand I picked it up, hoping Andromeda had worked out what was bothering her. I was almost done with my duty and wanted to spend more time with her.
I stared at the message.
Please come help? Franklin has me trapped? The text felt wrong on a number of levels, not least that she would have sent specific requests to me as she planned her escape.
Worried, I called her cell. It went immediately to voicemail.
Reynard straightened from his accustomed slouch. “Trouble?”
“Yes. Would you drive me to her office building?” I raised my hand to stave off Henry’s objection. “Just the two of us. I will call for help through the shadows if it’s needed.”
Worried about Andromeda, I forbore to comment on the speed and recklessness of Reynard’s driving. As landscape flashed by us, I tried calling her office line. Nobody answered.
“There’s no answer.” I stared at the phone, wishing I could crush it in my hand to alleviate some of the tension. It vibrated in my hand and Christian’s name flashed on the screen.
I tapped the green button, lifting it to my ear.
"She's gone," he said breathlessly. "Disappeared out of her brightly lit bedroom. Her sister was with her, and is gone now too."
"Meet me at her office." I had a bad feeling I was walking into a trap. The urge to smash the phone, or something, anything, increased.
“She’ll be fine.” Reynard broke the silence.
“Why do you say that? She’s not a physical match for a warrior.”
“No, but she’s not going to be trapped either. I think you can rely on her brains and ingenuity.”
The words helped the worry not at all. In fact, it increased it, as what if she got into more peril escaping a current peril?
My phone rang again, this time from Andromeda's office line. I nearly sprained my finger accepting it. "Hello? Are you safe?"
"Yes." She chuckled. "Franklin isn't."
"I'm on my way to your office." Relief gushed through me. "She's safe."
He slowed the vehicle a bit as I put the line on speaker.
"It's a long story, but I think I sent Franklin to another dimension."
That was not what I had expected to hear. "Okay, you're going to have to explain that one to me when I get there."
"I will," she said. "Just hurry."
We pulled up to her office building and after a short discussion with the night security we headed straight upstairs. Reynard assured me that what he had done to confuse them would wear off in an hour or so, not causing permanent harm.
He’d grown quite considerate of that in his time here. With Andromeda in danger, I didn’t share that concern.
I stormed out of the elevator as soon as the doors opened and hurried to the office. Andromeda was waiting for us in the reception area, looking a little bedraggled but otherwise unharmed.
