I take it automatically, as he pulls me closer to his massive body and away from the middle of the circle. I’m assuming that’s where the summoning happens. The others all make their way over to us, standing around us protectively.
I know I should be focusing on the fact that we’re in a dangerous situation, but instead, all I can focus on is that Baz still has his giant hand wrapped around mine, and it doesn’t feel weird.
It feels normal, but in the best kind of way.
I don’t know how to explain it, but then again, I don’t really know how to explain any of what is happening where Baz is concerned.
He’s been with us for less than two hours, and yet he’s already been dragged into our crazy and is apparently, according to a crazy raccoon, supposed to be with us and dragged into the rest of our crazy shit.
I’m going to need to apologize to him at some point for everything that has happened and everything that will happen, because I know it’s going to be a lot, and if he wasn’t supposed to be with us, then he probably would be able to live a nice, calm life.
After a few moments where nothing happens, and where even the Voices are quiet, that hum of magic that I felt before disappears completely. I say, “Huh, I guess it just had a little glitch or something? Let’s just find what Winston wanted us to find and get out of here. Even I need a nap again.”
The guys all hesitate for a moment before they nod.
“Yeah, I’m starting to feel uneasy now. If we don’t find it within the next twenty minutes, I’m calling it,” Van replies. “We can come back in the morning.”
“And Winston can give us more instructions this time,” Coen adds.
“Sounds good to me,” I reply.
The guys all move away, and I refuse to be the one who breaks contact with Baz first, it’s just not going to happen.
He glances down at me, his eyebrows furrowed slightly, and I just smile up at him like the dork I am.
Suddenly, he drops my hand like it’s on fire.
“Shit, I’m sorry,” he apologizes, and I get the feeling it’s because he thinks that there’s something wrong with holding his hand, not that he thinks that there is something wrong with holding my hand.
I smile, “Don’t be.”
His frown deepens, making the scars on his face become more pronounced, “You don’t mind?”
I shake my head, “Nope.”
He studies me closely, and my brain stutters. There’s something about that look that’s almost familiar, but I can’t for the life of me put a finger on why it feels that way.
Suddenly, that subtle magic that I felt before flares to life. I have just enough time to see Baz’s eyes widen in panic before my world goes blank.
I seem to be floating in the darkness, much like when I go to my Darkness Friend, but I know for certain that I’m not there. I’ve died really quickly before, one second I’m alive and the next I’m dead, and although it is really disorientating, I still always know that I am in fact dead.
I’m not dead.
Which begs the question, where am I and what am I doing here?
I’m assuming that something has gone wrong because Winston said that we had to get something, not that I would be sucked into some sort of weird blackness.
Wait.
“Hello? Guys, are you here?” I call out, feeling a bit ridiculous, especially when no one answers me.
I figured it was probably only me that the crazy thing happened to, but considering that Ransom recently got pulled into Luesidious and then Coen, Raiden, and he all got sent back there, it is a possibility that they could be involved in this as well.
For a few moments, I just float there. It’s a good job that I’m not scared of the dark or being weightless, because otherwise I would be freaking out right about now.
The Voices are calm, but then they tend to be when I find myself in these sorts of situations, although it would be super helpful if they could let me know what is going on.
That thought I aim very pointedly at the Voices.
