He hung up, then he made another call. Timber turned around till he saw Wade, who was walking toward the road with the little girl, who looked to be sleeping in his arms.
The ambulance rolled up on the street, with lights flashing but no siren. Wade carried the girl to it, stepping inside and disappearing from Timber’s view.
Jaggar rushed by. Timber reached out and grabbed his arm, asking, “What in the hell happened?”
Jaggar looked at him, eyes haunted. “The One True Mate fucking died, man. We found her first, but she died anyway, because the demon set it up that way. He had the little girl so Crew couldn’t fight him, and we couldn’t do anything. He slit Dahlia’s throat with his gross-ass claws and she fuckingdied.”
Timber put a fist to his mouth. “Shit…” he whispered. “Talk about worst-fucking-case-scenario.”
Jaggar only shook his head.
“Where’s the body?” He leaned forward and whispered. “Did Khain take it?”
Jaggar shook his head still, eyes wide, mouth open. “Her body disappeared,” he whispered back. “I fucking saw it.”
Timber looked around. “Disappeared like it decomposed? Or was whisked away somewhere?”
“Disappeared like she was beamed up by Scotty.”
“Shit,” Timber said, not sure what to do with that information. “And Crew?”
Jaggar just shook his head. “He wanted Mac to hit him… then he disappeared, too.”
Jaggar swallowed convulsively and wandered off.
Timber watched him go, not sure what the fuck to do now.
19—Abigail
“Turn here.”
Abigail directed Number Twelve up the back driveway to Kurzwell Townhouse, where he parked in a private stall hidden with foliage.
“I’ll be back soon, and you’ll take me to the hospital.”
“Yes, Missus.”
“Don’t leave the stall, you hear?”
“Yes, Missus.”
Abigail nodded, satisfied. Number Twelve wasn’t her brightest husband, but he was obedient enough, and could follow directions. She left and hurried up the hidden path to her ivy-covered back door, went inside, up to the third floor and lay on the bed that would take her to Kurzwell Manor. At Kurzwell Manor, she hurried into the rotation room that took her to the Templum.
Once inside the Templum, she rang the bell at Ethedra’s well. Ethedra came quickly, her face eager as she stepped onto the invisible platform above her well, holding the fox pelt.
“Here’s yourcask, all safe,” Ethedra said.
Abigail held out her hands for it. Ethedra dropped it and a crackling light flashed through the Templum, as the item passed between worlds. Abigail probed its belly, pleased that it felt full. She took Number Six from her shoulders and put thecaskin his place, then kissed Number Six on his tiny head. She held him out over the opening of the well, under Ethedra’s feet and looked up at Ethedra’s face.
Ethedra nodded. Abigail dropped Number Six into the well, and he fell right into Ethedra’s waiting arms. She wrappedhim around her shoulders, raised one arm with a flourish and said, “I’m up!” She stepped off her platform and was gone.
Abigail stared at the spot for a long time, wishing she could stick her head through to Ethedra’s world and hear everything, but also knowing the portal didn’t work like that.
Her phone rang—Mina. Abigail answered it, anxious for news. “What?”
“Nana, they saved her. Thevodsaved Paisley, and we’re all going to the hospital now.”
Relief flooded Abigail. Thevodvodhad given up his mate, and the mate had given up her life. ForPaisley,a girl they didn’t evenknow.She was hardly able to believe it, and entirely unable to understand it.
