Page 118 of Starting a New Life

Angelo nodded and turned around, stalking to the doorway.

Callum stood still, hands on his throat, pain dancing over his face as he prodded at the inflamed skin, his eyes on the bent collar on the bed, a tear running down his face, his aura swirling in anguish.

Fuck, it was so much brighter now. So much more him.

“Can I…” I started, carefully taking a step in his direction.

His eyes flickered to me, just for a moment, then they were back on the collar, his Adam’s apple bobbing rapidly.

“I can’t even remember ever not having one,” he whispered, fingers dancing over his inflamed throat, over the welts and redness. Beneath lay scars I hadn’t even noticed before. Evidence of a lifetime in captivity.

“I can heal you, if you want,” I said, but Callum shook his head.

“I just want to go,” he whispered, tears welling up in his eyes. “I need to step outside to know this is real. I can’t—” He shook his head, hand pressed against the length of his throat. “It feels surreal.”

Angelo nodded, extending his hand for Callum to grab. “It’s okay. Let’s get you out of here before anyone notices that the front door is missing.

“Hey,” Heath complained, tensing even more when Callum slipped his pale hand into Angelo’s dark one. “I pulled it outward. If anyone checks, it’ll look like someone kicked out the door from the inside. Same with this door. They’ll think the mage escaped on his own.”

I frowned, looking at the collar.

Heath pulled a face. “Yeah, I can’t explain that away, but no one can. Maybe the spell broke or… whatever. Let’s go. Can you pull up the shield again?”

I nodded, took a deep breath, and reached for my magic. I created the shield on my skin, adding several layers, one to keep us hidden from view, another one to keep everything within the shield soundproof. Then I slowly inflated the shield like a balloon until it surrounded us all. Callum flinched when my magic washed over him, but his eyes were filled with wonder.

“What… what are you doing?”

“Hiding us,” I said.

“No time for explanations,” Heath reminded, nodding at the doorway. “Come on, let’s go.”

We jogged down the stairs, Heath at the front, Angelo and Callum in the middle, me in the back. Callum’s movements were tense, a bit uncoordinated, and slower than I’d expected. Then again, that fucking chain couldn’t have been more than six feet long, so there hadn’t been much room for movement. Who knew how long that fucking chain had been so short for? Who knew how long Callum hadn’t even been able to move freely within his room?

I sent out my magic, searching for auras, for people waiting for us, but… still none.

Heath snorted when we walked straight out the front door. “I never thought a curfew would ever work in my favour,” he commented, then unceremoniously started stripping on the snow-covered front lawn. “We’re gonna have to hurry.”

I grimaced, my legs already burning in anticipation of what was to come. We needed to run back.

Angelo looked at Callum, then at me, then back to Callum.

“Are you comfortable… uhm… riding me?”

Callum’s eyes went wide. “Am I… what?”

“Me carrying you?” Angelo elaborated. “On my back.”

“Oh… uhm…” Callum looked at me, his throat working, eyes wide as saucers. “Yes?”

I nodded.

Howls rang out through the night, and the next second pain shot through my side, but there was a grim satisfaction echoing through my chest, a triumphant smile pulling at my mouth.

“He’s winning,” I said, relief making me dizzy. “It’s almost over.”

Angelo nodded, hands reaching for his sweatpants. “Let’s get going, then.”

Seconds later, human Angelo was gone, and Angelo’s lion cocked his head at a wide-eyed Callum.