“Lennox!” Amalia screamed.
Lennox was already moving. “I see it.”
“Let me go,” Kalinda demanded.
The fireball Lennox had been controlling over the table expanded and contracted, turning into a snake of fire, and twisted its way around the circle of gray in front of her chest. Lennox was working, his fingers dancing fast enough to blur, and Kalinda wrenched forward, pulled by the fire she’d taken from him, but she jerked back, staying on her feet.
Help me!
The gray fireballs spread out, making Lennox’s fire grow before shooting out toward the Trinity. They stood shoulder to shoulder, Yon and Amalia now working just as fast as Lennox.
“Sleep,” they whispered in unison.
Rest, child. You’re not yet ready to control this.
I can’t stay here. I can’t. Please.
He’s coming. Trust us.
Who?
But they didn’t answer before the world faded.
She was really tired of falling asleep like this.
Chapter Seven
She was gone.
After getting to Kalinda’s shop and finding Silva and Giuliana literally foaming at the mouth, Romano figured Kalinda would be hiding somewhere out of her need to run from the stress of her changing magic. He didn’t think he’d be able to think of anything else but the picture Silva and Giuliana struck: damn near half-clothed, sweaty and ready to go yet trying to fight anything in their path. It wasn’t until he realized he couldn’t smell Kalinda anywhere and traces of powerful magic over it that he realized their anger was because they hadn’t been able to protect her.
“I’m sorry,” Giuliana said for the umpteenth time. He loved the girl, but he was two seconds from punishing her like he would his men. But he’d been under the control of Kalinda’s magic before and he knew how powerful it was.
“Explain again what happened,” Dominic ordered. He’d brought extra men with him when Romano told him Kalinda needed them, just in case, and it was a good thing he did.
“We were eating the test batches of Kalinda’s cake when all I could think about was mating to the nearest male I could find. There were no males, obviously, and that caused a bit of an issue. By the time I even sensed the Trinity was here, it was too late. I was too far gone, and even though I was fighting to get back and help, I couldn’t do much. The Fae did better.”
Romano turned on the small Fae Kalinda employed to take care of her shop. Silva nodded. “It’s like she said. I was able to sense them faster and tried to react but couldn’t. I tried to tell Kalinda to run, but she couldn’t get away. Her magic is even more powerful than it was the day with the Leo, I was unprepared to handle it.”
Why the hell would the Trinity come for Kalinda? Zahara said the Council would check on her, but that didn’t mean the Trinity. They never came for anything unless there was war brewing between shifters or magical factions.
“Scenters, head out and see which direction they traveled. One of the Trinity is a phaser, but he leaves traces when he ports. We may be able to pick up something,” Dominic called out.
While any shifter generally had a good nose, scenters worked exclusively on tracking and had a highly developed sense of smell. If anyone could pick up anything, it would be them, but Romano was not optimistic.
“I’m calling Zahara. She may know more than we do.”
It took a few minutes of haggling her price, but the witch said she’d be on her way, and Romano was left to wait. His wolf pounded against the confines of his cage, wanting to get out and search for Kalinda himself. There was nothing either of them could do. The Council Headquarters was on the outskirts of Encantado, near the portal into the city. They were also shielded by a ward tougher than Fort Knox, and no one could get in unless invited.
It took some time, but the scenters eventually came back after finding the signature of the phase in the direction of the Council Headquarters, like Romano had expected.
“Fuck,” Dominic cursed. “Even Arturo didn’t want to trifle with the Council if he didn’t have to, but I may need his help getting an audience with them.”
“And it just keeps getting better.”
“Oh, just you wait.” Zoey’s eyes blazed with anger. “You let my best friend be taken. You’re going to die.”
Romano groaned. Zoey didn’t get vindictive or mean very often, but she was ridiculously headstrong and stubborn when it came to her family and friends. He’d have to protect his balls while he slept if he didn’t bring Kalinda home, and fast.
