It was going to hurt to let go, especially since I’d let the flame get so out of control, but if I didn’t do it, I’d end up hurting Rex too.
I released the magic, the flame bursting above our heads as silence filled the backyard. For a moment I thought that I was successful in scrying and not getting hurt, but when I looked up Rex was saying something to me that I couldn’t hear. A buzzing noise filled my ears as I stared at his lips, trying to figure out what he was trying to tell me.
Something wet dripped over my lips and I touched it with my finger, confused when it came away covered in blood.
I frowned at Rex before I turned, fully intending to check on the rest of the pack, but my vision tunneled and my knees gave out.
The last thing I remembered before the inky blackness completely closed in was the look in Podcast’s green eyes as he leaned over me. Then there was nothing.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Myfirstwakingthoughtwas that I wassore. Every inch of my body hurt as if I had been put through the laundry press, even the follicles of hair on my scalp ached.
I cracked an eye open, squinting at the warm light filling my nest as I stared up at the wooden ceiling.
“Look who’s finally awake.” Bat’s face filled my vision, bruised and full of cuts, but alive.
“You’re alive,” I croaked, reaching up to cup his cheek but wincing when the movement tugged and pulled at my abused muscles.
“I am, and awake a day before you despite being the one with new holes in my body,” Bat teased as he leaned down with a pained-grunt to brush his lips against mine.
“How long was I asleep for?” I asked when he pulled away.
Bat’s forehead creased with a frown. “Two days. You scared the shit out of everyone. I woke up yesterday up here in the nest next to you and nearly lost it when I couldn’t wake you.”
“I’m sorry, I may have gotten a little carried away with magic,” I told him, reaching up to cup his face gently making sure to avoid the bruises and cuts dotting his cheeks and nose. “You scared me too by showing up like that.”
“From what Doc tells me you held your own just fine, threatening to light people on fire and all that,” Bat murmured jokingly, but his smile fell when he saw how serious my expression was. “You’re right, it’s just… when Rex called to tell me those bastards were sniffing around you I saw red. It’s been a while since I’ve felt so… murder-y.”
I sighed, understanding him completely. When Bat showed up at the house bloody, the same burning rage I’d felt when the Titans had tried to drag Podcast away from me had filled my gut again. “Let’s just promise to treat ourselves more carefully from now on, okay?”
Bat nodded. “I promise, cross my heart and hope to die,” he said, dragging his pointer finger over his heart in an X-pattern.
“I’ve never been overly fond of that saying, isn’t the purpose to not die?” I asked with a frown but shook it off. I had a million other questions about the last two days and didn’t have time to get stopped up. “Where is everyone?”
I sat up with some difficulty. Each of my bones creaked with protest, like they’d grown overly accustomed to my being horizontal. They would just have to come to terms with it, though, because I desperately needed to find the rest of the pack.
“They’re downstairs with some guests. I was explicitly told not to bring you downstairs if you woke up.” Bat’s expression was sheepish, like he shouldn’t have told me about it at all.
I scoffed, it figured they were doing that to try and keep me out of trouble. “Well, then that’s all the more reason to crash the party then, isn’t it?” I rolled onto my knees with some difficulty and crawled toward the door of the nest.
Once I was out I stood in the hallway on shaky legs, feeling completely drained just from moving that much. “Are you coming?” I asked Bat who was still sitting inside, and held my hand out to him.
“I really should be stopping you,” Bat said as he took my hand and let me help him out of the nest.
I scoffed and linked my arm through his. We leaned on each other as we slowly started to descend the steps. “Have you ever been able to tell me no before?”
“Never, sugar, and why would I ever want to?” he asked as we made it halfway down the stairs.
“I’m assuming they are meeting in the bar.” I gently tugged him toward the door and put my ear to the wood, hoping to eavesdrop, and immediately heard Rex’s voice on the other side.
“We brought you here for a reason, Silas. The Titans have been pushing into our territory, the very territory that is a buffer between you and them. I’ve worked hard to maintain that space so you never cross paths with them, but I’m afraid that they are going to try and eliminate us soon,” Rex said, sounding very official.
“And what would you have me do about that?” an unfamiliar voice asked.
“Either help us push them back or get rid of them, claim the entire North-East coast for your MC,” Doc was speaking now.
“And the fuck are we supposed to do with you then?” another new voice asked.
