“Can you shove your immaturity aside for one second and let her call for help?” Karl interjects. “In case you’ve forgotten, Manu is trapped in a fucked-up realm.”
“Bite me, wolf boy. For a familiar who forgot your duties for centuries, your sudden concern is mega sus.”
“Shut up, Saxon,” Lucca snaps. “Youaredelaying things. Go on, Aurora, call them.”
Saxon finally shuts up and lets Aurora work in peace. She furrows her brow and stares at the object in her hand until it begins to glow from within, a bright green light that shines over her face. She reminds me of Sophie when she held her crystal pendant in the catacombs.
Shit. I have to tell Sophie that Lucca is back, but not before I tell them about her. I just don’t think now is a good time to broach the subject.
Aurora’s eyes glow the same color as the amulet, and now she looks like the witch fromThe Wizard of Oz. Magic pours from the object and spreads at a rapid pace around the room. My skin tingles when the current touches my skin, setting my teeth on edge. The sensation is similar to when we crossed the wards in the catacombs, but the magic Aurora is yielding feels heavier, and darker.
A gust of strong wind sweeps the room, making the girls’ hair dance wildly around their heads. The magic reaches a crescendo, and then the whole room is enveloped in the green light coming from the amulet. I close my eyes when the brightness turns blinding. The summoning magic recedes, but something else takes its place.
When I open my eyes, there’s a tall man standing in front of the fireplace, wearing black from head to toe and an arrogantsmirk. Shit. It’s the same guy who helped Sophie and me escape the dragon shifters. He glances briefly at me, raising the fine hairs at my nape. Is he going to acknowledge that he knows me? But he turns his attention to Aurora and says he’s been waiting for her call. I exhale in relief.
“Hello, Ryker,” she says.
He looks around the room, crinkling his forehead. “I take it you’ve gathered all your friends to bid you goodbye?”
“Rora is not going anywhere with you,” Saxon grits out.
Ryker glares at Aurora. “I specifically told you to only use that amulet when you were ready to start your training.”
“Well, I’m not quite ready to leave yet. There’s been an emergency, and I need your help.”
He lets out an exasperated sigh. “You didn’t even begin your apprenticeship, and you’re already abusing the power I gave you.”
“Yeah, yeah.” She waves her hand dismissively. “And who defeated Ashmedai when you couldn’t? This untrained warlock here and her mate.”
“Burn!” Saxon shouts.
I grimace.Dude, read the room.
Ryker pinches the bridge of his nose. “That’s what I get for dealing with children. What is the emergency?”
“My sister is stuck in Ellnesari, and we need to get her back,” Lucca replies.
“So itistrue. You managed to cross into Ellnesari. We sensed a disturbance in the magic around Salem that felt a lot like a portal had been opened, but we didn’t think anyone had actually managed that. Let me guess. You used the Taluah Mirror to do it.”
“Yes, but the second time around, it blew into smithereens,” Aurora says.
“The second time around?” His eyebrows arch. “You mean to say you’ve done it twice?”
“Yes. The first time, a member of Queen Maewe’s court had the spell to open a portal using the mirror,” Vivi replies.
“What happened the second time?” the warlock asks.
Aurora drops her gaze to her lap, blushing furiously now. Saxon’s lips curl into a mischievous smile. And I feel secondhand embarrassment.
“Saxon and Aurora got carried away during their portion of the spell,” Karl replies. “Can you help or not?”
The warlock stares at Karl through slits for what feels like an eternity. “I cannot.”
Karl looks like he’s about to hurl. I’ve never seen him so distraught. I understand that he’s Manu’s familiar, but it seems to me there’s more to his reaction. That’s how I would react if Sophie were trapped in a place I couldn’t get to.
“So much for all your powers,” Saxon grumbles, earning Ryker’s glare.
“My magic only goes so far. To open a portal into Ellnesari, I need an amplifier, an object of power made by the Nightingales.”
