“Yes,” Elora said with a perfectly straight face.“Simmering.Slow-roasting.Whatever it is your body is doing right now.”
Cassie wheezed.“Elora?—”
“But,” Elora continued, cutting her off as she gripped her hand, “I’m with you.All the way.You’re not doing this alone.I mean,” she waved one hand absently, "obviously, you have Trik, but that’s not nearly as important as having me.”
Emotion punched through Cassie so hard her breath hitched.“Thank you.”
Elora squeezed once more, fiercely.“Now.Tell me everything.Every detail.Every symptom.You said you felt magic?Has your belly glowed?If you say no I’ll be disappointed.”
Cassie laughed until tears ran down her face.“Elora, stop?—”
“Never,” Elora said proudly.“I’m going to be the most annoying aunt in history.”
Cassie leaned into her.“You already are.”
“And you already love me,” Elora replied smugly.
Cassie smiled.“Unfortunately.”
They walked in silence for several minutes, brushing past ferns heavy with dew, ducking under low-hanging branches as the early morning sunlight filtered through the canopy in thin, golden blades.Elora’s boots sank into the moss with each step.The forest felt ...too awake.As if it were breathing against her skin.
Cassie wiped at her face, the motion quick, embarrassed.“Sorry,” she muttered.“I didn’t mean to dump all that on you.”
Elora snorted.“You’re pregnant, Cass.You get to dump whatever you want on me.Anytime, anywhere.I’m your designated emotional support elf.”
Cassie huffed a laugh, even if her eyes were still glassy.“Pretty sure that’s not an actual position.”
“It is now,” Elora said gravely.“I claim it.No takebacks.”
Cassie finally smiled.“Love you, El.”
“Love you more.”Elora bumped her shoulder lightly against Cassie’s, careful not to jostle her too hard.“And I’m incredibly proud of you, even if your mate is an overbearing, overprotective, over everything, pain in the ass.”She tapped her chin.“He and Cush should swap notes.Dammit, I bet they already do.”
A wind swept through the clearing, sudden and cool, stirring Cassie’s hair.The leaves above them rustled, not randomly, but in a rising, coordinated shiver that made the skin between her shoulder blades tighten.Cassie slowed.“You feel that?”
Elora swallowed and nodded.“It’s like the whole forest is inhaling.”
The feeling deepened, soft at first, then insistent.A pull.Forward.Not to the right or left.Straight ahead, down the narrow, root-wrapped trail leading deeper into the old woods.
“Okay, that’s ...new,” Elora murmured, trying, and failing, to sound casual.
Cassie pressed a hand to her chest, frowning.“You feel it, too?”She asked.“It’s like a tug.Not painful.Just ...constant.”
Elora nodded.“Compulsion?Whatever it is, it feels a lot like what I felt when I was in Vegas.I donotlike it.”
Cassie shook her head, then hesitated.“Not exactly compulsion.It doesn’t feel like magic being forced on us.It feels like ...like a call.”
Elora didn’t like that answer at all.“From who?And why can’t I choose to end the call?Or simply hit ‘reject’ like when I get an unwanted call on my phone?”
“I don’t think it’s ‘from who,’” Cassie whispered.“It feels like ‘from where.’”
They shared a look, one that saidthis is stupid,we should turn back, andour mates are going to kill us, but neither stopped walking.The forest kept pulling, gentle but firm, like unseen fingers curling in the fabric of their shirts.
“Cass,” Elora said quietly, “I don’t think we’re the ones doing the finding anymore.”
Cassie slowed, brow furrowed.“We’re being drawn in.”
“Like we’re pieces of metal and the Chamber is the magnet,” Elora finished.
